Some of you know the story about my brother. To sum it up, he's a recovering heroin addict who is also manic bi-polar. In 2014 he was arrested trying to rob a gas station and would have gotten six years in prison but was accepted in our states drug court program. Suspended sentence but he had to stay sober for the length of his sentence. He graduated last month. We were and are very proud of him.

Before he graduated he expressed fear that being off the leash, as in not drug tested weekly, would tempt him into doing drugs again. Well, he admitted to us that he's been getting drunk and smoking weed. That's not the end of the world but he told us he stopped taking his medication, lithium for his bi-polar disorder, so it wouldn't interfere with the booze and weed.

Well, he stopped taking it for too long and now he's found himself in a manic episode. He's a completely different person. He lost his job. He's dressing like goddamn Johnny Depp. He's seeing his ex girlfriend. He's constantly agitated and his decision making is minute by minute.

It's stressing me the f*ck out. Luckily his doctors are on it and are trying to regulate him but I might have like two weeks of crazy to deal with until then. Luckily we don't live together but sh*t is upsetting. He was doing so well.

Sometimes I think it feels really empowering and good to go off your meds

Everyone including myself is obviously going to wish you and him the best.

I wish it was just weed and not booze too because a manic low combined with drunkenness is a real recipe for a heroin relapse.

Sorry to hear all of this. You definitely need someone to watch him 24/7 while he's manic. My ex-wife stayed up 10 days straight in one manic episode. Drew all over herself with pens and markers. Had crazy delusions and hallucinations. Wanted to drive around in her car while acting crazy. Eventually had to have her committed against her will to the psychiatric hospital [again].

Keep a good eye on your brother, especially with his past drug use. He could relapse and accidentally overdose.

The thing is adults are going to do what they’re going to do. You can be there to a point but -I don’t know - people need to want it too

True, but you can be strong enough to be the "bad guy" and knock that syringe out of his hand too.

Ahhh Mental Illness my friend...

Relatively small things that I consider a setback upset me tremendously

Missed a dose of fluoxetine (40mg) the other day for the first time. Have taken it every day since the end of May when it was prescribed but I had a headache and took paracetamol on the evening which is when I have my medication and I must have subconsciously thought I'd taken my tablets for that day.

Didn't notice anything at all. So I feel less nervous about coming off them now. I'm not coming off them soon, just saying when I do I'm not as worried.

That's good. People like to share the horror stories, less so the successful ones. SSRI's aren't meant to be permanently prescribed, you'll know when you're ready to wean off them.

Cheers, think it'll be a few months yet. Though I have been making improvements and I'm glad I started again after Sertraline put me off medication.