Friend or Enemy?

I'm gaining weight while on this Abilify. After getting on the scale this morning, I cried. I also have A LOT more energy that makes me want to exercise. Sometimes I do a set of 10 jumping jacks just for the fun of it, and I pretty much hate exercising. Do I stay on this Abilify or do I ditch it and place a call to my psychiatrist?

Visualization is an Ice Cream Cone

I did a visualization exercise with Dr. Miller on Thursday. She did the talking, and I did the imagining with my eyes closed. It was like giving an ice cream cone to my hot, tired brain. I recommend this technique. She was very realistic and didn't leave out the steps involving the hard crucial work. But my hands are usually sticky from the melting ice cream when I do eat a real ice cream cone, so I'd expect visualization to involve some stickiness too.

Harriet Beecher Stowe Quote

Here's a quote from Harriet Beecher Stowe: "When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn."

I found this quote on a box of tea.

My Beautiful Broken Shell

My Beautiful Broken Shell: Words of Hope to Refresh the Soul by Carol Hamblet Adams. I bought this book this past week as a gift to myself. It's for those of us who need to know we are lovable despite our
imperfections (that we all have for because we're human). Even if our souls feel broken or damaged, we are still beautiful and grateful for us. The illustrations are just as refreshing as the text.

I bought this book at a Christian book store.

On the Edge of Darkness

On the Edge of Darkness: Conversations about Conquering Depression by Kathy Cronkite. My very first psychiatrist on my very first office visit assigned this book for reading . He was a psychiatrist who was really into educating his patient. I am grateful he told me about this book. Famous people tell their stories about depression and bipolar disease. Doctors are contributors too as are family members.

Verbally Abusive Relationship

The Verbally Abusive Relationship by Patricia Evans. My copy is copyrighted in 1992. It's geared to those in romantic relationships, but I just mentally crossed out words referring to spouse or partner
and replaced it with parent or boss. I wondered if the author was spying on my family of origin.

One up, one down, one gone

My Abilify has been doubled. My Cymbalta decreased. My Wellbutrin is gone. That's on doctor's orders of course. I'm glad the tingling is mostly gone. Going through drug transistion is not easy, but I know it is only temporary. Someday I'll be stable.