Expert: Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist - 2/28/2007

Question
Hello, I am married to a man who has been diagnosed with Post Tramic Stress Disorder with bipolar tendencies.  He is now taking abilify and was on lexapro as well.  We have been together almost 5 yrs and married a little over 2 yrs.  He has cheated on me once last year and tells me that sometimes he feels like doing it again but is confused because he really loves me and wants to be loyal.  He was on these medications for about a year then went off them cause he didn't feel he needed them anymore and that was 2 yrs ago.  He recently started taking the abilify again.  I am really needing some advice on how to deal with these disorders.  I love him very much and know what a good man he is.  He just gets these thoughts in his head sometimes and doesn't know why.  Please give me whatever advice you can about couping with this as someone who doesn't want to end the marriage but to help him deal with these illnesses.  Thank you

Answer
Dear Michelle,

It must be very difficult to be married with a man who suffers possible Bipolar Disorder and emotional disorders. It also appears that he has been unfaithful to you.

I can only talk in term of nutritional psychology. Unless the illness is very serious I believe that most forms of mental illnesses can be treated without resort to drugs. Drugs only seem to mask the symptoms without dealing with the underlying causes of mood disorders.

Being depressed one often believes that the grass is greener around the corner and so this could explain his unfaithfulness. He seems to be looking for happiness, he cannot find because his body is not manufacfturing the feel good hormones.

Depressed people have problem producing the feel good neurotransmitters such as serotonin.

The best is to try to understand why some people become depressed whilst others don't. I suggest that you read the following articles:

What is Hypoglycemia? at
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/what_is_hypo.html

The Serotonin Connection at
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/serotonin_connection.html

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

Depression: a Disease of Energy Production at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/depression_energy.html

Going on a hypoglycemic diet will improve his condition. Please discuss with a Nutritional Doctor or a Clinical Nutritionist.

_________________________________
Jurriaan Plesman, BA(Psych), Post Grad Dip Clin Nutr
Editor: HYPOGLYCEMIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA at
www.hypoglycemia.asn.au
Author: “Getting off the Hook” at
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