What's going on here?
I write a column called "The Trouble With Spikol" for Philadelphia Weekly. It's often about my struggles with mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder and OCD. I was also diagnosed with dissociative disorder N.O.S.--which means I suffer from intermittent depersonalization and derealization. Blah, blah, blah--check the DSM-IV for more.
Here are the meds I take: Seroquel, Lamictal, Ativan, plus Melatonin for sleep. The meds have saved my life, though I need to add an antidepressant to the mix soon.
I want to write here in a quirky and penetrating way about what's going on with mental health in this country: medication issues, insurance coverage, stigma, prejudice, stereotypes, substance abuse, co-occuring disorders, diagnosis problems, legislation, psychiatry vs. psychology, electric shock therapy, new treatment options, and more. I'll also chronicle my own experience.
