Alternative Medicine for Bipolar Disorder:

A True and Balanced Account of
Success with a Supplement

Alternative Medicine for Bipolar Disorder has been like the quest for the holy grail or many people suffering from this disorder. I have always believed that it was possible to find a non-medication solution, and I've been pained to watch the unsatisfactory results for many people who commit themselves to a lifetime of pharmaceutical medications. But never - until this past year - have I seen anyone safely taper off their medications and transition onto an an alternative medicine for Bipolar Disorder - and succeed.

The first of my clients to try EmPower Plus - the natural medicine for Bipolar Disorder, available from a Canadian company called TrueHope - did so on his own. I supported his decision to try this alternative medicine for bipolar disorder, and encouraged him to work with his psychiatrist on this as well. When he asked his psychiatrist if he would support him and monitor him with this trial of supplements, his doctor told him he could no longer see him. This doctor had treated him for several years with medication and had a solid therapeutic alliance with him (until then).

The phone counselors that are available at TrueHope advised him on how to incrementally and safely taper off each of his medications while increasing the dosage of EmPower Plus. He started to report that he could "feel his feelings" again, and he felt he was on the road to try recovery and healing. I didn't maintain close contact with this client, but other clients in my Bipolar Support group became interested in trying this approach. Most ended up sticking with their meds, despite still struggling significantly with periods of depression, anxiety, hypomania, insomnia, and a host of negative side effects. For most of my clients, it is just too scary to tempt fate and stop their medication to try a questionable alternative medicine for Bipolar treatment. Some had been hospitalized in the past when they had gone off their medication and had manic or severe depressive episodes.

After some time had passed, another of my clients decided to try EmPower Plus. Even on his meds, he struggled with depressions at least 1-2 times per month, and had some delusions and paranoia at times. After tapering off his medication and onto this supplement, his symptoms began to rapidly disappear. I watched his progress closely, and to my delight, he simply continued to improve with each passing month. After about 8 months he remains quite stable, sleeps well, and has had no abnormal mood fluctuations, and no psychotic symptoms.

A short time after this client began working with the TrueHope supplement, another of my Bipolar clients - a young woman, decided to try it. It was a frightening decision for her. She had suffered from severe and long episodes of depression - sometimes for months at a time. She also had debilitating anxiety and had been hospitalized for her depression. She was on several medications and remained fragile, often depressed, anxious, isolative, and easily agitated.

After a short time on EmPower Plus her mood improved, and continued to do so as she tapered off most of her psych meds. Now, about 6-7 months later she is doing better than I have ever seen her - and she reports that in many respects, she is doing better than ever before in her life.

Both of these long term clients report that they feel this supplement is like a medication for them. When they make a change in dosage - or forget to take it - they feel the difference. It's not like taking a vitamin and just hoping or imagining that they feel something from it.

NO, I do NOT tell my Bipolar Clients to stop their meds!

First of all, I'm not a doctor. Only doctors can give medical advice to their patients. I'm a therapist. I do specialize in Bipolar Disorder, I lead a Bipolar Support Group, and have many individual clients with a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. Most of them take medications. Most of them do not like taking medications. Most of them still struggle a lot, even when taking their meds as prescribed. Their psychiatrists often change or add new medications to decrease side effects, or enhance the effects of the one's that aren't doing the job well enough. Several have been hospitalized, even when they have remained on their meds.

I believe it is a highly personal decision to choose how to conduct your treatment for a psychiatric or medical problem. The primary role of a treating professional should be to present you with options so that you can make an informed choice. I support my client's treatment, as well as their doctor's recommendations, regardless of whether it is allopathic (pharmaceutical) medication, or alternative medicine.

You should know that your psychiatrist is highly unlikely to have ever heard of TrueHope, and if they have, or if you give them info about it, they are likely to tell you they think it is bunk. Most psychiatrists are not trained or experienced in alternative medicine for Bipolar Disorder. Doctors treat mostly with pharmaceutical medicine. Therefor they do not see anyone succeed with natural treatments, and thus, many conclude - "they don't exist."

If your doctor is more open-minded, or just plain nice, he might say, "go ahead and try it, but I can't treat you any more." And there may be a few rare psychiatrist that will tell you, if you're lucky, "lets try it carefully. Keep some emergency meds on hand at all times, have an emergency plan and stay in close contact with me. Keep a mood log to monitor any changes. Stay in regular contact with the staff at TrueHope and follow their instructions. I'll agree to coordinate care with the staff at TrueHope so that we're on the same page..."

Unfortunately I haven't seen that last scenario happen yet with any of my clients.

I want to make one more thing clear, since I am putting my reputation on the line: I have no financial connection, nor do I derive any personal gain from advocating the use of Empower Plus or TrueHope. The only personal gain I receive is the satisfaction of watching my Bipolar clients return to a more normal life, with little to no bipolar symptoms and no drug side effects.

Up until this point, I say that I am "cautiously optimistic" about TrueHope. As long as I see people getting better on it, I will remain optimistic. If someone does poorly on it, it will not be proof that it doesn't work - since many clients on psych meds do poorly too. As long as I see more people getting better on it, than people getting worse, I will be pleased.

Just as with psychiatric medication, if you continue a reckless lifestyle, use street drugs, alcohol, or don't take care of yourself in general, the drug - or in this case - an alternative medicine for bipolar - is not going to perform miracles for you. Holistic treatment means taking responsibility for all aspects of your well being.

To find out more about EmPower Plus, visit: www.TrueHope.com

A quick search on the internet will yield many sources of testimonials, videos and information from those who have tried EmPower Plus. You be the judge about the validity of any alternative medicine for bipolar disorder.