[Labradorite23]

Greetings All, I am new and still trying to get enough posts (5) to be able to post/chat/fully participate.

I am on and off meds (low dosages "work" most of the time), and really hope that I can find a way to naturally deal with my Bipolar II and BPD.

I find that the alternative medicine community (I have studied herbalism) and its approach to mental illness or mental difference can be limited. Perhaps it is a fear of responsibility? I feel blamed in these contexts, like if you meditated, did yoga, had more love and light inside you, then you wouldn't be sick or get sick. This feels the same as my christian upbringing: the problem is me, I am not close enough to god et. al. to in turn, be well.

But I am not a crappy human, I just have a hard time, sometimes.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
L23

[Webgoji]

Hmmm ...

Well, meditation and yoga can help lower stress levels ... but having more love and light ... that's not as easy as it sounds. Love is a state of mind that can be developed, but not through simple relaxation meditation. It takes strong meditative practice to actually learn to develop love without attachment.

Anyway, your problem isn't "you", that's just a blame game and, as you said, avoiding responsibility. Since you've been diagnosed as BPII and BPD, you have a chemical imbalance impeding you. You have a chemical imbalance ... it's not you.

In answer to your title, herbal remedies can be helpful, but the problem is that they are not monitored as closely as medications. The concentration of active ingredients can vary wildly from batch to batch and brand to brand. Ergo, since they are sold as supplements, the quality control really lacks quality.

Personally, I would consider some good supplements and take your meds as your doctor suggests. You can also learn other methods of controlling your disorder (such as meditation or something) to help. You may eventually not needs meds given time, but it's possible that, like me, you may be on them your whole life.

And that's okay. It doesn't make you a bad person, you're a good person wanting to make themselves better.

[Labradorite23]

The last line of your response, is what I have to remember. And you are right/I will take my meds and I will try and use supplements/tinctures to take off the edge.

I am feeling better (on med) and there is this forgetting (?) that occurs of how bad things were just a little while ago. I also will be w/o insurance soon, so I worry about cost.

It's just hard to think that the medicine is forever even though I have been put on them off and on for over 20 years. Over half my life!

I think my reluctance to medicate consistently also comes from years of self-medication and residual shame that comes from drug use pared with this belief that I can "beat" it.

Hmmm... I guess there comes a time where you just have to own your illness I just feel like I am hiding it all the time which makes it worse.

Stigma is a powerful thing. Identity is also.

[Webgoji]

Originally Posted by Labradorite23

I think my reluctance to medicate consistently also comes from years of self-medication and residual shame that comes from drug use pared with this belief that I can "beat" it.

Hmmm... I guess there comes a time where you just have to own your illness I just feel like I am hiding it all the time which makes it worse.

Stigma is a powerful thing. Identity is also.

It's amazing how in our society, people stigmatize those with mental illness, but go running to help someone with cancer or diabetes. We dismiss people with mental illness so they hide it away, we blame the guns or the drugs, we do everything we can to avoid the real problem.

You have a good heart and you have to fight an enemy that's more devious than any virus or bacteria; your own brain. You are strong, grab your weapons and fight the good fight against that disease that wants to undermine you. We're all pulling for you.

[spondiferous]

I definitely believe it's all you can take, and still get better. I can also relate to the 'there's something wrong with me that I'm like this' mentality, through spiritual projection, stigma from the medical health profession, and just plain old being hard on myself.
I know a lot of people with various mental health diagnoses who seek alternative medicine: acupuncture, acupressure, traditional Chinese medicine, herbalism, yoga, meditation (not that these last two are 'alternative' per se, I'm just listing them in context), naturopathy, chiropractic medicine, reflexology, energy work like Reiki or Healing Touch, chakra realignment, heck, even Shamanic healing. A lot of people refuse to comply with the medical standards of today, and want to feel better about what they are putting in their bodies and how they are being treated as a whole, by themselves, and by their practitioners.
There's a lot of responsibility involved in this, as in anything else, obviously...and it's not for everyone. Belief has a big part in it, as does money. Most (if not all) of these things are not covered by basic medical. And one session of any of them can be expensive, not to mention whatever treatment they prescribe. But there are ways. For instance, in my city there are alternative health colleges where you can get treatments from practicum students for $20 or so. There are members of the wider community who do things like plant spirit medicine and other forms of healing and are usually open to trading knowledge or treatments for goods or services rather than money. And some places, for example acupuncture clinics, will allow you to exchange work for treatments (ie. clean the office for free treatments).
If you plan to stay or go on medication and supplement your care with any of the above, it should be fine with the exception of herbs or anything else you plan to ingest. Make sure you talk to your regular physician and a specialist about any possible interactions between natural remedies and medications.
I hope it works out for you. I myself would like to be off meds and on a natural path. I am tired of meds not working but only staying on them because I'm scared and because I know how much work it'll be to not be on them anymore.

[avlady]

I went the herbl way at one point in my life and boy was it expensive!!I had to stop as i couldn't afford the suppliments, so i went back to meds. i think these meds are made of the same suppliments, but they just have additives which people don' want. It doesn't bother me anymore as i know they work, and have been on them over 20 years.

[Labradorite23]

Belief, money and time to do the work.

The last is what has messed me up and caused a regression into illness that also mutated into something else/or just got some extra layers added on/some life lessons tempering the sensitivities/the changing of illness over time. I was working a straight, 9-5 job and though I had insurance it was killing me.

I did it for five years and had more episodes and meds in me than I ever had as an adult. My 20's were a raw nerve nightmare at times, but my 30's... well, they are a lesson in what I am really dealing with in this life (even if I have had an identity crisis the entire time).

It is a luxury to take good care of yourself. Holistic (and I use this word as in the whole person body, mind, spirit) care of one's life, is expensive. I honestly think we do just need to get back to the garden... I hope I can access community and find a way to create a sane life in an insane world. The meds are with me, and I just want to believe that they can help me get some perspective and that I can make a life that facilitates my stability while being true to myself/truly finding my full self.

I just read what I typed above, and I automatically think it's overly optimistic and sticking of naive and usually disappointing, idealism.

[possum220]

Herbal medicines can be helpful and sometimes they they may not be enough. Make sure you are guided by some-one who has your best interests at heart. I was on a combo of pysch meds and St Johns Wort. When the full level of the st Johns was in my system I was flying way too high.

All meds herbal and non herbal need to be taken seriously.

The meds that you take are your business and nobody elses.

Take Care

[PenultimatePeril]

I often take herbal otc sleeping pills and they do sometimes help, though I find myself needing to change brands and pharmacy's frequently as they are only meant to be for short term use..