Annual Break in the Clouds - not before time.

9 days in a row with energy and without depression.... and I even have some times of mental clarity thrown in sometimes too.

I have not felt this good for 9 months.

I feel so much better for being able to do the housework for the first time in 6 months.

I feel happy and content.

I know things will change as they always do, but I am enjoying every moment of this bit of health and wellbeing :)

I'm having a little celebration inside as I participate in life and am not overwhelmed by chronic emotional and physical pain.

Life is Sweet ATM - and I'm Glad

Hi Bill,

I've just got up here for Friday on the East coast of Australia. Yesterday I helped my son with his first job application and I was so proud of him. I had a chat to my family worker while my son was in a mock interview. He was talking about how everyone is mentally ill - I think in a way to normalise my struggles.

My son and I then went to his school and I helped my son with the last activity of his Grade 10 program before he goes onto independent study. He has been such a delight to work with that the school has invited him to continue there with his own work once he has finished. My son has never fitted in educationally before - so that is a wonderful experience of acceptance and self-esteem for him.

I took my son to his dad's for the long weekend before going to my pdoc appt. I was really happy with how the session went and I have a very high regard for my pdoc and always appreciate the fact that she has taken me on on a severely reduced rate because of my poverty.

What was really nice was I went to see my gp. She is a very professional doctor who has never self-disclosed in the 7 years she has been my doctor. She opened up her psychological struggles. I have had this woman on a pedalstool - she always seems so "together" happy and relaxed. I really appreciated her confiding in me. I felt like she trusted me, regarded me highly, and believed that I was stable enough to hear what she had to say. I was honoured to hear her self disclosure.

Today I get my lith levels done and then I will clean some of my kitchen, laundry and garage. I'm looking so forward to getting it more cleaned up :)

Thanks Bill!!! :)

I am so glad you are feeling good, Living Well. I always feel more peaceful and grounded when my house is clean too. Thank you for sharing your happiness with all of us. Equanimity in Buddhist thought means I am happy that you are happy.

what lovely replies - thank you both.

red, lithium certainly took out the mild hypomania which helped me offset and break up the depression - it didn't help with the depression at all though.

mood stabilisers seem to be just hypomania killers rather than depression lifters??

my pdoc and I alternate the handling of my meds - I told her I'd had enough and was going to trial a small increase of Agomelatine - with fantastic results.

I'm not saying Ago is the answer or that I won't suffer from severe depression again - just that it brought me back to life for this short while and for that I'm enormously grateful xxx