Expert: Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist - 3/31/2009

Question
Hi, this is about my father. He is 53yrs old and has been taking valium & endone & other drugs prescribed to him by the doctor for the last 10yrs. He had a car accident, which has damaged his back. He has always been quiet control'ive and parionid towards my mother. It has gotten increasingly worse over the last 10 yrs. Mum has came to us for help, as she has no-one else to go to. He takes his pills like lollies & will never speak to me or my sister when we go over to c him. He will only talk to a male. He has been quite mentally abusive towards mum, yelling, smashes stuff, will throw out things because he dosn't care anymore. My mum has come to stay at my place for a week, to have a break and think about things. She recently went to see a doctor about dads pills and he has just told dad to quit the valium & double the dose of the endone. Mum also went to see a phychologist, and they told her that unless dad comes in for help they can't help him. Mum is trying endlessly to save her marriage, but dad will not try at all. She is emotionaly & physically at her wits ends. I am just wanting to know if there is any help out there that I could get for dad? Or maybe if you can help us understand why he is behaving like this and what the effects from the drug actualy do?
Thanks for your time.

Answer
HI Michelle,

This is a difficult situation. BUt it is obvious to me that your father suffers from some sort of mood disorder. His anger out bursts can be explained in terms of hypoglycemia, which incidentally can also cause anxiety attacks for which he is taking tranquillizers.

Anger Management: Nutrition and Psychotherapy at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/psychotherapy/anger_management.html

Depression is a Nutritional Disorder at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/depression_disorder.html

Self-Help Personal Growth Program at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/self-help_personal_growth.html

and ask to be referred to a Nutritional Doctor, Clinical Nutritionist or Nutritional Psychologist if you want to.

_______________________________________________
Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist
Hon. Editor of
The Hypoglycemic Health Association of Australia.
www.hypoglycemia.asn.au
Author of "Getting off the Hook"
Freely available at Google Book Search
Skype: jurplesman