Alternative Methods for Treating Bipolar

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I admire your desire to try something besides medication, but this is one of those things that is most helped by medication with lifestyle changes and "alternative" treatments as nice complements. My husband is off of all SSRIs and is on old-school stuff (had a reaction to Lithium, is now on Depakote). If Depakote didn't work, he would have had to move on to Seraquel (rough side effects) or one of the other newer medications. The Depakote isn't a cure, but it takes the edge off things and attenuates the swings and brings his up and down cycles in to a manageable range. He has also recently been seeing an herbalist and is on a pretty intense supplement regimen that seems to be having a wonderful effect on him! He knows that he should purify his diet and exercise, but that's just not realistic for him right now so this is very helpful. He has also started meditating, and goes to a Christian church and talks to the pastor there when he needs someone to talk to (odd because he's Jewish but God works in mysterious ways). He will probably try acupuncture soon, and of course sees a regular counselor and psycho-pharmacologist.

If I were you, I would stay on whatever you're on if the side effects aren't unbearable or talk to your meds doc about what else is out there, then along with that, see a naturopath (you can look for a chiropractor in your area, they usually have someone on staff who works with herbal medicine) and see if there are supplements or other treatments that can help make your medication more effective or counteract some of the side effects. Do let each doc (traditional and alternative) know what you're doing as you don't want to take an herbal supplement that causes a reaction because of your BPD medication. Perhaps with a good alternative regimen in place, you might be able to reduce the dose of your BPD med (over time and with your doctor's supervision) and that could help with the side effects.

Of course a good diet and plenty of exercise help everyone, and things like acupuncture, yoga, meditation, etc. can work wonders for helping even healthy people feel more balances so do try to work some of those into your routine if you can.

Best of luck to you!

Hi M.,

This is such a serious diagnosis, with severe relapse issues if you go off and try to self-medicate.

Have you considered long term accupuncture or accupressure combined with their recommendations? Perhaps doing both in conjunction you could cut back on your meds, thereby having fewer symptoms.

Have you joined a support group fro Bi-Polar families? That would be a great asset in many ways, helping you find out coping tools, if alternative treatments are successful. I see only benefit from such a group.

You have a lot on your plate with little kids and your diagnosis. Don't quit your meds without working with your psychiatrist.

Please take care of yourself - a whole lot.

I don't know about the medications, but my son has Tourette's Syndrome plus some OCD and attention deficit issues, etc. I was amazed at how much Behavior Mgmt therapy worked to make his moods more calm and expectations/behavior more predictable. So, I highly recommend looking for a local behavior mgmt specialist. Your psychiatrist may have a local referral for you. My son's psychiatrist is the one that explained this to us and gave us a referral. He told me of many instances where he had patients (some bipolar) that were hospitalized on a regular basis and the behavior mgmt kept them out of the hospital! So, my son is still on some light meds to reduce his tics and anxiety and with the behavior mgmt he is about 80% better than he was. Good luck!

Their is no magic pill for the treatment of Bipolar. You go through cycles,moods, and changes during times of stress, anxiety, and depression. No medication will be able to fix all of those things, it just is not possible. I would recommend Dialectic Behavioral Therapy ( DBT). I have taught groups to women who are Bipolar and/or Borderline. It helps them during times when their symptoms have increased and they are feeling out of control. It helps you to define and separate the rational thoughts from irrational, and helps to learn positive coping skills to use when you are having a difficult time. Along with relaxation techniques, mindfulness, and balancing yourself and gaining control over emotions and stressors. If you see a Psychiatrist, I would discuss your concerns, and your limitations. Do not just go off your medication. I cannot stress that enough. If possible, go to a lower dose, and perhaps try DBT. Best of luck to you. If you need any more suggestions, feel free to send me a message! This website gives a good description of DBT...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialectical_behavior_therapy

I recommend you read Patty Duke's book on being bi-polar.

If you don't know who she is, she is an actress that started her career in childhood. She is incediblly talented but in her youth had some really disturbing behaviors. Her book details her battles with her condition and the journey to find a solution.

www.alternativedepressiontherapy.com/alternative-bipolar-...

An alternative bipolar treatment should include....

Psychotherapy that teaches a deep understanding of Bipolar Disorder, and teaches skills for preventing, managing and minimizing mood swings.
Meridian Tapping or EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) and other Energy Psychology techniques for decreasing stress, anxiety, trauma and other triggers that contribute to mood swings.
Therapy work focused on deep and complete self-acceptance and compassion as well as self-discipline.
Identification and/or creation of a circle of supportive friends, family, co-workers, and professionals.
Family therapy can be extremely helpful.
An emphasis on mindfulness training : working towards increasing self-awareness, mind-body awareness, and recognizing limitations.
Use of a Mood Chart to record mood level and sleep each day. Download a free Mood Chart here.
Learning to find balance in work and play, social time, and time alone without guilt.
Learning to recognize the signs of an impending crisis, and emotional and environmental triggers:
Print and Complete the Bipolar Safety Plan Worksheet.
Cognitive Behavioral interventions (learning to recognize distorted thinking and its relationship to emotional states.)
Meditation that is safe and effective for Bipolar Disorder - VERY IMPORTANT! (Guided Meditation Audio Available)
Emphasis on getting adequate and regular sleep each night.
Learning to manage stress, and eating healthy and adequate food.
Limiting consumption of sugar and caffeine, and abstinence from alcohol and recreational drugs.
Eliminating preservatives, additives, artificial sweeteners (such as found in diet foods and soft drinks) - especially MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) and aspartame (NutraSweet and Equal).
High quality nutritional supplements -- particularly, good sources of Omega-3 fatty acids. (Fish Oil is the most complete - containing both EPA and DHA, essential to optimum health, and brain functioning). {Natural antidepressants and stimulants may carry some risk of triggering mania, just like standard antidepressants can}
B-Complex vitamins - Especially Vitamin B-12 as well as B6, and B9 (Folic Acid - or its natural form Folate).
Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) at an average daily dose of 5,000 IUs (this is much much higher than the usual recommended daily allowance - which is insignificant and non-therapeutic at low levels, according to the information and studies provided by the scientifically based Vitamin D Council. Especially important if you don't get much direct mid-day sunshine.

The most comprehensive and effective vitamin/mineral supplement that I've seen for Bipolar Disorder is EMPower Plus - available from an excellent company called TrueHope.

Work on creative pursuits and expression (art, music, poetry, writing, dance, etc)
Regular exercise including aerobic exercise 3x/week or more.
Development and deepening of a spiritual path.
Competent, thoughtful treatment by a Psychiatrist/Medical Doctor to manage psychiatric medications, or treatment by a licensed doctor of alternative medicine.
One hour of direct, mid-day sunlight each day. (Some studies suggest that too much morning sun exposure can cause more rapid cycling, while mid-day sun has a positive effect on circadian rhythms).
Minimizing or eliminating any light exposure during evening and night time hours. Learn more about Dark Therapy as an Alternative Bipolar Treatment

lots of info on this site. GOOD LUCK, The only thing we really have control over is our own thoughts. You can do this.

Hi M.,

I want to suggest that you check out a book called "Potatoes Not Prozac" by Kathleen DesMaisons. I honestly don't know how well this program works for severe bipolar disorder, but I know that it does amazing things for depression. You could go to her website, www.radiantrecovery.com, and see if you think this program might help you. You can also post on the forum at this website with your symptoms and questions and people will give let you know if you're in the right place. Kathleen DesMaisons often answers questions herself!

When my daughter was in 4th grade she would bounce around from being suicidal (very scary) to being fine, and back again. I tried lots of things and the program in this book had an AMAZING affect. With relatively simple changes she became better very quickly (I also read the book "Mood Cure" at the same time, and it helped me to know that this was the right path for her). My daughter is now 15, and as along as she eats right and on time, she's a very happy teenager. I feel like this program saved her life, and as a side benefit, the rest of our family benefited too!

Good luck!

Hi Michelle
I would recommend you contact the Mary Copeland foundation for wellness and recovery in Mental Health. Their approach is a holistic one. I work in the profession and went to a seminar a few yrs ago .I was very impressed.
B. k

Do you eat much sugar or processed foods? The reason I ask is that when I eat those things, it really alters my brain and makes me feel a lot more aggressive...uncontrollably. I don't know if I could be diagnosed as bipolar from it, but I wouldn't be surprised!

If I don't drink/eat those things, I'm very mild mannered and feel very normal. I can eat those things very rarely and in small portions and be okay (this is especially for sugar). But because I love my family...hehe...I really avoid any sodas, cookies, juice, ice cream, cake, candy bars, etc... People think I'm weird, but the reaction I get is HUGE from eating those things, and it's mostly an aggressive reaction. On a good note, I stay at a very healthy weight quite easily:-) But I also have to avoid MSG, and some other foods, or the same thing happens.

I've often wondered if bipolar was somehow related to foods and it affecting the balance in the brain. I can "feel" when that balance is off from those foods. And, it really (for me) completely resolved any issues by not eating those things.

I watched a documentary (or something) about it once. And they fed only healthy food to kids at a reform school, and they didn't allow sugar/candy, and their behaviors changed drastically. I really think it affects more people than it seems!

Also, look into Vitamin D3. It seems like they are learning some pretty awesome things about that stuff. It helps with moods and depression.

I am also sensitive to other foods (eggs, cheddar cheese, corn, and milk), and I get a similar reaction if I eat those things. A doctor tested me for it, and told me those foods are ones that cause a reaction in me. Everyone can be different, but my suggestion is to also rule out food sensitives/allergies.

I just think of ALL the years I struggled with my temper as a kid/teen...only to find out it was all related to foods!

I hope that helps some. I can't say it will for sure work with bipolar. Just might be something to look into.

I know several people who have had good luck following The Mood Cure by Julia Ross. I has really helped me with anxiety. If that doesn't work you should read and follow Gut and Psychology Syndrome. This amazon page has reviews you can read.
http://www.amazon.com/Gut-Psychology-Syndrome-Depression-...

I hope you find something that helps. Prescription drugs have their place at times but it is always better to try something natural!

a-
I am mildly bi-polar and very much unmedicated. I believe in meds when they are useful...my hubby is on them for life, for a chemical imbalance in his brain that causes bouts of jekyll and hyde depression. However, I found a maintenance for me that works wonders and improves my hubby ten fold.
Exercise.
Whole foods.
It's amazing. We stopped working out because I got sick and never went back. And we are paying for it dearly, getting ourselves back into the routine. But we feel both mentally and physically 100 times better than when we don't. You don't have to be fancy and go to a gym. You can work out at home. I like the earth flow series yoga and the beachbody turbo jam program. I usually stick to the cardio because it's what makes me sweat the most. If I do go to the gym, I spend my first 35 minutes on the eliptical and then do some free weights, etc.
As far as diet, I have found that refined sugar is my worst enemy. I LOVE bread, but luckily I am a salt and candies and sweets don't necessary tempt me regularly. But bread you have to be careful with, too. Use it sparingly. Or on a seriously crunchy sandwich.
Foods: stick with things that are fresh: fruits (berries are in season right now and amazing), nuts-unroasted and unsalted, fresh veggies--carrots, cauliflower, broccoli--become friends with the spinach and pear salad (or use strawberries or cranberries, add a few bits of feta and a vinaigrette dressing and ta-dah!)....for snacks, stick with things like granola, yobaby or yo-toddler yogurt (far less sugars), the mini bags of popcorn, etc. snack baggies are your best friend now. If you like sandwiches, make sure to use lettuce and tomatoes, sprouts if you like them...mash some avocado on them...use meats that are either home cooked or on the label are as natural and chemical/nitrate/natural flavoring free as possible.Alot of those things interfere with healthy brain function. If you eat meat at dinner, try not to have it during the day. your body can only process 4 oz tops per day. The rest is waste. If you eat pasta, limit it and add loads of veggies, fresh or steamed, to fill in the gaps. If you must do dessert, try switching yourself to fruit...or limit things like ice cream to one night a week. You will begin to feel the difference when you have it verses not, and really--while small amounts of sugar may go unnoticed, they will eventually make a huge difference.
Take a multi vitamin for women.
Drink loads of water--but don't go overboard.
If you must have caffeine, drink black tea and limit your coffee to the morning cup. I would say green tea, but it does funny things to me mentally--though I LOVE the flavor. Black doesn't seem to bother me. Steer clear of all sodas, regardless. The only way to eat natural sugars is to eat it in the food it comes in. Like fruit. Also, steer clear of juice. If you wouldn't eat 5 apples in one sitting, you shouldn't drink a whole glass of juice.
Now the deal here, for those of us who aren't perfect and can't follow the letter of the law every day (lol), minor changes and hiccups are okay. For a birthday, it's okay to have a slice of cake. For a night out, eat the bowl of pasta or have the pizza and hot wings. The key is that you will need to really learn the ins and outs of your body both physically and mentally. I can tell that when I have had a soda, my body swells ever so slightly--or if I have something too salty, my ring doesn't fit right. Your body is so sensitive, but through fast food and over stimulation, terrible habits and the deadening of our senses, we have lost the ability to feel it. Start over, it will be a little bumpy at first and seem like it's going to take a miracle, but your mental health is worth every heart wrenching moment. You deserve a good life.
These changes, as well as medication, don't mean that you will never have another issue again, it just means you will feel it when it's coming and be able to prepare yourself. Mine feels like a roller coaster hanging on the top of the track, getting ready to plunge down without the fun spirals and loop de loops. And the pull on your body as you come out of if before the relief hits is so draining. But it can be less, and just like any lifestyle change or exercise program, there is no quick fix. The hard way is not only the best way, but it will produce long lasting, worth while results.
All of these changes are things that it has taken me a long time to make in myself, and when I follow through, I see results and it is so worth it.
I may, someday, need a slight medication to supplement, but it will be so minor in comparison to the heavy dosage the doctor would insist on if I were not to keep myself in check through diet and exercise. You may have the same need. I say don't rule out meds, but DO try the natural way--and maybe see an herbalist--a certified one-- to get a few tips.
Good luck! You can do it.

M., The wellness home will change your life. If you want more info email me and I will show you.

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Have a great 4th.

N. Marie