[MusicLover82]

I have Bipolar 2 and OCD and I faithfully take my meds and see my doctor. This is not about me.

My husband has been exhibiting symptoms of *possible* (not yet diagnosed) cyclothymia for over a year now. We have gone through a year of hell, so it's understandable that his mind would "freak out" a little.

Now, things are more stable, but he is not. He is having on and off episodes of anger and depression. Anger at God, anger at the world, anger at life. He can't see his blessings (and we have many). Unfortunately, he does not have many friends or family to speak of. I don't think he has BPD, however. He is very good at maintaining a loving relationship with me. The only strain on our marriage is his emotions.

Keep in mind his emotions are really frustrating, but NOT critical. No suicidal thoughts. No risk of harming himself or others. Although sometimes his thoughts are irrational and I fear he may act impulsively and say or do something to compromise his position at work.

Has anyone out there done a natural/ no meds approach to maintain mental wellness? What do you do to stay healthy? Should I try to help him do a natural approach or should I continue to encourage him to see a professional? (I have tried, but he insists he wants to work on his mindset himself first.)

TIA for any advice.

My husband suffers from unipolar depression - nothing too severe to keep him from functioning, but it's bad enough to keep him from enjoying life and feeling good about himself. He was like this for more than a year and his constant pessimism and negative attitude was really starting to wear on me. I would suggest meds from time to time but he kept holding onto the idea that he wasn't bad enough to really need them. Meanwhile, he was doing all the 'right' things - eating well, exercising, therapy, socializing, but just couldn't shake it. He finally decided to try an SSRI and the difference it's made is truly amazing, I feel like I have my husband back.

I'm not a big pro-meds person at all, but when the problem is not situational/environmental and you've made all the obvious lifestyle changes with no major effect...I say "better living through chemistry." That said, he may need to come to that conclusion on his own. If I would have pressured my husband into meds, I think the outcome would have been a lot different.

[NoIdeaWhatToDo]

If he is looking to try something non-pharmaceutical, I use both Vit. D3 and EmpowerPlus (a multi-vitamin developed for individuals with bipolar, but many have seen improvements with other mental issues as well). It works enough for me to keep of pharmaceuticals right now, but I won't lie - there are times when it's really hard despite that regimen. My brain still is the way it is, the supplements just seem to make a difference in how long my episodes last and how severe they are. Rather, they seem to limit the length of time I'm at the most severe ends of my spectrum.

I would say I'm at my best when I'm eating, exercising, and sleeping well and regularly, in tandem with my supplements. I do notice a relatively quick downward spiral (or sometimes upward, in the sense of anger/agitation/hyper-sensitivity) if I neglect my supplements for more than a couple of days.

All that said, I'm not sure I'll be able to do this forever; I certainly haven't shut the door on pharmaceuticals. I especially wish I had them when I'm at my extremes. Then my husband is helpful in reminding me that I won't be there forever, taking me through some of the techniques for allowing myself space to get through it all that my T proposed when I was first dx. Honestly, PC is probably one of my biggest assets in terms of getting through the triggers that have traditionally sent me off the rails - just having a place to say 'out loud' the things that I can't say out loud in real life is an incredible benefit to my mental well being. Does he have an account or somewhere that he can express all his anger safely?

Please remember that "all natural" products doesn't necessarily mean safe. Think supplement drinks. My dad died that way.

Originally Posted by MusicLover82

I have Bipolar 2 and OCD and I faithfully take my meds and see my doctor. This is not about me.

My husband has been exhibiting symptoms of *possible* (not yet diagnosed) cyclothymia for over a year now. We have gone through a year of hell, so it's understandable that his mind would "freak out" a little.

Now, things are more stable, but he is not. He is having on and off episodes of anger and depression. Anger at God, anger at the world, anger at life. He can't see his blessings (and we have many). Unfortunately, he does not have many friends or family to speak of. I don't think he has BPD, however. He is very good at maintaining a loving relationship with me. The only strain on our marriage is his emotions.

Keep in mind his emotions are really frustrating, but NOT critical. No suicidal thoughts. No risk of harming himself or others. Although sometimes his thoughts are irrational and I fear he may act impulsively and say or do something to compromise his position at work.

Has anyone out there done a natural/ no meds approach to maintain mental wellness? What do you do to stay healthy? Should I try to help him do a natural approach or should I continue to encourage him to see a professional? (I have tried, but he insists he wants to work on his mindset himself first.)

TIA for any advice.

I absolutely do not recommend an "all natural" approach. Be very careful.

[Wild Coyote]

I am glad you are reaching out.

My husband has a BP-2 diagnosis. I have CPTSD, BP-2 and more.
He stabilizes easily; yet also destabilizes if he misses his meds.
My story is a bit different -- trying to treat me is like trying to hit a moving target.

He is ultra supportive and loving. However, he does get depressed/sad/frustrated with the chronic pain I endure. My suffering affects him deeply. I encourage him to take breaks and do things with his buddies, things which I may not be up to, etc. I buy him tickets to his favorite concerts, etc, and if I cannot go, he takes a friend or his brother. When he's with me too much, when I am in severe chronic pain, he starts getting angry about any concept of a God, he gets angry, at the world -- he feels my pain is "unfair." it's best for both of us if he has more "fun" time when I am laid up.
He needs more of certain things to maintain his balance. We see to it he gets what he needs, sometimes separate from what I need.

If looking for natural approaches, I'd strongly encourage you to look at the work (web sites, books) of Daniel Gregory Amen, M.D., psychiatrist. He has devoted himself to a lifetime of research. you may have heard of the Amen Clinics?

www.danielamenmd.com www.amenclinics.com

You might also check into Dr. Joseph Mercola, M.D.
He has a huge site with a library of articles and references. www.mercola.com

I have a couple more recommendations. Trying to think of their names. I will add them to this thread when I remember their names.


WC

You might also check out:

Kelly Brogan, M.D. - a psychiatrist specializing in evidence-based Integrative Medicine. www.kellybroganmd.com

David Perlmutter, M.D. - specializes in brain functioning. www.drperlmutter.com

A site: www.greenmedinfo.com -- for articles and references to Pub Med studies(as well as links to other journals) regarding evidence-based studies on natural approaches. Anyone may access a lot of info. on the site without a membership.

[MusicLover82]

Originally Posted by rainyday107

I absolutely do not recommend an "all natural" approach. Be very careful.

I agree with bipolar, but with cyclothymia (which I am almost certain he has), I'll bet there are a lot of people not medicated. I would prefer my husband to see a psychiatrist, but I can't force him. I'm trying to look at options to help him be well, in spite of him being so stubborn about getting help.

[caretothepeople]

Taking a natural approach to treatment is something that needs to be carefully considered and talked through with a doctor in order to do it safely.

Along the lines of supporting him in seeking help, I hear you on how difficult and frustrating that can be when you see someone you love struggling but who won't go get help. It's made me feel powerless at times, but for me it's been helpful to keep in mind that everyone has their own process they go through and my loved one's attitudes or willingness to seek help may be different from mine and are NOT a reflection of my worth or capability as a "good" partner. The most I can do is support them to my 100% best ability.

PsychCentral does have some articles on trying to persuade a loved one to seek an evaluation or counseling. Maybe some of the tips will help. I can't post a link here, but if you search the site they should come up.

[Wild Coyote]

Many of the doctors -- pdocs -- I know do treat with vitamins, supplements and diet/lifestyle. They might also suggest meds if these other changes are not enough.

Musiclover's husband's preferences are accommodated by more and more pdocs.

I agree with rainyday, "natural" does not mean safe. Caution is in order. Use reliable sources for info.

This is why it's best to read up on information written by experts and, if possible, to see a pdoc specializing in "functional medicine" if hoping to take a non-pharma route or hoping to mix treatment styles to decrease the medications.

Integrative medicine/ Functional medicine ("evidence-based") is a rapidly growing field, incluDing Integrative Psychiatry.

I feel it's important to support you, Musiclover and your husband, in any approach he'll take. If taking a natural approach fails, he will then know this and will take it from there. He may be willing to compromise at some point, esp. if his viewpoint is taken into consideration. He has choices, too!

just my own very humble opinion.


WC

Originally Posted by MusicLover82

I agree with bipolar, but with cyclothymia (which I am almost certain he has), I'll bet there are a lot of people not medicated. I would prefer my husband to see a psychiatrist, but I can't force him. I'm trying to look at options to help him be well, in spite of him being so stubborn about getting help.

I hear what you are saying. Does kindling apply to cyclothymia?

And if you find a product that makes a man not stubborn, I need to order a bottle for my boyfriend lol