You are here:

Bipolar Disorder/Can dieting bring on bipolar episodes?

Advertisement

Expert: - 8/2/2007


Question
My girlfriend has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and there is some concern that when she diets for weight loss that this will trigger manic or depressive episodes.  Is this possible?  Would maintaining a healthy weight be better for her overall health?  Thanks.

Answer
Hi, Tony . . .

I have never heard of dieting causing manic or depressive episodes, but I have heard of people who diet very severely when they are having mood episodes.

Maintaining a health weight is important for everyone. It is not uncommon for people with mood disorders to also have problems with eating disorders and body-image problems.

Best regards . . .
Ivan
%%%%%%

Bipolar Disorder

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Ivan Goldberg, M.D.

Expertise

I am a psychiatrist/psychopharmacologist with many years of expereince in treating individuals with depressions, manic-depression (Bipolar Disorder), other mood disorders,. I am especially interested in the psychopharmacologic treatment of individuals with so called "treatment-resistant" syndromes.

Experience

I have been on the staff of the National Institute of Mental Health, Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. I am currently in full-time private practice in New York City.

A.B. Johns Hopkins University
M.D. N.Y.U. College of Medicine

I am the creator of Depression Central:http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.html

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.