From Psychiatric Medication News:
Treatment of mood disturbance in bipolar disorder is undergoing a paradigm shift. Traditionally, drug therapy has been focussed on efficacy in acute mania or depression. Now psychiatrists are realising the need to evaluate drug treatments from other perspectives, Their full effects as acute and mood-stabilising agents, side effect profiles, effects on neurocognitive functioning, quality of life, and on psychosocial functioning, are also important when considering therapy.
Since when did holistic treatment of any disease or disorder simply mean analyzing how meds effect the body and nothing about mind/body/spirit and the use of things that heal rather than those that are toxic to the body? This hijacking of a term generally used to look at the body as a whole and to treat disease and distress in a preventative manner rather than using toxic substance that mask symptoms but do nothing to heal is disturbing to me.
This blog I’ve linked to does not allow for comments and seems like it could be a pharma site. (see the bottom of the post for this link to the article it speaks of)
I see a psychiatrist who calls herself holistic. Her goal is to treat naturally without medications while looking at the whole body/mind and spiritual system. That seems to me to be the proper use of the term. She also looks for root causes which are corrected with natural supplements–not toxic drugs.
I would encourage everyone to check out the book titled,Healing Depression and Bipolar Disorder Without Drugs by Gracelyn Guyol.It can be purchased through Amazon,which is what I had to do when I could not find it.It is awesome,honest,and full of HOPE>
Thanks Gene,
Yes I have a very good psychotherapist who is mind/body focused and completely believes in what I’m trying to achieve. I think that at this point the best I can do is work on my psychological coping skills. I’ve done what I can do with diet and nutrition. The next stuff is the real hard work.
Taking responsibility!
I might suggest not limiting your search to holistic psychiatrists in your pursuit of non-drug treatments.
There are many psychologists, especially those in my own field of Health Psychology, which could prove helpful. You could also explore holistic physicians and many other mind/body professionals.
One place you may never have considered looking is holistic or biological dentistry. Even most professionals don’t know what a powerful negative impact toxic dentistry can have on your mental and emotional health – especially the mercury that leaches into your system from the amalgam fillings in your mouth. A good source of information on this subject can be found at http://www.IBDental.net.
Oh, okay. I only saw it at the pharm site. I didn’t know what the confusion was about.
Someone on PharmWeb wrote the article–there was an excerpt on the blog I link to with no commentary.
I’m confused. Who wrote the article?
ah Roy–sorry that wasn’t at all clear to me at all. I thought you were supporting their screwed up thinking. Sorry. I’ll go back and look.–I went to look. Since you offered no commentary I assumed you were supporting it. I realize not everyone comments and some people just throw stuff out to think about. Anyway, you did make me think! Again, sorry to make assumptions.
MY site is not a pharma blog but that article on bipolars and holisitic approach does appear originally on pharmweb which is a pharma site. Ordinarily I steer clear of posting articles from pharma sites. I posted this article because I was struck, as you, by the corrupted use of “holistic”.
After reading your posting about Neurofeedback, I’ve started looking for a holistic psychiatrist. So far, no luck in my area but I’m gonna keep on trying…
From the article:
“On average, an uncontrolled sufferer will die nine years earlier than the rest of the population and experience 12 fewer years of healthy life.”
I wonder how much sooner the “controlled” sufferers die?