Intro...

So then, I have decided to give this blogging malarkey a go purely because I want to try and get my head round being both a mental health service user and provider. I often feel uncertain whether my diagnosis of bipolar disorder makes me a better mental health nurse or just a liability. It usually depends on what my mood is doing at the time.

I have a terrible habit of becoming distracted and becoming overwhelmed with the sheer quantity of what I want to try and get down on paper which is another reason to start a blog -it stops me from loosing all the paper, and keeps all my ramblings in one place!

The main aims of this blog are in no particular order to

1. Reflect on my own mental state.
2. Monitor my own mental state.
3. Gain a greater understanding of bipolar disorder.
4. Gain a greater understanding of post natal illness and post partum psychosis.
5. Try and get my own story written down, so I can try to make sense of the person I am today.
6. Reflect on my nursing pratice, and what I actually do at work.
7. Look at bipolar disorder with fresh eyes, and try and work out what treatment programme will keep me well.
8. Try to identify a possible route of treatment tht will help others with the same problems.
9. Try and find something postive in the fact that I have been diagnosed with a severe and enduring mental illness.
10. Look at STEP-BD
11. Look at Recovery.
12. Look at WRAP.
13. Life charting.
14. The Social Rhythm Metric.
15. Interpersonal Inventory.
16. My Life History.
17. Get all those little stories from over the years down on paper.
18. Get feedback from anyone who can be bothered to read my thoughts and ideas.
19. Reflect on Manic Depression Support group meetings I plan to attend.
20. Really try to create a plan of care with the chap I am a named nurse for that is truly individualised and will help him in his recovery.
21. Care planning - look at good care planning for BPD.
22. Reflect on books, journals and articles I read related to BPD or PNI.

SORT MY OWN HEAD OUT AND USE MY OWN EXPERIENCES TO HELP OTHERS AND INFLUENCE POSITIVE WORK AND ATTITUDES REGARDING SERIOUS AND ENDURING MENTAL ILLNESS