Bipolar Disorder (BD) has become a household name disorder over the last 20 years. It emerged from a rare condition: Manic-Depressive Illness, known since the Bible years. The prevailing wisdom: somebody diagnosed as “Bipolar” should be on medication for life.

To be diagnosed as Bipolar has become ridiculously easy. If you have been upset or angry, have insomnia due to stress, using too much booze and drugs, or experiencing menstrual issues, you can fit the diagnostic criteria.

Conventional wisdom declares: Bipolar patients must be on medications for life. However, there is not a single long term double-blind control study confirming this notion. One medication is rarely effective. Most Bipolar patients wind up taking several medications with many side effects.

Patients frustrated with ineffectiveness and side effects often attempt to stop medications abruptly. They experience withdrawal symptoms, feeling horribly with symptoms such as insomnia, anxiety and psychosis or may attempt suicide; therefore confirming the notion to never, ever try to get off prescription medication!

But are “Bipolar” truly condemned suffer from side effects for life? No. Holistic treatment can restore their traumatized life to wellbeing!

First, what is the cause of mood instability: is it food sensitivities? Premenstrual symptoms or stress? Confusing sleep cycle? Pot and drugs? Toxicity and chemical sensitivity? Lyme spectrum infections or parasites? Or emotional traumas? Maybe medications themselves which are supposed to help? Most of the reasons for mood swings are curable.

Ted was a 22-year-old college dropout. Smoking pot and staying up all night he developed psychosis and mania. Multiple medications, hospitalizations and electroconvulsive therapy failed; he felt like a zombie, desperate and depressed. Holistic treatment addressed multiple issues: stopping pot, removing amalgam fillings and undergoing chelation, tapering off medication; using supplements, acupuncture and energy-psychology resolved emotional traumas. He fully recovered, graduated from college, became a yoga expert, advanced at his job and got married. He has no need to see any psychiatrists for years.

Holistic approach to “Bipolar” patients is a complex method requiring skillful team approach.

Each patient has prescribed individualized protocol of high quality herbs, vitamins, minerals or homeopathy; treatment may include: acupuncture, detoxification and dietary and behavioral changes, German Biological Medicine, neural therapy, naturopathy and energypsychology. Getting off medications takes time. Combining Western and Easter healing methods facilitate resolution of emotional-spiritual traumas and restoration of resilience.

Bonny was 37, a well-known school teacher, suffering from mild manic symptoms. She desperately wanted to conceive. However, powerful conception drugs and inconsistency with psychiatric drugs made her highly vulnerable, depressed and suicidal. Holistic treatment included titrating medications, using herbs, supplements and acupuncture, resolving psychological traumas, some of them going back to her grandparents who committed suicide. She has been well for years, seen occasionally for general health related issues.

Is the Holistic Psychiatric approach effective? We think so. But there are no studies to prove our opinion. Therefore, we are conducting an IRB approved research study. We are encouraging those who are interested to enroll in it.

Patients diagnosed as “Bipolar” deserve to be well. Lifelong medications are not a necessity for most of them. There is a Holistic approach to Psychiatry!

Michael I. Gurevich, M.D
www.HolisticMD.org