Coping with Bipolar without Medication

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Coping with Bipolar without Medication
Jul 28, 2009 at 4:57 PM
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- TheNotoriousT
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First and foremost I am bipolar. I was diagnosed in 2002 with bipolar, multi-personalities, border-line schizophrenic, and generalized anxiety disorder. Not everyone reacts to medications the same so if anyone thinks of doing what I have done I suggest you do it with the supervision of a doctor. I have taken every kind of anti-depressant and anti-psychotic along with all kinds of stuff like xanax. In 2005 I was on Zyprexa, Cymbalta, Buspar, and Depakote, I had lost me. Along with trying to commit suicide twice. If anyone has taken any part of that they know or the people around them know that they lose the best part of themselves, their personality. Besides my mood swings, ups and downs, and beating myself in the head because the voices will not stop, I have a pretty good personality. I believe a lot of my issues come from the life I was brought up in, along with not being taught how to cope with those issues. My mother told me that people with mental issues were just looking for attention and when I was raped at the age of 12 she told me that things like that happen everyday, get over it. So I had help getting where I am today. I also believe that some mental health issues are genetic. I have a long list of people in my family with my exact diagnosis, one of which is my late grandmother. She tried to commit suicide several times and succeeded in 1999, with an overdose.

I was going to a doctor at the county mental health where I am from. The problem with this is that the Department of Mental Health is government funded. Meaning all the doctors want to do is to medicate patients to the point the doctors don’t have to worry about the patient doing something the patient will regret. The doctor over medicates to do this. They really aren’t worried about helping just lowering the risks of suicide and homicide. The doctors do not understand that to give someone with bipolar an anti-depressant helps with the depression but causes anxiety on the highs of bipolar. Therefore the doctor prescribes an anti-psychotic to balance it out. Then prescribe a mood stablizer like Depakote and something like Buspar or Xanax for the panic and anxiety attacks. If all of this is in someone where are they? What part of them are they living, themselves or the doped up person that just doesn’t care about anything. Well that doped up person was me. I couldn’t work because a lot of times the medication would make me sleep and if I was awake I didn’t care if the sun came up. Which none of this includes the other medical issues that all of those types of medications cause. I had to go once a month to have my liver checked and my sugar levels checked, because the medications could cause liver damage, along with diabetes.

Being on all of the medications like I said I had lost me and wanted so desperately to find me but to protect me also. I went about it the wrong way. In December of 2006 I stopped all my medications, cold turkey (I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS TO ANYONE and is NOT liable for anyone that does). Seek medical supervision if anyone thinks of doing this. I wish I had but now I know it was right for ME. Let me explain why I believe this. I refused to go back to the mental health facility in my county. I knew if I did they would stop me from doing this and possibly put me back in an instutute. So I did it on my own. I went through all kinds of emotions and ups and downs but I found me. There is nothing wrong with crying every now and then it cleanses the soul and there’s nothing wrong with being so happy that you feel like you could explode. I do not get so high that believe if I jumped off the top of the house I can fly but I get really happy and clean a lot. So if you or the person you are reading this for is like that DO NOT DO THIS. That person may need some kind of medication. Anyone that has extreme lows (suicidal or homicidal) or highs that they do believe they can fly and may hurt themselves DO NOT DO THIS!!!!

The sun is a natural source of Vitamin D and also a natural anti-depressant. I go outside for atleast 15 minutes a day. Doing this gives me time to meditate and get a little color (considering I looked like a vampire before). Meditation has been one of my coping technics. I sit either in a chair or I’ll get a blanket and sit on the ground, clear my head and just sit. Everyone around me knows this is my time, therefore I have time to really concentrate. Clear your head, close your eyes, and feel the sun on your face ( use sunscreen if you are prone to burn, I had to). If you live in the city, get some kind of walk-man, mp3 player, or something with headphones, so that you are able to block out all of the static and noise around you. This will be difficult at first start but do this before you start to come off your medication to make sure that it will work. Your doctor will be able to lower the doses of you medication as you learn to cope with your illness and your issues. You feel better, you will have more energy and you will find that you are able to handle and deal with every day issues a lot better. Meditation teaches patience and breathing. A lot of people that have anxiety do not know how to calm themselves. This takes A LOT of practice, especially with people that have schizophrenia. You have to learn to quiet the voices and eventually you will learn to either ignore them or laugh at them. Everyone to some point has this but theirs is more like hearing you are making a mistake, kind of like a gut feeling. People with schizophrenia hear the same thing just magnified. I have learned to ignore the voices and yes I have times that it is overwhelming. Usually during those times life issues have gotten to be a little much to cope with. So when that happens its time for a time out. I lock myself in my bedroom to meditate, go outside to meditate, or one more wonderful ways to regenerate yourself is a long hot bath. Taking a bath with some candles, soft music, and bubbles isn’t just for trying to get in the mood for sex but it can also wash away a lot of stress and anxiety.

Along with sitting in the sun like I said gives you a little sun. Add some sun with some exercise and pretty soon you have whole new you. A lot of people with mental issues have a self esteem issues also. Therefore if there is something you do not like about yourself, CHANGE IT!! There will be days you will not want to even get out of bed, make yourself. If you get out and get some sun and a little exercise you feel like a totally different person. I also recommend you go to your regular doctor and have some tests done. Have your doctor check your hormone levels and a complete blood work up. Thyroid and hormone levels can cause all kinds of depression and anxiety. That’s what I ended up doing and found out that my thyroid wasn’t working as it should. I now take medication for that and I do keep my xanax. The xanax is for a quick fix, I only use it when I have anxiety attacks. There isn’t enough sun, exercise, or meditation that will help an anxiety attack. So therefore I am not saying that no medication is the answer but maybe cut down on what you take and add some self improvement technics. You may find that you are able to cope with things a lot better than you thought. I am also not saying that I will never be on medication again but right now I found something that works and has worked for 3 years.

One more thing I recommend, take a look at your diet. Some foods can drag you down and make you feel depressed. Such greasy foods, foods with a lot of artificial sugar, colorings, and additives. Do some research, find foods that you like but also have some hidden benefits. If you are like I am, I love to eat, so finding foods that give me that extra boost naturally when I don’t feel like doing anything, helps. One more thing if you are bipolar taking in a lot of caffeine may cause anxiety attacks, so watch your intake of caffeine. Just a suggestion, not saying cut it out completely but maybe cut it down to 1 -2 cups of coffee in the morning instead of the whole pot. I cant live without my one cup in the mornings. Actually that is one of my meditation times. Go sit on the front porch listening the world waking up with that good cup of coffee. Thinking of what the day has to hold. That right there can make the difference of a good day or a bad day. Don’t forget to do your exercise, even if its low impact yoga, DO SOMETHING! Its your life, you are in control, so take control!!!

Links you might find helpful: http://yoga.about.com/od/beginningyoga/a/howtostart.htm

http://www.more2hug.com/moodfood.html

http://food.yahoo.com/blog/hungrygirl/1/5-foods-that-fight-depression

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

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/vitamins_minerals/index.jsp?sourceType=ps&source=yi&gcid=C19283x009&keyword=TLP_vitamin_shoppe

http://www.beliefnet.com/Health/1999/12/A-Moment-Of-Calm.aspx

http://download.meditation.org.au/guidedmeditations.asp

One more thing find yourself a help group either in your community or online. If you find one online you might still need someone to lean on in person.

GOOD LUCK!! I would love to hear stories and will be happy to answer questions.

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