Mental health outside of the plethora medications available to us is vital to discuss. I am surprised that I have not talked about alternatives to medicine here on The Bipolar Writer blog. I was asked by a fellow blogger to explain the option outside of medications for depression and anxiety. I am by no means an expert, but I do have experience in this area.
What Alternatives I Have Used
My first psychiatrist, who was my psychiatrist from 2007-2012, was prominent in limiting my medication with alternative approaches. While eventually these things did not work as well, and I stopped most of them because of the many psychiatrist changes over the years, these are still important to share.
Flaxseed
I know from experience the importance of flaxseed for yo
ur overall health, but it is also essential to mental health. It is excellent for digestive health, as it lowers blood pressure, it lowers cholesterol, has good antioxidants, reduces stress, and is excellent for your mental health. It is a fantastic thing. I buy flaxseed in bulk and grind it down. I put it mostly in oatmeal, but if you research it, you can find some fantastic things. I found the following website informative. As always ask your doctor if flaxseed can be a part of your daily routine.
Fish Oil
Another great alternative to medication is Fish oil pills, you can find them at any health store or local retailer. Fish oil is great for heart and brain health as it has omega-3 fatty acids which experts will tell you are essential. The following website gives excellent information. As always ask your doctor if fish oil pills can be a part of your daily routine.
Supplements
Another approach is adding a supplement that acts as a buffer and an alternative to traditional medications. For a while, I took a liquid vitamin supplement called Liquid Essentials that you can find on Amazon. It is a fantastic product, and it helps to have a form of vitamins in your daily routine. As always ask your doctor if supplements can be a part of your daily routine.
Ginseng
The last thing I will share is ginseng pills. I took these for years, and it is an excellent herbal remedy for mental health. I would say that it is the most critical part of my alternatives to medications that I have tried over the years. You can find more information here, and as always I would say to consult your doctor.
With that said, these are just alternatives that I have found useful over the years. If you know of more, please share in the comments.
Always Keep Fighting (AKF)
James
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I wasn’t aware of the benefits of flaxseeds. Thanks!
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It so useful for mental health.
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There are so many things in our lives that affect our mental health, it can sometimes be so difficult to keep on top of them. I am so glad to see somebody putting these simple alternatives out there for others to see, as I know just from reading that each of them would have a marked impact on mental health, even if it is just a slight one. Thank you for sharing!
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These alternatives are better in the long run to traditional medications. With the right doses it is possible to find balance.
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I am an attorney with both the conditions of bipolar and depression. Do you know if SSI is a possibility? Much of what you mention is quite expensive.
Thank you,
Lori Nuckolls
Lori G. Nuckolls lorigaylenuckolls@cinci.rr.com 513-305-7902
>
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I know the process to get SSI for me has been impossible but I am sure you can find a doctor that could help you. Some of the products are expensive
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Nice post James.
❤️✌️
BY FOR NOW
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Sex and Bananas 😉 also a supplement called 5HTP. 😄💛
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5HTP is a good one.
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lol “sex and bananas”, not together I suppose?
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That’s to be determined. I wouldn’t know.
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Great post! I didn’t know about flaxseed. I also take vitamin D and K3 supplements, with magnesium calm. And a B supplement. As low levels of D and B can contribute to poor mood. And, I would be remiss not to mention the benefits of yoga and meditation for anxiety and mood.
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Thank you for sharing.
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I love ginseng! 😍 It’s pretty amazing stuff. I recently wrote a 50-page paper on it, citing 91 sources, which isn’t even scratching the surface of the research out there supporting it for potential therapeutic use in a wide variety of conditions and physiological functions 🙌🏼
I’ve also rediscovered ginkgo and eleuthero (formerly known as Siberian ginseng), both great herbs for my cognitive fatigue (due to several factors, not the least of which is nickel poisoning last year), and they’ve been a real godsend for me 👏 Keep fighting the good fight, my friend 😘💖
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Thank you for sharing this, that is a lot of pages! What kind of paper was it for?
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It was for a class on Chinese herbs. An extra credit assignment 😁
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I had no idea about flaxseed! I make a smoothie every morning and have never thought to add flaxseed – that’ll change tomorrow!! Thanks!
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it is a very good alternative to medicine. It has so many useful things.
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Thanks for sharing!
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