Anyone had success beating bipolar without meds?

Jersey_Devil

talk with a doctor.

zCarsAndCaloriesz

I'm not sure, but my sister has bi-polar disorder and tried dealing without meds and went nuts. I'm not saying don't try, but if you do please be smart and talk with your doctor about it regularly. She did it without that, and probably would have been more succesful if she had done it smartly. But of coarse everyone is different!!

zCarsAndCaloriesz

i used to have chronic anxiety which would lead to bouts of depression, but i have never been formally diagnosed. i have never taken meds, but i did go to a meditation retreat a few yeas ago (and a few times since) and that helped me immensely.

sometimes just recognizing that the world offers a lot of confusing information and then disassociating yourself from it is a big improvement, meds or not.

best of luck!

I am sorry if this sounds rude but you probably don't have bipolar, it is much deeper than just meditating...that suggests that you have a choice in the matter, that it is something that you can change....it isn't...it is a medical condition, therapy helps but does not cure same with meds...meds are a necessary part of my life to even be semi functional...when off the meds I am suicidal and will act on the thoughts

They didn't say they had Bi-polar disorder..

jzammetti

I think someone else aready said this - bipolar is like diabetes in that you must take medication to manage the disease or risk lots of bad stuff.

My son has a disorder that requires daily medication (not ADD or similar) and he will take medication his entire life. It took us some time to find the right one - the one with the least number of side effects, etc. but we eventually did and he is ok with taking two pills every day forever.

JonMartinn

Marijuana?

Not sure what effect it has on bipolar patients but surely it's much better than any of the stuff they put you on. More fun too.

clydethecat

Marijuana?

Not sure what effect it has on bipolar patients but surely it's much better than any of the stuff they put you on. More fun too.

i'm a huge advocate of medical marijuana, but, its not for everyone. it can cause mania in some people with mental disorders and should only be taken under the guidance of a medical doctor/psychiatrist. not sure if you meant to be funny or not. but not a good suggestion for someone who's bipolar and wants to go off meds.

its not better than the "stuff" they put you on.

PototaeLuvvr

my pototae cleanse has evened me out

Calliope610

I was diagnosed 10 yrs ago, on Depakote for most of that time. Once I sobered up, the BP was much easier to manage. I have been offs meds (w/ Pdocs approval) for about a year now.

gregorymarlow54

Yes - and here is how I did it. I read that omega-3 was being used for psychiatric disorders and gave it a try for myself. It didn’t work, but I noticed that after 13 years my urine had no calcium sediments in it anymore. Before omega-3 supplements any extra calcium I ate showed up as extra urine sediment. I then read that calcium was important for proper neuron function and added calcium supplements to my diet thinking that I might not be getting enough. I increased the amount until I started seeing calcium sediments in my urine again. My mental symptoms stopped then. I believe the mechanism for the success of omega-3 is through its ability to allow the body to maintain a higher blood level of calcium. Higher calcium levels are known to reduce the level of excitability of neurons. Perhaps omega-3 allows the kidneys to reabsorb calcium to a level that satisfies all the body’s requirements.

Docmahi

the only herbal supplement that has any actual tested effect on mood disorders is St. Johns Wort - which has some low level Serotonin affinity - that being said if you are taking it in place of an SSRI and you in fact have bipolar disorder it will make your mood more unstable. There are no herbal supps that have been proven as mood stabilizers to my knowledge - unfortunately if its true bipolar disorder (diagnosed) then IMO you need treatment by a psychiatrist, whether or not they will use drugs is up to them

if its something like cyclothymic disorder where it isnt a true bipolar then I think talking to someone/therapy is a really good place to start - just my opinion

Docmahi

Yes - and here is how I did it. I read that omega-3 was being used for psychiatric disorders and gave it a try for myself. It didn’t work, but I noticed that after 13 years my urine had no calcium sediments in it anymore. Before omega-3 supplements any extra calcium I ate showed up as extra urine sediment. I then read that calcium was important for proper neuron function and added calcium supplements to my diet thinking that I might not be getting enough. I increased the amount until I started seeing calcium sediments in my urine again. My mental symptoms stopped then. I believe the mechanism for the success of omega-3 is through its ability to allow the body to maintain a higher blood level of calcium. Higher calcium levels are known to reduce the level of excitability of neurons. Perhaps omega-3 allows the kidneys to reabsorb calcium to a level that satisfies all the body’s requirements.

good god I dont even know where to start

./exit thread no point

StarChanger

There is no such thing as "beating bipolar." The illness has three phases...depression, mania (or hypomania in the case of bipolar type 2) and maintenance. All three phases are managed with medication and each phase is actually treated differently. As the poster above stated; there are only two types of bipolar patients (and neither type is called "cured"). The first type is the one that takes their medications and feels better and says "the meds are working, therefore I will stay on the meds." The second type takes their medications and feels better and believes they no longer need the meds. The former leads a productive life, the latter lives a life of repeat hospitalizations +/- arrests, etc.

This. Take your meds.

Jennloella

I feel like you'd get better help from your Dr, or at the very least a board of bipolar patients instead of a fitness website....

Docmahi

There is no such thing as "beating bipolar." The illness has three phases...depression, mania (or hypomania in the case of bipolar type 2) and maintenance. All three phases are managed with medication and each phase is actually treated differently. As the poster above stated; there are only two types of bipolar patients (and neither type is called "cured"). The first type is the one that takes their medications and feels better and says "the meds are working, therefore I will stay on the meds." The second type takes their medications and feels better and believes they no longer need the meds. The former leads a productive life, the latter lives a life of repeat hospitalizations +/- arrests, etc.

This. Take your meds.

^^^

AprilMae1975

My daughter was just diagnosed with bipolar and MDD. She is on a bunch of meds and is finally getting better. I was against meds before all this happened and now I can't imagine how she would have made it without them.

askeates

There is no such thing as "beating bipolar." The illness has three phases...depression, mania (or hypomania in the case of bipolar type 2) and maintenance. All three phases are managed with medication and each phase is actually treated differently. As the poster above stated; there are only two types of bipolar patients (and neither type is called "cured"). The first type is the one that takes their medications and feels better and says "the meds are working, therefore I will stay on the meds." The second type takes their medications and feels better and believes they no longer need the meds. The former leads a productive life, the latter lives a life of repeat hospitalizations +/- arrests, etc.

^^This... every single part it 100% accurate!

inside_lap

As people mentioned before, accurate diagnosis is key in regards to treatment. BUT if someone truly has Bipolar Disorder (Type 1, 2, or NOS) they really should be on medications. Bipolar is nothing to play with. Yes there is a spectrum. Yes manic/hypomanic phases CAN SOMETIMES be very productive and addicting (I say seem as they can just as frequently be distructive). BUT the consequences can be devistating. And most people have more downs then ups where the downs can be just has horrifying (or more) as the consequences of the ups. The right combination of medications and therapy can do wonders to make someone "themselves" again. And no, that doesn't mean you have to be a zombie... if your a zombie, you need to work more closely with your prescribers to find the right combo of meds.

nomeejerome

Yes - and here is how I did it. I read that omega-3 was being used for psychiatric disorders and gave it a try for myself. It didn’t work, but I noticed that after 13 years my urine had no calcium sediments in it anymore. Before omega-3 supplements any extra calcium I ate showed up as extra urine sediment. I then read that calcium was important for proper neuron function and added calcium supplements to my diet thinking that I might not be getting enough. I increased the amount until I started seeing calcium sediments in my urine again. My mental symptoms stopped then. I believe the mechanism for the success of omega-3 is through its ability to allow the body to maintain a higher blood level of calcium. Higher calcium levels are known to reduce the level of excitability of neurons. Perhaps omega-3 allows the kidneys to reabsorb calcium to a level that satisfies all the body’s requirements.

Awesome first post. :huh:

Even though this post is old and OP deactivated, I hope they got help and are taking their meds. Bipolar is no joke and should be treated, but not with supplements.

Mr_Bad_Example

Just wondering if anyone has had any success with beating bipolar without meds.. With just herbal supps? Is there anything you would and /or wouldn't recommend?

Um... no.

redheaddee

None of my clients. Unfortunately they cycle: take meds, feel better, must not need meds! Stop taking, go off the deep end, lose everything, get back on meds...not pretty. I would not suggest doing so.