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psych meds for Christians

I (apparently...) have "severe Bipolar I." My former psychiatrist (its a clinic...they come and go...) said that some of my writing looked like something out of a text book for severe mania...19th century "maniacs," apparently. Good times, LOL.

I take 1 "atypical" tranquilizer and 2 anti-seizure drugs that double as "mood stabilizers." Welcome to the wild world of psychiatric "poly-pharmacy." I also take massive doses of vitamins (Orthomolecular). I tolerate the psych drugs well, and I'm "making significant progress," according to my counselor. God is good!

Natural remedies sound great, but...some of us --need-- drugs, at least for a season. It is what it is.
 
Christ_empowered said:
I (apparently...) have "severe Bipolar I." My former psychiatrist (its a clinic...they come and go...) said that some of my writing looked like something out of a text book for severe mania...19th century "maniacs," apparently. Good times, LOL.

I take 1 "atypical" tranquilizer and 2 anti-seizure drugs that double as "mood stabilizers." Welcome to the wild world of psychiatric "poly-pharmacy." I also take massive doses of vitamins (Orthomolecular). I tolerate the psych drugs well, and I'm "making significant progress," according to my counselor. God is good!

Natural remedies sound great, but...some of us --need-- drugs, at least for a season. It is what it is.
Click to expand...
And if that is what you require to be healthy, God's blessings to you. I realize you did not miss that I said in my remarks that they were my advice. We can always search out natural remedy for Bipolar disorder.
I knew a family that suffered that malady. It is quite the challenge in living happy and at peace. :hug As you know, God is with you. :)
 
whatgoeshere? said:
It's as if you read my mind for the advice I would recommend to you. :) I hope it helps.
I wanted to step back in and add for your sake and anyone else considering St.Johns Wort, to make sure you get "standardized extract" form. Because that's the most concentrated of the medicinal properties of the plant indicated on the label.

And in the case of St.John's, do not take it overlong as it will reverse effects as an anti-depressant and instead cause depression.
And of course, avoid alcohol because that is a depressant, if anyone does suffer this terrible malady.
Again, hope it helps. :)
Click to expand...
Hi
I'm on an iPad right now and it has a mind of its own, I didn't even realize about your name. Sorry.
As I told Papa Zoom , the St. John's Wort didn't work. I'm very into natural, but it doesn't always work.
I used to take something for high blood pressure which was good, but I can't remember the name.
It was oily and bitter. (It's stable now).

I think we have a health forum you might want to check out. I'm not sure....
 
Christ_empowered said:
I (apparently...) have "severe Bipolar I." My former psychiatrist (its a clinic...they come and go...) said that some of my writing looked like something out of a text book for severe mania...19th century "maniacs," apparently. Good times, LOL.

I take 1 "atypical" tranquilizer and 2 anti-seizure drugs that double as "mood stabilizers." Welcome to the wild world of psychiatric "poly-pharmacy." I also take massive doses of vitamins (Orthomolecular). I tolerate the psych drugs well, and I'm "making significant progress," according to my counselor. God is good!

Natural remedies sound great, but...some of us --need-- drugs, at least for a season. It is what it is.
Click to expand...
Would that be depakin?
 
Christ_empowered said:
I (apparently...) have "severe Bipolar I." My former psychiatrist (its a clinic...they come and go...) said that some of my writing looked like something out of a text book for severe mania...19th century "maniacs," apparently. Good times, LOL.

I take 1 "atypical" tranquilizer and 2 anti-seizure drugs that double as "mood stabilizers." Welcome to the wild world of psychiatric "poly-pharmacy." I also take massive doses of vitamins (Orthomolecular). I tolerate the psych drugs well, and I'm "making significant progress," according to my counselor. God is good!

Natural remedies sound great, but...some of us --need-- drugs, at least for a season. It is what it is.
Click to expand...

Opps, hit the wrong button and didn't write anything. This is an edit:

There's another "natural" help that I just discovered the other day:
https://www.bible.com

They have a lot of plans you can subscribe to and I did a search on depression and anxiety and there were lots of plans to subscribe to (I subscribed to all of them). Putting positive thoughts into one's head is good therapy and that's what these plans have been doing to me.

Plus on my nature walks (I walk fast - three miles in less than 45 minutes) I just breathe in the beauty of nature, even if it's raining. I spent some money on shoes, pants, and jacket, all for when it's raining and no matter the temp, I'm walking. A few times I wore my non-rainy day outfit and halfway through it poured. I was drenched.
 
no...I take abilify (I can tolerate it...always a good thing) and Trileptal (its an off label use) for agitation and mania, and then a low dose of lamictal for depression.
 
Papa Zoom said:
I hear losing slowly is best and apparently that's what I'm doing. I actually kinda pigged out on Thanksgiving but didn't go for seconds. I dropped .2 lbs and finally went below 170! I haven't seen the sixties for I don't know how many years. Goal is 155 which is within my BMI range. The 3 mile daily walk is good for weight loss, my lower back problems, and my mental health. I live in the Pacific Northwest and have to special walking locations. One is around the lake (which I don't live on:sad and the other in a path through the woods. It's a 1.85 mile pathway but I figured out how to make it 3 miles (it has 3 or 4 loops and I found the right combination).
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:thumbsup

perfect...
I like the woods myself. But anything will do it!
(You don't look so overweight)

We don't diet, we change our eating habits.
 
trileptal is an anti-seizure drug. its chemically related to tegretol. tegretol requires lab work; trileptal does not. most of the research on trileptal for mood disorders comes from other countries, so using it in mood disorders is considered "off-label."

lamictal is an anti-seizure drug that's used in bipolar w/ lots of recurrent depression. it does not work for mania very well, although my former shrink said higher doses do help stabilize mood overall, including the up-swings.

both of these drugs are (thank goodness...) generic. Abilify is now generic, also. I also am prescribed a very low dose of Neurontin to take as a sedative, when and if needed.
 
wondering said:
:thumbsup

perfect...
I like the woods myself. But anything will do it!
(You don't look so overweight)

We don't diet, we change our eating habits.
Click to expand...
I have before pictures but you can't unsee them!

You're right though that it's not a diet as much as a change in my eating habits. I ate everything at Thanksgiving and still lost .2 the next day. I don't do seconds. Used to but now I take what I want and eat it and then one desert (whip cream is allowed ;) I see my cardiologist in a month and will have gone from about 185 to whatever I will be in a month. I started my "diet" and weighed in at 182 so that's my starting point for keeping track. Living healthy (to make it relate to the OP) is just one way to combat depression and anxiety. I stay busy and have a schedule I try to follow. I play guitar and both teach and take lessons. I'm into classical these days and my reading has improved a lot. I hope to get back out preforming soon but one has to be fully prepared for that and I'm not quite ready for the next step.
 
Christ_empowered said:
trileptal is an anti-seizure drug. its chemically related to tegretol. tegretol requires lab work; trileptal does not. most of the research on trileptal for mood disorders comes from other countries, so using it in mood disorders is considered "off-label."

lamictal is an anti-seizure drug that's used in bipolar w/ lots of recurrent depression. it does not work for mania very well, although my former shrink said higher doses do help stabilize mood overall, including the up-swings.

both of these drugs are (thank goodness...) generic. Abilify is now generic, also. I also am prescribed a very low dose of Neurontin to take as a sedative, when and if needed.
Click to expand...
Great re the no lab work.
My granddaughter used to have a blood test every month for the depakin.
No ?onger necessary...
We order off labels from San Marino.
It's a different country, you know!
 
Papa Zoom said:
I have before pictures but you can't unsee them!
Click to expand...

:hips


You're right though that it's not a diet as much as a change in my eating habits. I ate everything at Thanksgiving and still lost .2 the next day. I don't do seconds. Used to but now I take what I want and eat it and then one desert (whip cream is allowed ;) I see my cardiologist in a month and will have gone from about 185 to whatever I will be in a month. I started my "diet" and weighed in at 182 so that's my starting point for keeping track. Living healthy (to make it relate to the OP) is just one way to combat depression and anxiety. I stay busy and have a schedule I try to follow. I play guitar and both teach and take lessons. I'm into classical these days and my reading has improved a lot. I hope to get back out preforming soon but one has to be fully prepared for that and I'm not quite ready for the next step.
Click to expand...

I agree.
Having interests helps everyone.
Especially after retirement when we have so much extra time.
Art and music...you're a lucky man!!!!!
:)
 
wondering said:
:hips




I agree.
Having interests helps everyone.
Especially after retirement when we have so much extra time.
Art and music...you're a lucky man!!!!!
:)
Click to expand...
And kindergarten. I sub all next week in a kindergarten class. I'm their go-to guy for subbing in K-1. A week after next I have an 8 day stint in another kindergarten class. It's a lot of fun but they keep you on your toes for sure. I get lots of hugs. Some call me grampa lol. (I've been called mom too)
 
Papa Zoom said:
And kindergarten. I sub all next week in a kindergarten class. I'm their go-to guy for subbing in K-1. A week after next I have an 8 day stint in another kindergarten class. It's a lot of fun but they keep you on your toes for sure. I get lots of hugs. Some call me grampa lol. (I've been called mom too)
Click to expand...
I know why they call you mom!
When I used to teach our faith to the little ones, sometimes they'd say, mamma to get my attention.
They're so used to calling Mom for help. At that moment they know you're taking care of them and they get mixed up.

Or, it might be those cute dresses you wear.
 
My family have a genetic history of schizophrenia.
What I observed is the families who as they grew taught the children how to express their emotions and handle
them turned into functioning adults who coped with life and its stresses.
Those who just let emotions run their lives and ignore them, never learnt that emotions are messages of who
we are and what is happening but not what we should do about the situation.
Once you feel and take control things can turn around. It is learning ones own emotional language, what works
for you and how you cope. It is this idea, we need to cope, to not condemn or reject but accept and work through
to become overcomers and not victims.

If ones emotions are too far gone, drugs help stopping the extremes.
My question is can people grow in love and grace and knowledge of themselves so that their emotional life
starts responding to what is going on between them and God.

The biggest heresies come from when people start play a story that is just deluded compared to what is really going on
in them and those around them. Once you begin to see we are emotional beings with a mind to help us sort
it out, we can begin to let God put is into His perfect will.

I have met too many believers who think they are minds with bothersome emotions which they fear and repress,
when the truth is they are so far away from who they are, the word lost has real meaning. Jesus did not call us
to stay in this state, but to walk in freedom and experience. This is the true power of the gospel and love and
speaks to our fundamental need to be accepted and loved by those we care about.
 
PeterJens said:
My family have a genetic history of schizophrenia.
What I observed is the families who as they grew taught the children how to express their emotions and handle
them turned into functioning adults who coped with life and its stresses.
Those who just let emotions run their lives and ignore them, never learnt that emotions are messages of who
we are and what is happening but not what we should do about the situation.
Once you feel and take control things can turn around. It is learning ones own emotional language, what works
for you and how you cope. It is this idea, we need to cope, to not condemn or reject but accept and work through
to become overcomers and not victims.

If ones emotions are too far gone, drugs help stopping the extremes.
My question is can people grow in love and grace and knowledge of themselves so that their emotional life
starts responding to what is going on between them and God.

The biggest heresies come from when people start play a story that is just deluded compared to what is really going on
in them and those around them. Once you begin to see we are emotional beings with a mind to help us sort
it out, we can begin to let God put is into His perfect will.

I have met too many believers who think they are minds with bothersome emotions which they fear and repress,
when the truth is they are so far away from who they are, the word lost has real meaning. Jesus did not call us
to stay in this state, but to walk in freedom and experience. This is the true power of the gospel and love and
speaks to our fundamental need to be accepted and loved by those we care about.
Click to expand...
:clap
 
I have a friend who has had an anxiety disorder her entire life. She also has some depression, and it got bad enough that after trying to manage it on her own for some time she recently started taking meds. It's helping her a lot.
 
DougK said:
This question makes me want to make a thread, "Diabetic insulin for Christians??"
Click to expand...
It's surprising how many people tell those who have issues with depression and anxiety that they just need to "trust God and it will all go away." I've not been told that but I have been told to "try not to think about it." Yeah, try that with cancer! (I've never said that but it's how I felt at the time)
 
Jesus commended the good Samaritan for rendering medical attention to a traveler, and told people to go and do likewise:

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. Luke 10:33-34 NIV

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:37B NIV

Let your doctor examine you and determine when you have been healed enough for you to be taken off your meds. Its the law of the land that only licensed doctors may practice medicine. Jesus told healed lepers to let the priest examine them, in accordance with Levitical law.

The priest is to go outside the camp and examine them. If they have been healed of their defiling skin disease, Leviticus 14:3 NIV

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. Luke 17:11-14 NIV

On prayer:

Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:14-16 NIV
 
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