[Manic Trance]

Hi!

I don't know if there is a thread for this yet. I saw the diet, respect, but thought maybe I'd get this going. If there is already another one lmk!

Anyhow, I've been trying, often unsuccessfully for a long time to manage bipolar without medication. I was diagnosed Bipolar at the age of 35, and I have actually never taken meds, thought hey were prescribed, I've always been afraid of them. I am a musician, artist, and curator, and I really on my creativity, charisma, and flare (hypomania?) to survive! So I've always just been freaked out by the meds. I am BipolarII rapid cycling, so I don't have long debilitating depressions, the extreme highs can be a bit much and peak at anger and confusion, but it's brief, so somehow I make it.

ANYHOW!

Being in the arts I a out at night a lot, have a hard time with sleep, and can drink and party endlessly if I want to basically anytime, but this year I've NOT BEEN DOING THAT! Finally!

At first it was just boring and hard, then I felt a lot better, but I became really depressed, for longer than I've ever been depressed for one straight show, maybe three weeks? So finally I listened to the audio book edition of the book med free bipolar. And I've started doing a big chunk of what's in there, and man, I feel AMAZING! More than ever before, I feel like I am healing from bipolar, I honestly can't say I remember ever feeling this good.

So!

I thought maybe there were other people on here doing stuff that is working and we could chat?

My thing is a combination of diet (pretty extreme and elaborate), exercise, mediation, sleep (trying), and trying to manage my mind by managing my space and time more deliberately. No therapy or group, but I would LOVE that!

Anyhow, I was walking today, and I realized that I haven't felt good in so long, and maybe I can feel good. I'm happy about the future, and sad about how long I've been feeling so bad. But mainly I'm happy for me and for everyone around me.

Let me know if you think of anything.
S

[Moose72]

Feeling "AMAZING" and "never this good" rings of hypo mania if not mania.

[Wander]

I agree with Moose. You do sound at least hypomanic. Stay safe. Glad you are feeling better though.

[bizi]

IT sounds as though the depression has lifted.
wonderful!
Would you consider taking a supplement for sleep?
melatonin works well for some....I read that you can take up to 20mg safely.
I use to take benadryl but that stopped working after a couple of years.
Sleep is key to this.
best wishes,
bizi

[Manic Trance]

Hello
OK, thanks for these responses.
It has occurred to me that this can be hypomania, and certainly I feel hypomanic most of the time. Also, diet methods of addressing bipolar have I think triggered hypomania before, and certainly I think seriously about this possibility.
Also, last night I did have a bit of a bipolar episode.
But, what I have noticed recently by combining diet, the course of vitamins, and other wellness strategies (exercise and meditation, etc...), is that I have become less impulsive and reactive, more even, less racing thoughts, greater mental acuity, etc...
These are not properties of hypomania.
For years I have not been able to read, I am reading now.
I don't know, I'm not trying to say I'M CURED, but a consideration of these methods seems worthwhile, so the response 'you sound hypomanic' is a bit disappointing.
After all, the most likely prescription for bipolar is Lithium often, which is a salt that is already found in the body, so if you believe in taking Lithium, don't you already believe that some kind of mineral supplement is a possible way of treating bipolar?
Even if it turns out that this is not a cure all, it seems to have the possibility to curb symptoms of bipolar, which could lead to lesser reliance on medication.
No?
Anyhow, if anyone has any further thoughts I'd be curious to hear them.

And bizi, yes, I am interested in natural methods of addressing sleep like melatonin. I've found that to have an effect similar to marijuana, not so much with the high, but the next day I feel groggy, I've been looking at Kava.
Anyhow, thoughts?
S

[bizi]

what was the dose that you tried of the melatonin?
bizi

[Sad Mermaid]

I would recommend CBD (marijuana without a high) for sleep.

You mentioned "racing thoughts" in the past. Racing thoughts are a symptom of Bipolar I. If you indeed had racing thoughts and still have them, but to a lesser extent than before, then what you have is Bipolar I rather than Bipolar II. It is very important to obtain a correct dx, even if you plan to avoid medication.

Your views on medication are outdated. Lithium is prescribed less and less. I am coming off of it after many years and wish I never started but instead took drugs that are more modern. There are lots of options now, and with some trial and error you may be able to retain your charisma and free spirit while at the same time curbing the symptoms such as unpredictable sleep. Still, it would be very interesting to learn of your diet and other methods of living with the disorder without medicating it.

[still_crazy]

hi. I'm reducing the psych drugs for my own problem (diagnosed as severe Bipolar I, mostly psychotic depression), with good results.

I dunno. The newer, safer, more tolerable psych drugs can be a godsend, but it seems like everybody (and their mama) is on a cocktail for...something...

I wish you well. Bipolar II isn't regarded as necessarily as severe as Bipolar I, and its definitely not in the same league as, say, Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective, etc. There's plenty of people who were once diagnosed with 'Schizophrenia' who went off the drugs and lived to tell the tale, so I would assume that its do-able for a lot of "Bipolar" people, especially if you're at the milder end of the spectrum.

Good luck to you.