Riding the Wave of Bipolar Symptoms

Surfing with Bi-polar bears

Managing anything that has to do with the human spectrum of feelings and emotions is a tall order.  Managing is almost the same as controlling something. Kindness and integration work most effectively with this more gentle way of managing.  To me it might mean being person-centered with yourself and almost a quiet observer to most of those roller coaster moments.  Don't seek hospitalization unless you or a loved one become so out of control that it is dangerous. Rather, let the emotions take their ride and then process it later when all is well.

There are alternatives to medications.  As you may know there are many class action tort cases regarding the damaging effects of psycho-pharmaceutic drugs. Many of these drugs are toxic to the nervous system and cause permanent damage.

Two well know sources to look at would be psychiatrist Dr. Peter Breggin, who is a regular talk show host on Coast to Coast AM and has written some amazing books:  https://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3APeter%20Breggin

Also Robert Whitaker wrote a book called Mad in America that I highly recommend for yourself or a loved one.  https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_14?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=mad+in+america+by+robert+whitaker&sprefix=Mad+in+America%2Cstripbooks%2C194&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Amad+in+america+by+robert+whitaker

They (Robert and Peter) speak of eliminating the toxic drugs and using other therapies instead.  I call mental health in America maddening indeed from the mistreatment of the mentally ill to the three ring circus of providers and disability adjudication.  It is beyond stigmatizing to be escorted to a mental health facility where people are strapped down, drugged, barked orders to, and awaken to 5 AM blood draws after a sleepless night listening to others scream, talk to themselves, or just shuffle about. It is far from therapeutic for many.  There are times when loved ones have no choice it seems.  That is because the right choices were not considered long ago before all the monkeying around with drugs and brain chemistry.  Choices diminish greatly if someone is court ordered to take medication.  So should someone be forced to be on medication?  I don’t have that answer because I can think of times when it might be necessary but not the ideal.

When we think of invasive treatment, medication can be one of the most horrible ones.  People report many adverse side effects.  They can feel anxiety, burning brain, lethargy, fatigued, thirsty, headaches, insomnia, muscle spasms, diarrhea, weight gain, loss of sex drive or libido, men grow breast tissue, and involuntary tremors.  Dr. Breggin also mentions the chemical lobotomy that goes on for many making life a dreary thing and many people become reproductively sterile.  I wonder if that was intentional?

I have witness many nightmares with family members and I have gone through a few myself.  Some strategies have emerged.  When I say strategies I think of the Silver Lining Playbook movie.  That movie was ground breaking in that it brought robust discussion of mental health diagnoses to the forefront. It is easier to have a more robust, less shameful conversation about these types of problems. Sweeping mental health issues under the carpet has led to many social problems and myths.

Some alternatives to consider and to bring to the prescribing doctors are the following: 

First a disclaimer:  Never withdraw from medication on your own.  Dr. Breggin has a book that advises providers how to help others titrate off these very powerful medications.   The body has become accustomed to not producing serotonin or dopamine or both as the neuro receptors are blocked from absorbing these natural neuro chemicals.  You might have heard of serotonin re-uptake inhibitors.  It is quite dangerous to then stop and flood the brain with these naturally occurring chemicals after a period of not having them.  It can create psychosis. Also mood stabilizers were often developed from research for epilepsy and they might create a disturbance as well.  As I understand it, some chemicals and naturally occurring salts can cross the cerebrum's hemispheric division and some cannot. When one starts using layman’s terms it really demystifies what is being done to your brain chemistry via drugs.  Don’t DIY on any of this.  There are some strategies for lowering psycho-pharmaceuticals and safe ways to come off of these drugs.

Bi-Polar Bears on stage

OK and up to now…there are been few therapies offered except for medication and perhaps some (CBT)groups. Managed Health Care is really cutting back on individual therapy. It depends on the type of insurance one has. There is an odd partnership between the huge pharmaceutical companies and psychiatry.  Anything else seems to be dismissed.  Big Pharma and mental health providers have been in bed together for quite a while.  I wonder if there is any breaking up of that relationship? 

These are some things to research and I will have to speak about each one to some degree in future blog postings. 

Vitamins and nutrition: There is so much leading edge research saying that hospital stays where patients were receiving intravenous vitamins and minerals helped a great deal.  Exercise helps stimulate serotonin and dopamine and really those are your “calming and uplifting” friends.  So to combine these two is extremely effective.  Get the vitamins and minerals, eat well with the leafy greens, and rice and beans and raw fruits and vegetables, go for a walk or swim, and within a few days, these patients are not delusional, not depressed, and not anxious.  It is incredible that all this happens without sedating and strapping people down.

Full acceptance of the person having mental health issues.  I like to call it person centered therapy.  Having respect and unconditional positive regard (love) for patients is the basic idea of person centered treatment.  I worked with children in schools and we used child-centered play therapy.  The children were able to balance emotions, discover solutions, and re-direct themselves through play therapy.  There is adult play therapy as well.   Imagine combining, nutrition, exercise, and supplements with a playful environment.  Water volley ball, non-competitive soccer, bicycle polo, dancing, and hiking are all great ways to get a sunshine bath, socialize, and enjoy the day.  Sunshine encourages certain vitamins to work better.  And certain minerals encourage other minerals to be absorbed. 

When it comes to processing feelings I love art therapy and music therapy as well as narrative therapy.  Narrative therapy works beautifully with bipolar diagnosed individuals.  They are the creative people who love expressing themselves through various mediums.  I think of Jim Carey, Vincent Van Gogh, Isabella Duncan, Ernest Hemingway, Brian Wilson (Beach Boys) and thousands of others who have conveyed so much through their humor, dancing, writing, and art and admittedly they have had mental health issues.  Many of these artist have taken us to new levels of human expression.  Even some of the brilliant inventors like Steve Jobs and Nicola Tesla were in that eccentric genius rare zone of the bipolar person.  I was surprised to hear Joan Baez speak of her own mental health issues and that it was hard to go on stage at times due to the fear she had  She seemed so confident. Transitioning the topic to the absence of fear...

finding balance with all life

Mania might be the most dangerous phase for many.  My uncle loved to fly planes, but we think he might have been doing risky things like barn storming when he crashed.  There are many who will drive fast and take risks during mania. I will have to come back to that one because any sage advice eludes me.  I would recommend Yoga and meditation for relaxation during energy overloads. It would be good to up the exercise part too,  but there is probably a bit more that could help. 

Environment is very important in managing bipolar swings.   Having people who understand and accept you is so important.  Seek help in managing finances and paying bills if needed.  Bipolar diagnosed people can wind up homeless when they are unable to manage the rent payment and paying other bills.  Often time picking up someone when they get their food stamps and then going shopping with him is a great service. They can buy big quantities that will hopefully last a month or near that. There are some things like produce that will not.  However, getting some canned goods and other staples will be very important. 

Safety is also part of environment.  Bipolar mood episodes make some people very vulnerable.  They are easy prey at times.  Some are more likely to be robbed or molested.  They might not be able to tell what is reality and then they are susceptible to the trickery of others.  Creating a safe life style is so important.  As much as safety is a huge factor, some institutions are very prison like and do not even allow patients to go outside.  That is not the quality of life that works for this highly creative group.  I think there might be a bracelet that would track people who wonder away in a delusional state so that someone might check up on them.  Check up, not like a parent, but like a friend who wants to reach out.  

reaching out is magical

As far as tending to first person, second person and my voice, this writing is not stellar.  I felt the need to spill all my thoughts.  I hope it will spawn further exploration.  There are vast amounts of new therapies coming down the road.  Honestly, it cannot arrive soon enough.  Too many horror stories exist in this mental health field.

If you are dealing with thoughts of suicide, you can speak to someone immediately here or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which you can reach at 1-800-273-8255.