A typical side effect of a mood stabliser that I took was, ummm, stupidity. And I got this in large doses.

I became thicker than 10 planks stacked together. Thoughts and ideas became like a sludge puppy and any brilliance if there ever was any, vanished.

It took weeks to return to some semblance of myself after I tapered.

My family enjoyed it at my expense though. So someone benefited!!