Josie,
I am working the program, my therapist and my psychologist are both pleased with my progress, identifying feelings, setting goals, scheduling something fun, and are finding the documentation that I do very helpful in their being able to help me more. I have a very supportive son and his family as well. I am working the program but taking time with it. I find this support group and the feed back from those in the group as well as the health educators very encouraging and informative! I love the conversations with people who can relate, don't stereotype and aren't negative regarding having a mental illness (though I know it gets to all of us at times).
I think the hardest thing I have trouble with at this point is remembering my pre-morbid functioning and my negative core belief that I won't ever "get to be like that again". Then I wonder is it true or is it just a negative core belief. I definitely liked me better when I could function at work at a level consistent with my education, take care of home, work on my doctorate, and manage my own finances, and be involved in civic activities and friends and an intimate relationship. Now I am grateful for being able to work 8 hours a day in any job and for the help I get to take care of my home and finances. I want to one day be able to focus and concentrate and be able to read a book and read a book and comprehend at the level I used to, I'd also like to finish my doctorate (I lack a dissertation.)....am I being unrealistic? My psychiatrist is encouraging but doubts I'll ever return to that level of functioning and my pschologist says I need to set realistic goals (is he also suggesting I won't). Both think this program combined with what I am doing with them and the medications are my best bet. I'd be happy functioning at that level with medications. I'm rambling again. I just get so frustrated thinking about "before".
Rose 306 Thanks, I wish I would have talked to you about that a year ago, I had my gall bladder removed in February of this year and was hoping for the same results that you had. Unfortunately, after a small reprieve, I am back on the Nexium and Rx for IBS. However, it is not near as bad as before - but is still there! They say the Meniere's is permanent, hence the falls averaging about once every two months now.
A note on your thyroid issue, I developed or was developing problems with my thyroid when they had me on Lithium, getting off lithium relatively quickly resolved my thyroid problems! But I have also heard that it is common in uni/bipolar without that medication. Know anything about that? Insight?
