Expert: Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist - 4/16/2007

Question
Iv'e recently gotten involved with a woman who told me she has BP. She takes her meds and sees a therapist 2x a week and takes her meds faithfully. I recently found out that she cut herself a couple of months ago and that frightens me a lot. I have very strong feelings about this women and totally enjoy being with her, and love her energy. I want to be with her, and want the relationship to work. The more I read accounts on the internet,  the more I worry. I've been with her almost 2 months, and I guess I'm waiting for the shoe to drop, and I'm not sure how, when and if it will, and how the symptoms will manifest.
I love her, and want to give this a chance to work, and wouldn't just cut and run. Should I prepare myself for the worst, or expect the best??

Answer
Hi Bob,

It is really nice to hear that you are giving support to this lady with BD.

BD is difficult to treat and the best is the keep up with the medication and seeing the psychiatrist.  However apart from medication there are a lot of other things you can do. For instance it has been found that BD patients do benefit from going on a hypoglycemic diet together with the various nutritional supplements suggested.

It would be worthwhile to ask the doctor to also refer the patient to a Nutritional Doctor or a Clinical Nutritionist.

Here are some articles that may be of interest and that should be discussed with therapists.

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

“The Nutritional Aspects of Schizophrenia” at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/news/hyponl2001_06.pdf

and go to page 7 of the Newsletter, much of which applies also top BD.

"Mentally Ill or Metabolically Disadvantaged" by Dr Chris Reading at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/news/hyponl2006_12.pdf

Self harming is a sign of depression, that may also be related to BD,  but it could also be independent of tne illness.

Read:

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

A good source book is:

Werbach MR, Nutritional Influences on Mental Illness at:
http://www.amazon.com/Nutritional-Influences-Mental-Illness-Sourcebook/dp/096185...  and look up the chapter on Bipolar Disorder.

I hope I have been of some assistance.

_________________________________
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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