Mental Illness Treatment

I remember when my medical policy would not cover mental health treatments and my doctors would tell me it's all in my head. The out of pocket was shocking and most people didn't get much help and fought all kinds of physical issues. They didn't cover any naturopaths either. How convenient. My eyes and teeth weren't covered by my health insurance either. They were separate policies. We live in a strange world controlled by dollars and cents. No real sense to it. I was very discouraged. I will say a lot of what goes on in our health does originate with our mind and our eyes and our teeth. What a silly world we live in. Humans, go figure.

Anyways this post is about thoughts. Journaling is good for your health because it helps you see what is happening and go back and analyze it so you can find unhealed or unhealthy patterns. I have a lot of full journals. I also ripped out lots of pages to start fires in the woodstove. I am not just rambling here. Your mind has a lot going on with side effects. Thoughts are called ANTS automatic negative thoughts steal your life away. Imagination can change your life and future and thoughts create what you see. The thoughts are the lenses your eyes look through to see. Is your glass half empty or half full? Are your lenses rose colored or blue? Journaling gives you a chance to make changes, take notes, write out a plan and take back your future. You are in charge of your thoughts. 3x5 cards in your pocket can help a lot. I also make 8 x 11 sheets and post them around where I look often to remind myself what I am overcoming and what sentences I am using to do that. I make a list of things I want to tackle and write out my plan of attack. Fear NOT is one of my signs. Forgive is one and Love is another. Your thoughts can take you places you don't want to go if you don't pay attention to them and make choices about how you want to think. It will affect your long term health. Every day I am healthier and stronger than I was yesterday and I overcome. Blessings, Charity

For Bipolar Depression - Quit Caffeine!

Coffee and caffeine cause bipolar depression, by dehydrating the body, causing adrenal fatigue, sleep deprivation, extreme mood swings, extreme ups and downs, anxiety and racing thoughts and prevents you from absorbing vitamins and nutrients from your food. Caffeine stays in your sytem for over 24 hours and prevents you from entering REM sleep so you never receive restful sleep if you are a coffee drinker. If you suffer from depression, you need to ween yourself off of coffee and all caffeine immediately.

You will get 8 hours of deep restful REM sleep by day 4 after completely eliminating caffeine.

I'm very proud of any person with bipolar who is able to manage their symptoms, highs or lows. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2007. To say I have been to and back from hell is an understatement. I usually never post anything after an article (I was here doing research for a book), but I feel like I have to say something. Again, if something is working for you, I am very happy for you and hope that the benefits continue.

However, bipolar disorder is a disease of the brain. It has been traced down to a gene. If you have bipolar disorder you need to be carefully monitored by a doctor, preferably one that specializes in mental health. Regular therapy, even when feeling well, is also something you should do. This disorder can not be managed by supplements alone. There will be a lot of people that disagree. I've met people who believe bipolar disorder can be managed with "mind over matter."

It can not, no more than it can be by Fish Oil and Magnesium. Even if you don't wish to take a prescription medication, you should be in the care of a physician. It is simply, and frankly, to dangerous to think you can handle this all by yourself. People with bipolar disorder can be stable for years and then suffer a trigger and fall into a manic or depressive state that could be devastating.

Even though it is a mental illness (and it is a disease, not a state of mind), it still needs to be considered as though it was a physical illness. Strep throat must be treated with antibiotics, but natural, organic teas work great to alleviate the symptoms. Please consider your own health as well as the health of the people that love you before you decide to lump yourself into a category (a small one at that) of people who find supplements enough. That is all they are, helpful. They are not a long term solutions.

I hope the best for all of you.

Try googling CBD. This has amazing benefits to the brain. My son takes 43mg a day ... it has changed his life

Andrew Saul talks about Megavitamin specifically B3 And vit C. He has a web site Doctor yourself.com. He Is also on facebook

Oral Chelation (for mercury) for Bipolar Disorder

my son has suffered from bipolar I for 4 years. We have tried every kind of doctor imaginable...supplements helped short term and medication makes him suffer severe depression so is not helpful except for acute psychosis. He started oral chelation using DMPS(Andy Cutler Protocol, read Amalgam Illness) and he is doing great in a few short months. He has been hospitalized 9 times in less than 2 years so his disorder was extreme. He has had no episodes...no mania...no voices...no anxiety...no depression. He chelates for 3 days and then off for 3 days(round). With each round he becomes more like his old self. It is a God send. It took me 4 years of research to realize it was mercury poisoning. He has no amalgam fillings but I have a mouthful..mother passes to infant...then his vaccinations and he ate sushi(tuna) every day at college. And WHAM!!!! Started acting stranger and stranger by the day. Now, like his old self. Read the book. Also there is a yahoo group Frequent Dose Chelator Group...they help you through it. You can order all the chelating agents yourself through South Africa. It is a miracle truly. Living Network has all the products....it is extremely important to follow directions. Mercury is dangerous...even detoxing is dangerous. Never have DMPS IV....oral is safe and effective.

Hello Willow,

My daughter is trying to get better herself. She is suffering with PMDD, severe PM symptoms, and keeps spiraling downward. She is very stubborn and does not want our help. She was on Ablilify which made her livable and coherent, but causes great leg pain, weight gain, etc.

She is 35 and has lost her Registered Dietitian career due to anxiety, days missed etc. It is affecting our entire family.

Please can you share the regiment that is helping your son.

I take alot of vitamins and supplements because I have had similiar problems as my daughter and they have greatly helped me. She has been completely turned off because of my large vitamins consumption..... But it works!

I take St. John's wort, B complex, B 12, Calcium Magnesium, Flax oil, C, E, Zinc, Chromium Picolinate......... sometimes MSM, alpha lipoic acid, etc.

Please let me know what helped your son so much so I can show her your response. THANKS!

We cannot find an Orthomolecular Doctor in Chicago/Wisconsin area or for my daughter who lives in South Carolina/Savannah, GA area. THANK YOU FOR YOUR POST!!

Hi willow,

My son has Bipolar. He has seen tremendous results through ortho molecular treatment. I was introduced to Dr. Prousky of Toronto by Rosalee Roscoe. Please goggle Dr. Johnathan Prousky, he an author of numerous articles in the Ortho molecular journal and a student of Dr. Hoffer's. Please go to the U-tube video by Margo Kidder titled "the mask of madness"

You could get in touch with Dr. Prousky at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine at www.ccnm.edu. Hope this helps. Wishing you all the best. Sue

This is best done with a doctor skilled in orthomolecular medicine. In 1976 I had a severe clinical depression that was healed in 7 weeks with OM by an M.D. skilled in nutrition. Doctor will have you take tests to determine your body chemistry, and then determine what diet and vitamins to take. Canadian psychiatrist Dr. Abram Hoffer started OM, and published books on it. Here is the site for the OM journal: http://www.orthomed.org/jom/jom.html

My doctor is Dr. Warren M. Levin, still practicing... http://www.warrenmlevinmd.org/

My heart goes out to both of you and your children. I suffer from severe anxiety and have found relief finally. I am able to perform muscle testing to find exactly what deficiencies I have. I am able to help others as well. I am not a doctor I just like to help. Once the deficiencies are found the idea is to build up the nutrients in the body so one does not have to take supplements again and the body is healed. Our innate intelligence is incredible we just have to give it the tools. I know this is a long shot but I hope somehow we can get in touch. The Mood Cure by Julia Ross is very insightful. This was recomended to me by a doc. She does not go into muscle testing and all the vitamin, mineral, amino acid and fatty acid deficiency testing but it is helpful. My guess is your children are deficient in the natural mineral lithium that our brain needs to function properly. I hope they have found relief since this post. Best wishes and love.

HappyToHelp

Hello Consius from Amsterdam, hopefully you will find the material you're seeking.
A bibliography of Abram Hoffer's books and papers: http://www.doctoryourself.com/biblio_hoffer.html

I am searching info about abram hoffer and B3 and others for 3 months now. I have schizo-affective with a touch of schizophrenia perhaps. Not sure. I would love to know more about the vitamins you take so that we can share. DO you also or took zinc and selenium and vitamin 3 or folic acid?

I will try this. I looked at your website and it does feel like I'm being my true self, living from my soul instead of my ego. Then I get scared that I'm not acting conventional enough, (see the helpful post above where he says don't email or write letters to people you normally wouldn't because they would be unusual), so even though I was acting from a sense of love, living and breathing love, I retreat. I don't want people to think I'm weird.

Please also consider homschooling. School makes teens angry because it is prison- even if you enjoy your class, the bell rings just when you're getting into it. You must act as a group and never question authority, and be graded like meat, by someone who may know less than you. You can't even obey your your bodily signals- you must pee and eat when told you may, with a special pass. I recommend the book, "The Underground history of American Education". I was labeled bipolar at age 19 due to anger, and took those meds for 12 years w/out missing a dose. Got off them to have children and my coworkers said, "something about you seems different. We don't know what it is, but we like you better now. " My husband says I'm much easier to be around off the meds. Multiple docs have told me I was probably not bipolar. Bottom line- do not let anyone put kids on meds. Listen to your child and follow their lead. I also recommend, Raising the Explosive Child, but it's not for everyone. I DO recommend taking him out of school and asking him to please learn on his own- follow his interests and become an expert at it- computers, gardening, plumbing, writing, whatever.

What is the dosage of rhodiola that you are taking? Thank you. Please email me at geandraget(at)gmail(dot)com.

Hello Willow, In response to your question- I took my son off all the medicine he was put on by his doctors. It was slow, scary and a lonely road. He is now free of his medication but on several vitamins. Mostly b3 (2000mg) vitamin c (4000mg) l-theanine once at night. Gaba. Egg lecithin. Fulvic acid. Everyone around me was telling me to medicate.... I just will not again. Somedays are better than others.... But overall he is much better than with the medication. Sometimes I try omega 3 oils and b vitamins like once a weel. Also when he allows me I give him apple cider with baking soda. Hope this helps....

Love, Mary

I have had anxiety, manic depression, and an array of other mental and emotional disorders and I have been trying different kinds of meds for a long time and, honestly, I have discovered NOTHING like this. Rhodiola has not only given me more energy and skyrocketed my mood, but I has also decreased my appetite, medicating a binge eating disorder that I struggle with and kept my fingers and toes warm and active despite my stuggles with poor circulation. I am so ambitious and I feel like a new person. I don't know what more to say about this magic supplement, other than it reminds me of the effects presented in the movie, LIMITLESS.

Taylor:

I was hoping to speak with you regarding this thread you posted. I won't take much of your time. My profile sounds similar to yours and I was wondering what medicine you are taking (and have taken) for your bipolar problems. Although I HATE prescriptions, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to resort to something and just thought I'd get your feedback.

I greatly appreciate any time you might have.

Many thanks, Russell

I was emotionally unstable for 8 years running from one therapist to another getting no results. In 1984 I discovered yoga breathing and by my second session I was HEALED... No more emotionally unstable. This kind of breathing has many different names: rebirthing, conscious breathing, connected breathing, cosmic breathing, vivation, and psychiatrist Stanislav Grof named it holotropic breathwork.

As a yoga breath therapist I have recently healed a young lady of bipolar disorder. My site is www.thespiritualkey.com .

Hi, I have been reading the comments about mental illness and some people curing themselves with Ortho Molecular medicine.

I have a 10 year old son that is on Risperdal. He has been taking this for 2 years. We just did some blood test and his prolactin levels are very high. This is a direct cause of the medicine and can be a sign that there is a tumor on the pituitary, thyroid problems. If he remains on this drug he will develop breasts and it will lactate. Needless to say I am desperate for help to get him off this medicine.

He suffers from mood disorders and has anger issues. He is brilliant at school (a year ahead) He is not violent at school but can be at home. He says he holds in his anger until he gets home. Anything can make him angry. It is not alway rational.

I wanted to try the Ortho Molecular Method to treat him. However, I do not know the correct dosage of medicine (Niacin etc.. ) to give him. Can anyone suggest anything. We have spent all of our money on expensive drug pushing psychiatrist.

Thanks in advance for your comments, Willow

I just wanted to say this article explains soo much! I am bi-polar and some of this stuff I just didn't understand such as the effects of things on someone who is bi-polar. WOW! It is finally nice to meet someone who knows exactly how I feel. Its just hard to describe to someone who doesn't have to deal with this stuff how I actually feel. Thank you for your article!

Have you tried just chamomile tincture? Or a homeopathic? Maybe it's just the extra liquid at bedtime that makes you go.

I can vouch for the effectivness of this therapy, especially in conjuction with a gluten-free, raw vegetarian/vegan diet. While I still suffer from mild episodes, the harshest symptoms have substantially dissipated. I've been on the therapy for a year and a half, so if what the above poster stated his experience as accurate, then I can look forward to significant changes in the coming years.

please Pete 1884 from england, could you contact me fro information on megavitamin therapy for my son, I really need guidance on this. Thank you Mary

So true your article was. I just wanted to say that I appreciated it. I am bipolar as well. I am an artist and a musician and mechanic and a cook and so on and so on. I have learned to embrace my multi talents and my deep emotion. Like you said most of the world will never feel as we feel or be as talented and interesting as we are. Well said!

I suffered with intermittent and sometimes severe psychiatric symptoms for 33 years, and was prescribed psychotropics such as Modecate, Depixol, Carbamazapine, Depacote, Epilim Chrono, Risperdal (Risperidone), Amytriptoline, Quetiapine (Seroquel), Abilify (Aririprazol), etc. The side effects were sometimes severe, suicidal thoughts, sedation, dry mouth, flat emotions, dulled intellect, twitching muscles etc.

After just 3 years of orthomolecular medicine through megavitamin therapy, through studying the books of Dr Abram Hoffer from Amazon, all this mayhem has been swept away. Dr Hoffer's research in Canada in the 1950s has apparently been suppressed for 60 odd years, but seems from my personal experience to hit the nail on the head, whereas the quack remedies of the UK NHS do nothing but mask and suppress the symptoms. My daily dosage from Lamberts Healthcare. Co.Uk is 6000 mgs C, 3000 mgs B3 as niacinamide, 4000 iu of D, 40 micrograms of B5, 2200 mgs of fish oil and a single B-100 complex tablet. As yet not one doctor with any authority over me in the NHS is prepared to even DISCUSS these findings. What's going on? Don't they WANT people to be healthy?

I haven't found any food/substance that helps with my bipolar, but a recent lifestyle change has really helped me. My doctor suggested I track my moods daily, which I do, and it helps me notice patterns and when to expect my ups and downs. Each day, write down a description of how you felt and rate your mood, from -10 being the most depressed you've ever felt, to 10 being the most manic you've ever felt. Also, record how much you slept that night, if you drank alcohol or consumed other drugs, and if you had any suicidal thoughts (no mater how fleeting- as we bipolars know, suicidal thoughts can often be... For lack of a better word... Casual, not of much concern. What matters is that your mind for whatever reason thought about suicide, no matter how severe). Keeping track like this has really helped me. Oh ya: THERAPY. It rocks. Cognitive-Behavioral therapy is ok, but I suggest using that therapy in combination with another. CBT can be difficult for bipolar people because we think abstract. Look for a therapist who's been trained in more than just cognitive behavioral. In therapy sessions, it's vitally important to tell the truth. If you are guarded and afraid you'll cry, tell your therapist, and work out a way to communicate; maybe write letters and bring them into therapy. Insist that you just can't tell the truth in normal conversation and you need to find another way. Art therapy is also great; However, I think that therapy should be more that just art therapy. I think art therapy should be used in combination with talk therapy. Also, don't be afraid to tell your therapist that you think they're wrong, or that what their saying isn't helping. They're not perfect, and you need to work as a team. Also, don't be afraid to switch therapists. Trust your gut. Also, I stumbled across an article called The 7Habits of the Highly Productive Bipolar. I've started to follow these more rigidly and it's helping a lot. Exercise and Sleep make a big difference.

-Exercise
-Eat a proper diet
-Incorporate Scheduled Relaxation time into your life
-Have a morning and evening routine
-Learn to be organized
-Don't take yourself too seriously

I have also found that marijuana kicks me into mania. I was in denial for a while because I like smoking and mania can be really fun, inspiring and significant, but weed induced manic episodes ultimately threw off my routine too much and put me behind in the more important things in life. So, rule of thumb... Be wary of the weed. Its ok once in a while, but the mania can last well past the few hours after smoking. It's kept me up all night and into the morning through the next day. In college, it can often be normal to be smoking 1, 2, 3 times a week- that just doesn't work if it makes you manic. Cut back. Once a month. Once every three weeks.

You get the picture. When slipping into a manic episode, I have found the following tips helpful:

-do not write emails, send letters, leave comments online, or call someone you normally wouldn't call because what you'll end up writing/saying is likely to be unusual, and you will regret it once you come down. If you really want to communicate, write it down, save it for later when you cool down. -don't spend money. Don't go near a store, don't look at any online shopping sites. -stay off the internet, in general

-don't go to bars/parties, and do not have sex with anyone that you're not currently in a sexual relationship with. Just go masturbate if the horny takes over. -be wary of driving, cooking, lighting candles, operating machinery... Anything that could burn down your house, cause an accident, etc. Mania leaves you pretty absent-minded. -occupy yourself with doing something you like! Don't fight the episode and try to function normally through it. Take a deep breath, admit that your manic, then go make some art, dance, sing, hang out with a friend, workout, listen to music/audiobook, etc. Similar tips for if you're depressed. Make sure to call a friend for help if you need it. If you're feeling suicidal, call a friend for suicide watch. They can just hang out at your place/you go to theirs and chill. They just need to keep an eye on you is all. I also find that taking a really hot shower or burying myself in lots of blankets and overheating can help quell the depression, like literally sweating it out. I'm considering eating a decent amount of cyanne pepper next time I'm depressed- seeing as it heats and stimulates- to bounce out of depression I feel like one needs some kind of a kick. It's probably a good idea to pick a few friends you can count on and tell them about your condition and how to handle it if you come asking for help. And something many readers might not agree with:

-Take your medication as prescribed

Now I know, no one wants to be taking pharmaceutical mind control drugs- eek!! BUT... I find that with the right medicine, taking a pill can make life a lot less stressful, traumatic, hectic, wild, depressing... Etc. I don't plan to stay on my medicine indefinitely, but I consider medicine a valuable tool to help keep you stable as you learn life skills and find a living situation that works for when you go unmedicated. I view it as the lesser of two evils. Medicine helped clear my mind, helped me in therapy to work out all the demons my mind was plagued with from years of my body kicking me with depressed phases. (self confidence, self hatred, negative attitude, etc. )

BUT.. Its very important to find the RIGHT medicine. Thats where tracking the mood becomes vital. I went through a roulette of antidepressants, anti anxiety and add drugs because I didn't have a clear picture of my own situation. Bipolar people, as a rule of thumb, are NOT supposed to take antidepressants. You can get away with a mix of a mood stabilizer and an antidepressant, but if you don't have a mood stabilizer, the antidepressant can kick you into a crazed, off the charts manic episode. Which happened to me. Not to mention that starting the antidepressant can make you uber depressed and suicidal too. Bottom line: track your moods, be wary of ANYTHING other than a mood stabilizer. ***

Love to all the bipolars out there- they say it's a "disorder", but no one has the right to label you in any way. So forget the negativity. Accept yourself and appreciate the fact that most of the general population will never know the depth of emotion that we do. For all the depression we suffer, a good day means more to us than most. For all the mania, we brim with life and energy unlike most. I consider myself blessed.

Don't stop talking the fish oil if it's helping, but to get to the root of the problem, you should also limit your intake of omega 6. The ratio of omega 6 oils and omega 3 oils in the body is important. By taking fish oil with omega 3, you are adding omega 3. To stop the problem at its source, lower your intake of omega 6. The body was never meant to consume lots of omega 6, and we didn't until vegetable oils were invented during the last 100 years or so.

I suggest cutting out or reducing your intake of vegetable oils (soybean, corn, canola, margarine, etc.). You can replace them with butter, olive oil, coconut oil, lard. Yes, it goes against what the establishment has been saying, but no veg. oils, with the exception of olive oil were used over a hundred years ago. We can't "need" corn oil to be healthy. Also, all processed food have bad oils. We all know the less processed foods the better, so that's a no brainer.
I often wonder how many people suffering from depression or other mental illness could be helped (not sure about cured, but maybe) by eating a totally natural diet.

Good for you that you found something that helps you. I wish you good health.

I have most of the symptoms for the borderline personality disorder. I will not take any psychotic drugs, instead, I take natural remedies. What really works for me is taking 3 capsules a day (1,000 mg each of Omega 3 fish oil and 1 capsule a day of 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophane) of 50 mg (extracted from the Griffonia simplicifolia seed). I feel so much better and calmer. My mood swings have decreased tremendously and my mind is clearer and more relaxed. When I have problems sleeping at night, I take one (5 mg) capsule of melatonin and I sleep soundly all night and wake up rested, refreshed and energetic. I hope this helps someone with the same problem.

I have Bipolar Disorder characterized most by Manic episodes. Some are not all that bad; they're just a pain in the ass when I have something to do or someone to meet/people to be around. Anyways, I have noticed that when I can't get to sleep at night because my Seroquel doesn't seem to want to do its job, I take Melatonin, usually at 3 mgs. to start off with, then another 3 mgs., which usually knocks me out.

I have also tried Chamomile Tea with positive effects, but since I suffer from enuresis (bed-wetting), I have had to discontinue, because even if I take my medication for enuresis, I still go, which normally wouldn't happen otherwise.

That is not to say that I don't recommend Chamomile Tea. I would actually highly recommend to anybody, except if you have enuresis, even if you take medication for it.

My husband has bipolar disorder, mostly manic. He has been taking GABA (amino acid), about 3 or 4 per day, which really helps. He also takes lithium aspartate, about 5 per day, 5 mg. each. Both of these are found at our local health store. These are both calming for him, provided he takes enough. If he escalates into mania, he takes a little more GABA daily, until balanced again.

Cold showers are extremely good for the body. They help to drive a fresh supply of oxygenated blood to the site of infection or blockage. Every single person should finish off a shower or bath with cold water. It is highly beneficial.

I've had sleep problems for as long as I can remember and it doesn't help that I'm also bipolar. I've tried everything from mind tricks and herbal remedies to over the counter pills but one thing I found that seems to work like a charm is half a cup of chamomile tea mixed with half a cup of milk. The drink should be warm, not hot, so what I do is make cup of the tea by heating it in the microwave for about 2 minutes and then adding the milk afterwards allowing the tea to heat the milk. After drinking it, I'm asleep within half an hour.

I have been using extra virgin olive oil (Walmart brand). My psychologist told me about this after studying Native American history. I am bipolar. I have noticed increased metabolism, teeth tightening, weight loss of 12 pounds since starting the oil pulling June 1, 2007. I have so much more energy, teeth seem to be whitening. A clearer mind. The weight loss has been the best for me.

My hot water tank malfunctioned recently so I had to take cold showers. At first I dreaded the idea but have since found that tepid showers invigorate my spirit and lighten my mood. I'm bipolar and have crushing depressive episodes. Believe me when I say that I feel my cold showers mitigate the effects of my dark moods and project a feeling of well being and joy throughout my whole body and mind!

I have heard very good things about fish oils! A woman who was severly Bi polar , would go into dillusional lapses for weeks and upon taking fish oils whe has now not suffered these for 2 years now. I also have suffered mood swings ....I link with brain chemical balances (not necessarely Bi-polar) .........I feel 3 Capsules have balanced my mood very nicely. Also I find cutting out suger and white flour also helps. Remember because of what we eat etc..... the stresses in our life are given power in a way , because we get trigger easily. we all deserve lovely lifes and are entitled , and because we have strayed a distance from the natural foods that we used to consume..we have to return and relearn how to be healthy. = )