Once you start messing with mood stabalizers and bipolar medication, is there any turning back?

Question

I have depression and take meds for that...but my counselor has insisted for the past year that i need some sort of mood stabalizer or bipolar medication. But...i'm rather aprehensive because i've heard bad stories about the things those type of medications can do to you and make you feel. I hate to take medicine unless i absolutely have to...and my problems aren't THAT extreme- although i really do hate the stress and anxiety my mood swings place on my life. What should i do? Is there not a natural way to manage this? Will i maybe grow out of it in time?

Answer 1

Personally, I agree with you. There is a big move in the world of psychiatry to put all depressed patients on bi-polar meds -- give it try. Their reasoning is that bi-polar is under diagnosed and the only way to see if bi-polar meds will help is to give them a try.

HOWEVER, if you are not bi-polar and they put you on these meds it can make you worse -- the reaction then actually gives you symptoms that make you behave as if you *are* bi-polar and then they just want to increase the bi-polar meds!!!! It is ludicrous. They are using you as a guinea pig!!!

If you are on bi-polar meds and don't need to be, it can make you more anxious and more aggressive, and more sensitive.

There are a *lot* of bad psychiatrists out there and even many of the good ones subscribe to the theory that I stated above -- give more meds a try to see what happens. Well, in my case, fooling around with meds cost me my job and sent me into a major depression. I had been on 10mg of Lexapro for 18 months and was quite happy! But the doc thought she could "make me happier" by adding other meds. Those meds made me agitated. It took almost a year to convince the doc to get me back on what had worked previously. (10 mg of lexapro.) I've been back on that for 2.5 months and feel better than ever!

Yes, we do need help from the pros, but I also believe that we know our bodies and symptoms better than anyone.

I encourage you to exhaust the possible meds for depression before taking the bi-polar meds. They mess with your head.

PS: If you have not tried lexapro, try that next. It is the most selective of the SSRIs, seems to work for more people and has the fewest side effects.

Answer 2

You hate the stress and anxiety mood swings cause you, so try the medication. If it has bad side effects, stop taking it. Do not take it for a long time if you do not like what it does, and make sure you take the lowest dose possible. Your doctor will be checking in with you to make sure so it will be ok. Lots of people have to try more than one medication before they get it right. Also, everyone responds DIFFERENTLY to medication. Just because someone has side effect A from a drug doesn't mean you will. I definitely know this from experience!

If you want to give it a few years to try your own stress relief techniques through taking classes, breathing exercises, etc, there is nothing wrong with that. I didn't start taking something until I absolutely could not stand it anymore.

Answer 3

If you truly are bipolar, you need a mood stabilizer. Taking antidepressants without a mood stabilizer on board, just makes anxiety, mood swings, and stress worse.

That being said, you are always in control of your body and remember that. If you opt to not take a med, change a med, or try some other avenue for help, you have the right to do so.

If you decided to try a mood stabilizer - research them. Some of them have much less side effects and are gentler on your physical system.

Lamictal is a good mood stabilizer. The least side effects, if any, and helps very well with anxiety and depression especially.

I will tell you that I was on antidepressants only for many years, with unpleasant symptoms a constant. It wasn't until I added a mood stabilizer, did I get permanent relief.

I remember to this day, saying ahhh, this is peace at last.

Good luck with whatever your choice you make.

Answer 4

You can always quit taking them, but there will be a period of withdrawal.
As far as doing it naturally,
Here are some good ideas:
1. Do something that gets your heart rate up a bit like, walking, running, biking, and swimming.
2. Eat Whole, Organic foods like: Broccoli, Cabbage, Organic Brown Rice, Beans, Spinach, Sweet Potato, Apples, and other fruits and vegetables in their Natural State.
3. Avoid eating corn, white bread, white rice, candy, sodas, chips, and anything else that you already know you shouldn’t be eating.
4. Drink clean water as your beverage of choice. Avoid Fruit drinks and fruit juices (unless YOU juice them yourself)
5. Stop smoking, drinking beer & wine, and drinking coffee.
6. Get 8 hours of sleep each night.
7. Hang out with people who want to be healthy.
8. Avoid anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup.

Tone up the muscles:

1. Join a gym and get a trainer.
2. If you’re short on cash, start a light stretching & yoga regimen.
3. Do push-ups, and light dumbbell curls for the upper body.
4. As I said above, walk, run, swim, and or bike
5. Take an aerobics class, a yoga class, or some other fitness class.
6. Join the local YMCA..
7. Buy or borrow this book by Bill Pearl called GETTING STRONGER.
In the book, he describes everything you need for a great fitness plan.

Mental Health:

1. Get a friend to talk to each day about your feelings.
2. If you have some money or insurance, get a counselor to talk to.
3. Learn how to meditate.
4. Join a support group for the issue you’re dealing with.
5. Ask your Higher Self (or God) for guidance.
6. Start keeping a diary or journal about your feelings & thoughts.
7. Write a ‘gratitude’ list every night.
8. Do something that makes you happy each day like: listen to your favorite music, draw, paint, write, or anything creative.
9. Do something for someone else who needs help.

Answer 5

Bipolar is a chemical in balance in your brain. You would most likely have to stay on medicine for the rest of your life. It's just like if you had Diabetes, you would still have to take medication to control your symptom's. Bipolar is treatable with the right medication. Its all trial and error till your Dr. finds out what medication will work for you. Its worth the effort in the long run........

Answer 6

Natural Medicine Guide to Bipolar Disorder (The Healthy Mind Guides) (Paperback)
by Stephanie Marohn

you can get this on amazon..

Answer 7

Give it a try,,,I am on 300mg lithium,,40mg paxil and 100mg seroquel..and wouldnt' miss a single dose...finally be diagnosed with Bipolar,,,and the right cocktail,,,my life has changed....sometimes depression is situational,,,but,,,sometimes it's chemical...and that is not a weakness or your fault,, i'm thankfull everyday for my meds,,so is my husband..lol... all the best to you
Blessed Be