How did your day go?

Did you manage to plan things that would get you exercise (to help you sleep) and that you enjoyed (to help you feel better) and to help you socialise (to help you feel connected in a meaningful way to others)?

Or... Did you decide that the answer lies in a pill?

There was a reason why I didn't adopt the 'obvious' explanation of the answer lying in a pill... I figured that your distress was around the medication situation not being satisfactorily sorted out (with respect to blood levels).

I guess I don't see... How the answer lies in a pill... Not really... I mean... If you don't learn to manage your emotional state by way of exercise (to physically tire you so you get a good nights sleep) and by way of enjoyable activities (so you feel valued by YOU) and by way of social connection (so you feel valued by others) then...

Well...

A pill can sedate you. And a pill can energise you. But a pill is (by admittance of the psychiatric profession) a way of helping people feel better when they are unable to take the steps in their life that would help them feel better.

And the negative side effects of a pill can be symptoms worse than you have ever experienced in your whole life. In some cases a worsening of symptoms. In some cases death.

But you aren't incapable of managing your own emotional state...

Are you?

Your decision.

Your distress being legitimate doesn't depend on a pill being the answer. But... It might be the easiest way...

Easier to take a pill and say 'I'm not responsible for managing my own emotional state - I have a chemical imbalannce' than to weather the normal variation in ones mental state and learn how to manage that better.

It does take time. It is an ongoing process. But how much to buy into the idea that 'I'm better learning how to manage my emotions - which is something that the majority of people are working on' compared with 'I need to take a pill to manage them for me because I have a biological disease that is completely outside my control'.

But then... Of course... There are issues with p-doc going away without making it clear that he is monitoring the situation adequatly. What a temptation... To show him... That he CAN"T DO THAT.

But... What about you?????

What about you?