Healing Depression Bipolar Disorder Without Drugs [Paperback]

Most of us can benefit from information in this book. It provides a way to evaluate the necessity for prescribed drugs with undesirable side effects or deal with symptoms for which doctors cannot find reasons. The emphasis in the book is on ways to eliminate medical conditions, not just to mask symptoms.

Both Gracelyn and her mother were bipolar. Gracelyn grew up familiar with her mother's side effects from lithium, which Gracelyn declined to use. Placed on an antidepressant instead, she suddenly developed multiple breast cysts and tumors. When she went off the drug, the growths stopped. Refusing all psychiatric drugs, she consulted a brain research center that identified two genetic disorders, treating them with specific vitamin and minerals. Within four months, her manic symptoms disappeared. Then, left with depression, she heard about successful clinical trials of omega-3 fish oils for bipolar patients. The oils quickly lifted her depression.

In Gracelyn's journey to health, her first priority was to stop the formation of growths in her breasts that could become cancerous. You may or may not be interested in how she managed that. Beginning on page 37 of the book, she describes how she dealt with mania and depression and goes on to explain how a lack of nutrients can cause addiction, allergies, and other symptoms.

She does not recommend stopping drugs except under a doctor's supervision. Patients may want to continue with their present doctor or find a doctor who is comfortable with alternative methods. Gracelyn suggests continuing medication, trying one or more nutrients, and decreasing medication as symptoms decrease.

I find the information in this book consistent with other books about alternative treatments, such as The Mood Cure by Julia Ross.

I found this book easy to read and very informative about alternative methods to treat BD. I liked how it talked about how vitamins, supplements, and diet affect the body, and how brain biochemistry and even
digestion can be flawed. It was fascinating to learn about deficiencies that we are born with that over time potentially trigger mania or depression, which worsen as more traumatic or extremely stressful events occur in one's lifetime.

Western medicines are painted an ugly picture. Sometimes it gets paranoid even. The book could use more supporting documentation for her more negative claims. The author mentions briefly that each individual is unique in terms of physiology, biochemistry, and genetic make up which makes each person react uniquely to drugs OR alternative treatments. However, there seems to be more emphasis in why drugs are bad. Her stories of people with BD seemed to be extreme cases of adverse reactions to drugs. I caution you to remember as much as possible that just because her examples had such reactions does not mean that everyone else will, too. It's all circumstancial. Also, note that some side effects do go away in time after consistent use. It just depends on how much you would put up with them overall.

Don't get me wrong. Though I think that science has its merits, I am also in favor of holistic and alternative approaches, but I don't think that either one stand alone nor have the ultimate solutions. I think it rests in a balance of both, a harmony of Western and Eastern thinking where so much study has been spent on either side for the same goal of finding "better" treatment, however that applies to each individual.

I sympathize that the author herself suffered and in her desperation had to figure out alternative treatments in order to not suffer side effects she could not tolerate. I appreciate that she wants to share hope for others who suffer from BD.

Let's not forget that in general, listed side effects don't necessarily apply to the majority so try not to worry so much about possibly getting them if you do take meds. Just deal with them as they come. Meanwhile vitamins, supplements, healthy eating, exercising, getting plenty of sleep, taking yoga or some other stress-reducing techniques play a vital role, too.

Addendum:

I just started reading "The Natural Medicine Guide to Bipolar Disorder" by Stephanie Marohn. After 30 pages so far this book is a better bet than "Healing Depression & Bipolar Disorder Without Drugs" in that it is better written, unbiased, has more informative explanations, and focuses on possible causes for BD and what can be done about it in terms of medication vs. natural remedies without resorting to paranoid examples. It's very well written with journalistic flair. I would highly recommend it.

Mental illness is a difficult condition to diagnose, understand, and treat. Denial is the overwhelming response of most patients and families. Almost all of us want to believe these conditions are imaginary or imbalances that are amenable to systematic holistic cures. This is not the case. The first major complication is that mental illnesses are often misdiagnosed especially bipolar disorder. Currently, this is a trendy diagnosis (just as ADD and ADHD were a few years ago) for which practitioners of every discipline have developed protocols. According to researchers bipolar disorder is rare and the bulk of mental problems people struggle with are actually a variety of afflictions that often can be corrected by vitamins, supplements, and alternative therapies. Personally, I have been dismayed to find that my lifelong belief in the superiority of organic foods, vitamins, supplements, Bach flower remedies, herbs, homeopathy, acupuncture, exercise, journaling, meditation, and prayer has proven to be unequal to the task of fighting schizo-affective disorder. In fact my first symptoms of psychiatric disturbance occurred during my daily meditation. After thirty years of meditative practice I was flooded with voices, delusions, and terrifying visions that merged with my normal thinking. None of my regular practices made a dent in these symptoms and as I got more and more agitated and paranoid I was ready to try anything for relief. My sister took me to a psychiatrist who just happened to be a well-recognized and respected doctor and researcher in the treatment of bipolar disorder. He gave me Clonodine and Lamictal and within four days I was able to calm down enough to breathe normally and sleep. It turns out that I am one of a tiny minority of people who have the right combination of genetic, chemical, psychological, and developmental elements that can be triggered by altered states and stress. Once the condition is triggered it can be mitigated but not cured. Contrary to common perception, there are side effects for every treatment just as there are consequences for every action. Bipolar disorder is a chronic condition that charts its own erratic path so for the author to be symptom-free for two or five or fifteen years is typical just as having daily symptoms is also typical. Unfortunately, it doesn't mean the disorder is defeated. It can reappear at any time like shingles or cancer. It is a disorder whose form is specific to each sufferer. Many kinds of approaches may help but anecdotal data does not prove the existence of an antidote. At the end of all the debate about the best treatment for mental illnesses, what emerges is that the support of family and friends provides the most consistent healing influence. It is interesting to note that in undeveloped countries where there are no psychiatrists, many people stricken with mental illnesses do recover because the traditional treatment is to relieve the ill person of all duties, surround them with loving family and the support of the community and let them find their way back to themselves without any other treatment at all. Let's have a book about that.

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