[fern46]

Does anyone have any experience with Holy Basil? It is said that it combats stress and anxiety. My therapist swears by it. I've seen mixed reviews on how much to take and for how long. Any advice?

I was thinking of starting on it in a couple of weeks when I go off Geodon if I experience any anxiety.

I've never had it, but if it is safe to eat, I guess it wouldn't hurt. Does it taste like regular Italian basil? Too bad regular Italian basil isn't what you want. I have so much of it in my herb garden right now.

Are you going to still be on any bipolar medications after going off Geodon? Please be careful that you don't blame Geodon withdrawal for possible bipolar mood symptoms. I know it could be hard to know which is which.

[fern46]

No, it tastes sort of peppery. Some people call it hot basil. I have a ton of extra basil on hand too. If only pesto sauce cured stress.

No, I won't be on any other medications. I do not suffer from mood swings. I had the one episode of psychosis and mania and my doctor thinks maybe a perfect storm of hormonal shifts and ptsd caused it. She really doesn't know though.

Prior to any of this happening I was stable with no history of depression, mania, psychosis or anxiety. I've been back at that stable state for about 9 months now on a very low AP dose. My doctor is hoping (me too) that I don't need it and that I suffered brief reactive psychosis. Most people with that are usually fine off meds and have low instances of recurrence.

It is a slippery slope coming off the meds. They work by altering the brain's dopamine receptors and then the body compensates by making more. When you then remove the med your brain is ultra sensitive to dopamine which can cause mental issues to flare up. It then becomes difficult to know of you're struggling because you are in relapse or if you are experiencing a withdrawal symptom that will resolve when homeostasis returns.

I think for me the deciding factor for me will be the severity of any symptoms I may encounter. If I experience anything that even remotely impairs my ability to care for my children I will be working with my doctor immediately. I have asked all of my friends and family to keep an extra watchful eye on me in case I lack insight. I also plan to see my therapist more often during this trial period. It is a little scary, but I owe it to myself to see if I can thrive without meds. If I need them to live safely, I'm ok with that outcome. I'm trying to do all I can naturally to promote mental health and I'm staying positive that it will be enough. It is enough for my mother who also suffered a brief bout of psychosis just before menopause. Hopefully I take after her in this regard.

[Pookyl]

Is it what we Aussies would call Thai Basil? It’s used in Asian cooking. Very different to Italian basil.

[fern46]

It grows in Australia, but I think it is different than Thai basil. I had never heard of it until my therapist mentioned it. We share a love of treating ailments with essential oils and she thought I might like it. She uses it to control anxiety and inflammation.

Here's some information on it. You can eat it, but I think it is most often consumed in pill form or in a tea when it is used for medicinal purposes.

Holy Basil: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning

[Pookyl]

I do know it after all. Our Asian grocery stores have it. Although I’ve not used it. My pdoc is a big believer in Curcurmin (Turmeric) for inflammation instead.

fern, it sounds like you have a great plan. I hope you never have another serious mood episode. Seeing a therapist for a while is surely a safe move. I wish I had been a one-time episode case. I have had issues with bipolar disorder since I was 14/15 years old.

[fern46]

Originally Posted by BirdDancer

fern, it sounds like you have a great plan. I hope you never have another serious mood episode. Seeing a therapist for a while is surely a safe move. I wish I had been a one-time episode case. I have had issues with bipolar disorder since I was 14/15 years old.

It is not lost on me what a tremendous blessing that would be. If it turns out to be the case I will never take it for granted. I have experienced only a tiny fraction of what you have survived and I admire you for how strong you are and how committed you are to working to stay healthy. You have wonderful insight into your world and I'm continually learning from you.

[still_crazy]

i like suntheanine, personally...but some people swear by herbs. :-)

[fern46]

Originally Posted by BirdDancer

fern, it sounds like you have a great plan. I hope you never have another serious mood episode. Seeing a therapist for a while is surely a safe move. I wish I had been a one-time episode case. I have had issues with bipolar disorder since I was 14/15 years old.

Oh and I plan to stick with my therapist for a while. She's worked with me since January and I feel like she has a solid grasp on who I am. It is my hope she will be able to sense of something is off. I plan to be as transparent and honest about how I am feeling and I can contact her in between appointments. She understands how important my kids are and how their safety and happiness is the biggest concern. I trust her to help guide me in the right direction if something goes sideways.

[fern46]

Originally Posted by still_crazy

i like suntheanine, personally...but some people swear by herbs. :-)

I had never heard of it. I just looked it up. It makes sense that tea extracts could have a calming effect. Thanks for the tip!

[~Christina]

Originally Posted by fern46

It grows in Australia, but I think it is different than Thai basil. I had never heard of it until my therapist mentioned it. We share a love of treating ailments with essential oils and she thought I might like it. She uses it to control anxiety and inflammation.


Here's some information on it. You can eat it, but I think it is most often consumed in pill form or in a tea when it is used for medicinal purposes.


Holy Basil: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning

Thank you for the link.

It sounds like it could benefit virtually everyone!!!

I think you are making a well thought out plan that your Pdoc and T are on board with , you have many people to keep an eye open also.

I truly hope you have had just a one time deal but your still going to keep posting here? I hope

Originally Posted by ~Christina

Thank you for the link.

It sounds like it could benefit virtually everyone!!!

I think you are making a well thought out plan that your Pdoc and T are on board with , you have many people to keep an eye open also.

I truly hope you have had just a one time deal but your still going to keep posting here? I hope

fern, I strongly second Christina's hope. I hope you will stick around or at the very least visit occasionally. There is a lot from your journey for people to learn and benefit from. I've said this before, but we all have our own flavor of the disorder, and yet we all understand a great deal about many aspects. Experiences vary. It's an interesting thing about psychological disorders.

I hope that the idea for a Medication Treatments sub-forum (or sticky) comes to fruition. I imagine it would be valued. If that idea is still being considered, I'd be more than happy to help make it happen in any way I can.

[Wild Coyote]

Hi fern, I've had a couple of very busy days. I am just catching up. This thread makes me happy! I am so very hopeful that BP illness is behind you!

I, too, think you have a great plan. Of course, you would! You are very thorough, very thoughtful, very competent in every way!

I am excited, too,about your continued training in your field of interest.

Oh, back to Holy Basil! I have heard of it, mostly regarding use In HIV/AIDS. I have never studied up on the various uses. Thank you for the link.

I don't want to go OT; yet, would like to mention yet another potential herbal formulation: Bach's Rescue Remedy. I know of several women who carry this in their purse for use when feeling anxious. I have also used this with dogs when they have a lot of anxiety caused by exposure to training centers and/or to other dogs during training. it even worked on my German Shepherds, who are notoriously very high strung. There is a formulation with an alcohol base and a formula made with a glycerin base.

I second Still_crazy's theanine suggestion, as well.
What would we do without still_crazy?

I hope and pray you can put this all behind you, fern.
In a relatively short time, you have become very dear to me. Like BirdDancer, I do hope we will continue to hear from you! You are an amazing person, with such bright energy and you are such a blessing to all of us!

[fern46]

Ladies, I have so much gratitude for your kind words and support. I am so happy to have found you all. I only have one person IRL that can even remotely understand what it is like to lose control of your mind the way I did. I found understanding and support here and zero judgment for the most insane actions I did when I had my episode. Everyone here is so open and honest and it is truly refreshing. I now have a solid group of individuals that understand me and it means so much. I definitely bring my own special blend of psychosis experiences to the table and I am grateful any time I am able to assist someone by sharing. It has helped to heal my heart that was most definitely broken for a while.

I do intend to stick around. There's no guarantee that my episodes won't return. I may turn out to be bipolar or have some other form of mental illness. Only time will tell. I need to be vigilant every day with my lifestyle choices and I know I will receive amazing support for that here. I would only leave if somehow my presence was causing harm or if something changed in my life that no longer allowed me to continue posting.

BirdDancer, I do intend to follow up on the medication sub forum. I hope to get to it today, but I'm not exactly sure when I'll squeeze it in. I'm prepping my family for vacation and my schedule is a bit crazy for the next couple of days.

Thanks again to each of you for support. I have such great empathy for those with BP and I have learned so much here about what it is like to live with it. I have also learned a ton of valuable tricks to manage issues on a day to day basis. I appreciate everyone who has shared a piece of their journey with me. I look forward to continuing to contribute to a community that I consider to be one of the most fun and worthwhile teams I've had the pleasure to work with.

Group hug!!!

[Jedi67]

Originally Posted by fern46

It grows in Australia, but I think it is different than Thai basil. I had never heard of it until my therapist mentioned it. We share a love of treating ailments with essential oils and she thought I might like it. She uses it to control anxiety and inflammation.

Here's some information on it. You can eat it, but I think it is most often consumed in pill form or in a tea when it is used for medicinal purposes.

Holy Basil: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning

I've never heard of holy basil. I'll check out the link, fern. thanks!