Do you want to take medication or drugs for the rest of your life? This was my first question when I finally accepted that I had a problem and that this problem had been labelled "Bipolar Disorder" by psychiatrists.
Accepting that I had a problem was tough, probably one of the toughest things I have ever done. I was proud of my mind, or brain. It could do extraordinary things, and yet here I was told, I had a problem and that problem was a mental illness. As a doctor, I found it particularly hard to accept, because accepting that I had a mental health problem went against twenty years of medical education and meant that I publicly agreed that I was a deeply flawed human being.
Yet even though I accepted the diagnosis on the surface, underneath I was still searching for a "cure" or at the very least a way of managing bipolar disorder without medication. Especially when the psychiatric establishment was telling me I would need drugs for the rest of my life. That advice didn't seem right.
Without doubt, some people find drugs helpful. For them, medication seems to take the edge off their symptoms and enables them to lead more fulfilled and happier lives. But these are strong drugs, and an alternative approach is needed.
For me, that approach is returning myself to health in as many areas of my life and work as I can. I have developed a "non medical alternative" for bipolar
First - I see bipolar as mood instability rather than a deep flaw to my nature. Fluctuating moods are part of who I am and as long as I am sensible, they don't fluctuate too wildly
Second - Nothing gets between me and my health. I am no use to anyone if I am ill, so as long as I don't become selfish or greedy, I accept that I need to look after my health first
Thid - I need lots of friends around me, to help keep me right and I hope the relationship benefits both sides.
This is where the previous reader comes in. Are there any groups around the world which specifically look at non medical ways to manage bipolar disorder? Not many! but sites such as the Icarus project click here
are helpful
As to face to face groups, I am not aware of any apart from our Tuesday evening group. We accept the need for medication but we are also keen to develop our ability to manage our own condition and experiences without medication. And most of all, we like to have fun!
For those readers in the US, you can buy Mood Mapping from Amazon.com Click here and some UK sellers will export to the US
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5 comments:
There are some people who choose a non-prescription treatment plan; however, the majority of people with bipolar disorder find that their prescribed medications (despite the side effects) are able to stabilize their extreme mood swings and other symptoms of the disorder. Many doctors and psychiatrists are not against taking supplements; however, they advise that you take these supplements IN ADDITION TO and NOT INSTEAD OF your regular medication.
I agree and many people do find medication helpful. I also agree that with extreme moods, medication can be lifesaving.
Nonetheless, for me, a healthy lifestyle, happily functioning families and communities, a tolerance of difference and understanding how the body works, unpolluted by the Pharmacopiae are the gold standards we need to aim for!
Instead too many doctors and psychiatrists go along with the idea that we need to find the right drug to sedate people sufficiently into complying with todays regime of stress, poor diet, unhealthy lifestyles. Drugs are not the answer, although they maybe helpful for some people at different times in their lives.
I don't deny I am lucky - I can afford only to work part-time. For better or worse, I don't have children, nor dependent relatives. I have a good education. For these and other reasons I can afford to eat properly, to exercise and to live a relatively stress free life. If I had to work full time in an unsatisfying job, with children to support, I might see medication in a different light.
All points of view are important - and discussion leads to greater wisdom - thanks Michele
Liz
Hi Liz - You wrote somewhere that you do not recommend to eat diary products...
Have you considered to stay away from gluten as well?
There are many articles in internet that connect gluten/casein with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, autism, etc.
I'm interested in your opinion regarding GFGC.
Thanks!
I tended to stay away from wheat products anyway - not wild about them. My husband is allergic/ intolerant to gluten. He recently got "swine" flu and was getting worse and worse until we realised that his wheat sensitivity had escalated. He is now getting better thanks to a rigorous exclusion diet and keeping warm!
Interestingly, I also feel a lot better for our new stricter diet. I agree with you. Neither dairy nor wheat as presently constituted form a natural part of our diet. And I recommend that people stay away from both - Bulls have plenty of muscles and strong bones, and they don't drink milk or eat wheat in their natural environment.
I think we have to look critically at what we eat and if it wasn't around 10,000 years ago, then we shouldn't eat it. That way, together with exercise, we would prevent at least 70% of modern illness.
There is as you say strong evidence linking autism and schizophrenia and schizophrenia like illness with wheat sensitivity. I think Farley's rusks have a lot to answer for!!
Thanks for your post - being thick what does GFGC stand for ;-)
I too was diagnosed as bipolar, and did not agree with their diagnosis. The medications had a horrible effect on my life, but I tend to be sensitive to side effects from medication in general. To this day I disagree with the diagnosis, and feel like I may have just suffered from depression all my life. An interesting book I just bought is called "Saving Normal: An Insider's revolt against Out-of-Control Psychiatric Diagnosis, DSM-5, Big Pharma, and the Medicalization of Ordinary Life." It is written by Allen Frances, heralded as "one of the most powerful psychiatrists in America" by the NY Times, and "was the chairman of the DSM-IV Task Force and part of the leadership group for DSM-III and DSM-III-R."
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