A 22-year-old female asked:
how to deal with bipolar disorder without medicines. i'm very afraid of the side effects but my doctor refused to treat me without medicines. i can't take any decision in my life.
3 doctor answers
Dr. Elizabeth Trinidad answered
27 years experience Neurosurgery
Try meds: If you dont like the effects of the meds u try u can stop and reverse effects.
Answered on Sep 15, 2013
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Dr. Pamela Pappas answered
42 years experience Psychiatry
Bipolar Disorder: The track record for non-pharmaceutical treatment of true bipolar disorder (except tms) is not good. Certainly psychotherapy has a place in this treatment, but not by itself. Mood stabilizing medications are needed to avoid mania & depression. Using these can allow you to feel more stable and able to make solid decisions in your life. Alternative treatments may help, but also not by themselves.
Answered on Jan 18, 2017
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2 comments
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Dr. Heidi Fowler commented
25 years experience Psychiatry
I agree with Dr. Pappas and Dr. Front. Putting one toe in a tub full of water does NOT equate to taking a bath. Failure to recognize the seriousness of bipolar spectrum disorder is a dangerous form of denial. I believe in treating psychiatric conditions without medications whenever possible. However, if you fail to treat appropriately it may well lead to greater harm. I encourage you to rethink this one.
Sep 6, 2013
Dr. Adam Front commented
27 years experience Clinical Psychology
Also having a very regular routine re: bedtime, waking, other daily activities that create a daily rhythm are helpful, but I agree with Dr. Pappas that without mood stabilizing medications the prognosis is not good.
Sep 6, 2013
Dr. Caroline Cribari answered
23 years experience Psychiatry
TMS: The longterm data has repeatedly demonstrated that bipolar brain illness is a progressive illness that results in loss of brain mass across the lifespan without treatment.(due to nerve cell death triggered by the brain illness episodes)lithium has been shown to help prevent dementia and nerve cell death for bipolars. Tms treats bipolar acute episodes and limits med doses needed for maintenance.
Answered on May 8, 2016
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1 thank
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