At the moment, I feel very calm. I was finally convinced to add 20mg extra for Ziprazidone (now 40mg), and after fighting with fatigue for a few mornings, I started to feel the peace.
Before that I had been taking medication that was out of the therapeutic range for almost a year, and during the period I relied on my faith to pull me through. I strived to be more disciplined (an important component for recovery), getting up at 7am to have morning quiet time with God where I sing, pray, read God's words. Actually I did pretty well, but deep inside i was filled with anxiety, and occassionally I would be energetic and lost sleep, especially over the Easter holiday period.
In Hong Kong I can only see my psychiatrist every 10 weeks. In Feb he was disappointed that i refused to take higher dosage. I refused because sometimes i do take extra 300mg of epilim when i couldnt sleep and i felt drowsy the next day..although the effect shouldnt have such immediate effect. He then encouraged me to draw mood chart.... and I did. Over Feb and March my mood was like roller coaster, depressed for most of the time.
SO FINALLY, I suggested taking extra Ziprasidone instead of epilim because the side effect is less (or none). And thank God, my mood has been between 7-8/10 ..and I feel more concentrated in finishing off my work for my Master degree.
The lesson is that although there is nothing wrong to rely on faith, but sometimes God may also want us to take treatment to help us through.
JC
PS: My tips on a calm mind:
(1) routine
(2) quiet time: read a good book (the Bible), write journals
(3) exercise
(4) natural diet
(5) join spiritual activities
(6) disciplined, determination and persistence when doing the above.
"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go." (Joshua 1:7)
