Confused and Frustrated

Hello, Introverted,

Why would your doctor insist that you are not bipolar unless you are, in fact, not bipolar? I've never known a psychiatrist to lie to me about anything. The truth is the only way to go for them, I think, in almost every case. If a lie occurs once in a rare while, it's that the doctor doesn't know something rather than that he is making a deliberate effort to conceal something from you. However, you can always change physicians if you feel things are not comfortable for you.

Be glad that you don't have bipolar illness. And if it is, as he says,
depression and anxiety, those things are certainly illnesses that can
be alleviated. So can bipolar, but the milder symptoms of bipolar II as opposed to the more severe symptoms of  bipolar I are more readily treated with a mood stabilizer, not an antidepressant.
Your doctor doesn't have you on meds for bipolar illness, as well.

Take heart, Introverted, you'll be fine once your medications are
adjusted properly. Being introverted naturally makes you more interested in things concerning what's going on in your psyche rather than things happening outside. The events outside the psyche are the realm of the extrovert.

Watch your diet. Are you drinking soft drinks or coffee containing caffeine or eating candy containing caffeine? If so, stop them, please. Caffeine makes depression worse; so does alcohol. I was told never to use either of them in my diet. (Look up ruthwhalencaffeine.com to get a serious perspective on the dangers of caffeine, especially the long-term use of it.)

Take care.

It's Genetic

Post Edited (It's Genetic) : 7/9/2011 11:51:30 AM (GMT-6)

Thanks for the response and I would be happy if I am not bipolar but what I was saying is that he has said I was not previously but yesterday on the phone he said I WAS twice. I'll just have to wait til Monday
to find out what he thinks now.

I have not been depressed for about 2 weeks. I do have a Pepsi addiction that I need to get away from. I went to the caffeine free Pepsi for awhile but switched back.

Tim

It's Genetic, I think you and I are single-handedly trying to educate the world! Not a bad thing. I find that most people when the subject turns to nutrition as a healing tool, just get a blank look on their face and usually make the comment that they cannot change their eating habits. I guess I felt so bad that I was willing to try anything to feel better. I remember one lady I work with that has migraines, depression, anxiety, obese, etc. told me that she simply could not afford to eat healthy. My thinking is if you are a savvy shopper it is really cheaper than junk food and I save a ton of money on Dr. co-payments and prescription drugs that equal a months mortgage/rent payment. I just do not understand that mindset.

Gem

Only time will teach it to some folks, Gem. It is one-on-one teaching that has to be done to convince people that caffeine is not what it's
"cracked up" to be for many people. Ruth Whalen, the expert who
has done her research, said to me to keep teaching, one person at a time. You've got the idea.

So keep teaching, Gem. If people only knew that it's almost possible to
cure bipolar illness by changing the diet, they might be more willing to move in that direction. Frankly, between you and me, the long-term effects of psychotropic drugs scare me into being much more careful about things I eat and drink.

Take care.

It's Genetic

Hi, Tortoise,

It's the degree of the symptoms that are affected in a positive way by
diet changes. Perhaps I might have said it that way. Mild forms of
Bipolar type II folks are often in better condition with diet control than many people not having an illness of that type. The more severe forms of bipolar in type I have not only a more difficult search for diet controls to help alleviate symptoms, but also carry, generally, a heavier and different medication schedule, as you know.

Tortoise, some researchers who have done their homework on bipolar illness are telling us now that the illness is really a poisoning of the

brain by something that crosses the blood brain barrier--they are

indicating that caffeine is the culprit--after years of ingestion caffeine

has the capacity to even cause dementia.  They also suggest that

it was known as early as the late 1800s that there was really no such thing as bipolar illness; doctors knew that it was caused by a form

of poisoning that was occurring.  Check ruthwhalencaffeine.com

She's brilliant in her understanding of the issue.

 It's a real journey to go on to get the diet and medications in right order and perspective.  I do believe that mental clarity and behavior

are very much affected by diet and rest.  If I had to list the

things that seem to be triggers for the illness becoming more annoying, I would count caffeine, sugar, white flour products, excessive meat consumption as opposed to fresh foods and vegetables as definitely deleterious for stability.

Good to talk to you again; hope you've got everything under control.

Take care.

It's Genetic

Post Edited (It's Genetic) : 7/9/2011 9:17:45 PM (GMT-6)

I'm inspired to work on my diet again. I'm all out of sorts, but not in an episode... yet. Thanks for all the reminders. :)