Daily Archives: April 1, 2014

Tell yourself: STOP ! Take a Breath Focusing on your breathing slows down the adrenaline response and the distressing thoughts. Breathe mindfully and notice the sensations of breathing in your belly. You might find it helpful to count your breaths, … Continue reading →

Will my information be kept confidential? GPs have strict guidelines on confidentiality and information sharing which means they are not allowed to give information about you to third parties without your direct consent. This means they will not give information … Continue reading →

Medication – choice and managing problems Medication can play a key role in treating mental illness. Unfortunately, sometimes people have problems with taking this medication that make them feel that it’s not right for them. This section considers ways of … Continue reading →

This section covers: •How do mood stabilisers work? •Lithium •Valproate •Carbamazepine •Lamotrigine •Antipsychotics How do mood stabilisers work? It is not yet known exactly how mood stabilisers work. They appear to have the effect of stabilising swings between mania (feeling … Continue reading →

How do benzodiazepines work? When you are anxious, your brain becomes more active. It may then produce a chemical messenger (or ‘neurotransmitter’) called GABA (short for gamma-aminobutyric acid) that makes you feel calmer. GABA is the brain’s naturally occurring ‘calmer’. … Continue reading →

Antipsychotics are medicines that are mainly used to treat schizophrenia or mania caused by bipolar disorder. There are two main types of antipsychotics: atypical antipsychotics and older antipsychotics. Both types are thought to work as well as each other. Side-effects … Continue reading →

Education and Recovery An important aspect of recovery involves not only getting better, but also achieving a full and satisfying life. Education can accelerate your recovery process in that it broadens your intellectual, social and emotional horizons. When you go … Continue reading →