Expert: Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist - 7/5/2004

Question
Hi Dr. Plesman,

I am 22 yrs old and have been in therapy for 2.5 years.  I am bipolar (type II) and abused substances for about a year before i recieved treatment.  

I am embarassed to admit that i have come to rely on therapy to divide up my life into maneagable chunks and give it some meaning (not a particular therapist, just having weekly sessions).  I am moving and am considering not getting a therapist in my new town.

I know at one time i was completely self sufficient, however, i can't imagine not having a therapist now.  Who would i get advice from on things like substance abuse, self destructive feelings, etc?  I feel like i can't disclose these issues to friends without stressing them out.  

Therapy also helps me have hope in life, hope that i'm improving myself and things will get better, hope that i can stay substance free, etc etc.  How do people find hope for these things when they aren't in therapy?  

Is it a typical problem to have difficulty terminating therapy after going a long time? I definately don't want to be in therapy forever.  How do people go about getting away from it?
thanks!


Answer
Not knowing you personally makes it difficult to give any definite advice. I know it is hard when you are bipolar and have a substance abuse problems.

I can only give you general advice that you should discuss with your therapist.

As a nutritional psychologist I am trying to help people overcome mental illness through a combination of nutrition and psychotherapy.

Not many therapists are aware that many forms of mental illness including substance abuse problems are due to an underlying metabolic disorder, called insulin resistance (hypoglycemia), that can be treated with a change in diet.

Also there is some evidence that people suffering from bipolar disorder will benefit from the Hypoglycemic Diet. This diet is high in good quality proteins and low in refined carbohydrates (sugar). The diet prevents the uncontrolled blood sugar levels going up and down feeding the brain, that in turn trigger the release of excess adrenaline - a stress hormone - that are seen as being responsible for many symptoms of mental illness.

I am not claiming that the Hypoglycemic diet will cure bipolar disorder, but it will certainly improve symptoms.

Most substance abuse problems are caused by stress hormones produced within the body because the brain is exposed to unstable blood sugar levels.

Clinical nutrition is a evidence-based science, that helps to explain the biochemical aspect of human behaviour. At present treatment of mental illness centers much around drug therapy and/or psychotherapy. Many psychologists believe that the ‘psychological experiences' of mental illness are the CAUSES of mental illness, whereas I believe that they are symptoms, not causes. Hence one cannot expect talk therapy to be of much help, when the illness is physical, rather than mental.

Insulin  resistance (hypoglycemia) is a common factor among mentally ill people, and the reason appears to be that this causes the brain to be supplied by abnormal concentrations of glucose, on which it depends as its only source of energy.

Thus the hypoglycemic diet should form an essential part of any treatment for mental illness, be it bipolar disorder or drug addiction.

It is only when a person is on the hypoglycemic diet that psychotherapy can be of some use, if the person suffers from a low self-esteem as a result of years of suffering. Hence we have at our web site a self-help PSYCHOTHERAPY  course.

If you are interested in this approach please read:

“What is Hypoglycemia?”
“The Serotonin Connection”
“The Hypoglycemic Diet”

at our web site.

Please discuss these with your therapist.

Jurriaan Plesman
Free web site
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au