The popular martial arts actor Jean-Claude Van Damme says he believes he was manic-depressive in his teenage years. Fame came with the movie Bloodsport when he was 28, but just a few years later he was using cocaine and his life went on a downward spiral.

But when he became suicidal, he chose life. Read about this turning point and Van Damme's attitude toward his illness: Jean-Claude Van Damme and Bipolar Disorder.

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I said that to my son about half an hour ago. I knew it was time to go downstairs, get a glass of milk, then come back up, set my pills for the night out, and take them. Every night a computer alarm pops up at 11 pm saying "Take meds," and I'd already snoozed that alarm 3 times, which is fairly common for me. Sometimes I snooze it for an hour or more. But I always take them, sooner or later.

I went and got the milk. I pulled out the container holding my night medications and set them out. Twelve pills to take. Four very small, three small, three medium, two very large. It takes the entire glass of milk to get them down.

In the 3-part article 5 Bad Reasons Not to Take Medications, I discussed five very common reason why people with bipolar or other disorders refuse to take or stop taking their meds. "I'm just sick of taking pills" isn't there, though. Take a look that the reasons I listed. Can you think of others? Do you have anything to add?

As for me, I know that whether I'm sick of the pills or not, I need them. I'll keep taking them.

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My doctor prescribed an oral antifungal drug, Clotrimazole Troche, for me after diagnosing me with thrush. I'm a little concerned about this, because there can be some moderate interactions between antifungal drugs and some of the psychiatric medications I take.

Fungal infections include athlete's foot, vaginal yeast infections, and jock itch. These are generally treated with over-the-counter topical applications like creams, sprays and powders. While there is less likelihood of drug interactions with antifungals used externally, it's still important to know what signs to look for while you're using one of them, and especially so if you're taking an oral drug.

I know what I should be looking for so will be monitoring myself carefully during the ten days I'm taking the clotrimazole lozenges.

Read Antifungal Drugs and Psychiatric Medications

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Whether it's something as mild as seeing a koala on your dresser (a hallucination) or as serious as being sure your spouse is trying to kill you (a paranoid delusion), psychosis is always a serious problem. Here is a roundup of information on all aspects of psychosis - definitions, in-depth descriptions, the mental disorders where psychotic symptoms may appear, and a listing of related details, all in one place.

Psychosis - A Comprehensive Resource

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