Alternative Bipolar Treatment
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NEW EFT/Meridian Tapping eBOOK!
Tapping Into Joy: Meridian Tapping and Mindfulness for Depression
With bonus Tap-Along Audio Book and Full-length Guided Meditation Audio
A 96-Page guide to lead you out of the darkness of depression and into the light of your own True Self.
Learn to use Meridian Tapping/EFT for your own self-healing from
Depression, Anxiety, Trauma and Stress.
Step by Step instructions from the basics to the
subtle art of getting powerful results quickly, even with complex issues.
An important aspect of Alternative Bipolar Treatment
Guided Meditations for Depression, Anxiety, Stress and Insomnia:
Audio Downloads Available Here
I'm very pleased to now offer personalized guided meditation recordings - made to order - based on your own confidential personal profile, challenges, and goals. Listen anytime, or as you are going to sleep, to transform your subconscious mind and open your mind to greater peace, success, and freedom.
Order your Custom-Made Guided Meditation CD's for Deep Healing
EFT/Meridian Tapping (Emotional Freedom Techniques) is the most effective method I have found for quickly resolving emotional traumas and emotionally based physical problems, such as chronic pain, headaches, back pain, and chronic injuries; Depression, Anxiety and Stress related disorders can usually be quickly and permanently alleviated through the proper use of EFT/Meridian Tapping.
Basic instructions for the EFT technique can be found right here, if you want to get started right away with EFT as an alternative bipolar treatment. More extensive information and case studies can be found at World Center for EFT website.
The Truth about Bipolar Disorder
It is estimated that one of every 70 people has bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder typically develops in late adolescence or early adulthood. However, some people have their first symptoms during childhood, and some develop them late in life. It is often not recognized as an illness, and people may suffer for years before it is properly diagnosed and treated. Bipolar disorder is normally viewed by mainstream psychiatry as a long-term chronic illness that must be carefully managed throughout a person's life.But in my experience, symptoms can be minimized by getting competent treatment by a mental health professional, taking responsibility for your health and giving optimal support to the body, mind and spirit. Your self-care should include proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, and an ongoing discipline of learning to live mindfully.
Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder, or manic-depressive illness, causes dramatic mood swings—from overly "high" and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression, and each has distinct signs and symptoms.Bipolar Disorder is a potentially life-threatening and often devastating illness. The intense mood states and deep depression of bipolar disorder are something that few people can relate to. This overwhelming emotional and psychic suffering often leads to relationship difficulties, loss of careers, financial ruin, drug and alcohol abuse, and suicide. The stigma, the intolerance and ignorance of others, and the shame that results, increases the suffering greatly.
But Bipolar Disorder is not a death sentence, nor does it have anything to do with weakness or character defects. In fact, many people with Bipolar Disorder are naturally creative, innovative, and dynamic individuals. An alternative bipolar treatment addresses not only the management of the illness, but the emotional and spiritual needs of the individual.
To take an initial diagnostic screening for Bipolar Disorder, try this quick and easy questionnaire and share the results with your doctor or therapist: Bipolar Test
Alternative Bipolar Treatment
Alternative bipolar treatment is a holistic approach, utilizing both traditional and alternative methods. Bipolar Disorder is very difficult to treat effectively. Although some people find medications to be extremely effective in helping them to maintain a stable mood, this is not the case for everyone. Even when treated with psychiatric medications, many suffering from bipolar disorder often have an up hill battle just to feel a sense of stability and normalcy. Most people taking psychiatric medications experience a wide variety of unpleasant side effects. An alternative bipolar treatment should include any method that works, not necessarily excluding, nor limiting treatment to psychiatric medications.
The dilemma that must be faced, is how to manage the illness with the least amount of disruption to the free flow of creative energy.
Most mainstream treatments disregard this common concern. Alternative bipolar treatment regards the preservation of creativity and authenticity as important aspects of therapy.
Many of the most dynamic and influential figures in our history were afflicted by Bipolar Disorder (and produced great works of art, music and literature, without the restrictive effects of modern drugs).
Learn more about Famous People with Bipolar Disorder
The most common complaint for people taking medications such as Lithium, Valproic Acid, Lamotrigine, Tegretol, and other medications classified as "mood stabilizers," (many of these are actually anti-seizure medicines), is that they feel too slowed down, cloudy headed, or altered or "flat." I've heard many people say "it makes me feel like I'm not myself," or "I can't cry any more, even when I feel sad," or "since taking this medication I hardly ever laugh or smile anymore."
Treating professionals often feel helpless and unable to address these concerns. Others view this apparent "medication non-compliance" as an addiction to the manic high, and a resistance to being brought "down." While this is sometimes true, this is an insensitive and judgmental stance to take. Others who take these medications, who don't have bipolar disorder (such as those with seizure disorder), often complain about the same side effects.
Another big problem with many of the mood stabilizers is that they often cause weight gain. This is perhaps the biggest concern and most frequent complaint that I hear. Two common medications, Olanzapine (Zyprexa), an anti-manic/anti-psychotic medication can cause a great deal of weight gain, and Valproic Acid (Depakote) also can cause a lot of weight gain for some people. Many other mood stabilizers and anti-psychotic medications have similar side effects, and may cause changes in metabolism, lipid (fat) levels, and high blood sugar. I've seen quite a few people who have gained as much as 70 pounds in a matter of a few months on some of these medications.
Those who are more fortunate may have no unpleasant side effects and are able to function normally on these medications. Others, while making every effort to take their medications as their doctor has ordered, experience periodic manic or depressive episodes anyway, although in most cases, the severity of mood swings is decreased.
Do I have to take medication for the rest of my life?
This is one of the most difficult things to accept for anyone who is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Some people strongly object to the idea of staying on medication -- especially when they are not experiencing any symptoms. Discontinuing medications, without a doctor's guidance, and without an effective alternative bipolar treatment, is the main reason most people have a recurrence of manic or depressive episodes at some point in the future. This is especially risky when discontinuing medications suddenly or all at once.Studies suggest that, statistically, each time an episode occurs, it will be a shorter time before the next episode occurs, and they often increase in severity and duration. This is particularly true for those who are not receiving adequate treatment (or no treatment at all). In my experience, those people receiving good holistic, ongoing treatment and good self-care usually get better over time, while those who have no treatment usually get worse over time.
Despite the many complaints about medications, many studies have shown that they do prevent serious relapses in most cases, and certainly decrease mortality rates from suicide.
While some people will require at least a maintenance dose of medication throughout their lives, others find that with alternative bipolar treatments they can eventually be medication free. This approach requires an impeccable commitment to living a healthy and balanced lifestyle, to have a good support system, and a safety plan including easy access to medical treatment if and when the need arises. Individual therapy and a Bipolar support group are extremely helpful in maintaining stability, and I strongly recommend a therapy approach that includes Energy Psychology, such as EFT, that can provide rapid and direct relief of stress and trauma, balance energy ("Prana" or "Chi"), and directly resolve subconscious level beliefs and emotions that contribute to self-sabotage and self-defeating behaviors.
Daily practices such as Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Gung, and meditation can also be enormously beneficial.
For a first person account of someone living well and medication-free with Bipolar Disorder, using many of the alternative bipolar treatment approaches that I advocate - check out my friend Jay Busemeyer's website:
HolisticStressRelief.com
Are there Alternative Medicines or Supplements that Really Work for Bipolar Disorder?
This is one of the most frequent questions I am asked by people diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. Up until this past year, I would have always said, "supplements can help, but they will not eliminate all your symptoms, and you will most likely have to accept the need for some medications - probably for the rest of your life."
But I am happy to now tell you that I've seen some surprising and extremely encouraging results from a supplement called "EmPower Plus" from a Canadian company called TrueHope. Some of my clients have successfully transitioned from a heavily medicated approach, to this alternative bipolar treatment, and had exceptional results.
Read more about my client's experiences with TrueHope.
Ask a Question About Bipolar Disorder
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What Other Visitors Have Said
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Stuck and Confused: Is it the Medication or the Bipolar?
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I have been treated for bipolar since 13 (I am 20 now), and I have always considered my treatment to be successful (I measure this by a lack of major episodes ...
Are there any simple exercises i can do instead of actually taking medication?
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I have noticed I am quite excitable and jumpy and also very irritable at night time before I go to bed... is there anything that I can do to calm myself ...
Bipolar help in Orange County
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Hello. I found your informative sight through a general search. My friend suffers greatly from bi-polar depression. He has tremendous anxiety and physical ...
Self Diagnosing. Am I Bipolar?
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When things don't go all together my way between my girlfriend and myself, I pick a fight usually over mundane details... and hold onto it for a day or ...
Not a Question - Just Encouragement
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Ben,
I was recently awarded my bipolar badge. I was offered a choice of medication and was very aware of the risk inherent in my decision not to take ...
Looking for a coach or therapist who is supportive of alternative bipolar treatment
in Santa Rosa, California?
Available locally in my office or internationally by phone or Skype.
Learn more about Ben Schwarcz, MFT.
Santa Rosa Bipolar Support Group
A Mindfulness-Based Therapy Group
You can also find a list of various Helplines and Hotlines Here
