Expert: Jurriaan Plesman, Nutritional Psychotherapist - 8/20/2006

Question
My son is 22 years old. He was a happy go lucky normal kid with parents that loved and adored him. Aaron had no indicatons of any mental illness. He was very short at 13, felt very awkward and had little hair growth. My Pediatrician suggested an endocrinologist who suggested testoterone injections, one injection for three months. After the second injection we noticed aggressive behavior and altered perceptions of reality and after the third injection a month later Aaron was out of control, tried to put his head through a plate glass window and we have lived a nightmare with him since. Aaron has severe manic phazes and police intervention is necessary.Heis not capable of working unless helped by my husband.Life stresses him and it is day to day for him. He says he wants to be normal but doesn't know how. Aaron had a major mania last week and out of the blue he said, "If you hadn't given me those shots I could be normal.Now I am full of guilt thinking he may be on to something and it's my fault for introducing large amounts of a brain chemical at such a crucial age and I damaged the brain structure in trying to help his growth. Any thoughts on this. Is his bipolar my fault?

Answer
Hello Jinx,

Being a nutritional psychologist I tend to look at psychological problems from a nutritional point of view.

Being Bipolar is of course a serious illness. I wonder why a doctor would have suggested testosterone injections. This may have triggered a Bipolar Disorder that may have been dormant before. I do not think that testosterone injections in itself would CAUSE Bipolar Disorder. But hair loss and small stature as a child may have been due to nutritional problems, that could have interfered with the proper absorption of nutrients.

There s a strong genetic predisposition for Bipolarity running in the family. I have found that most Bipolar people respond or improve their symptoms when they go on a Hypoglycemic diet, plus elimination of some hidden allergies and food sensitivities. These may be related to grains, beef, eggs. They can be diagnosed by a Nutritional Doctor.

Never allow yourself to think that YOU may have done something wrong. Bipolar Disorder is an illness, just like any other physical illness.

I suggest that you read a book:

Reading, Chris (2002), TRACE YOUR GENES TO HEALTH,  Ridgefield, CT. : Vital Health Publishing, 2002. at:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1890612235/104-4726892-8461562?v=glance&n=28315...

which discusses many degenerative diseases (including Bipolar Disorder),  running in families and most of which can be treated via nutrition and avoidance of allergies. You need to read this book from cover to cover.

I believe this book may give some insights as to the nature of mental illnesses and how it can be treated nutritionally. It is written  by an orthomolecular psychiatrist.

We also have a program that could reveal allergies at:

“Finding your Allergies” at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/finding_your_allergies.html

We have also found that sometimes we can reduce the manic phase by giving the person lecithin. This contain phosphatidylcholine, which is the forerunner of acetylcholine and has a calming effects. But this should not be given when the person is depressed. (Search our web site for Lecithin).

I suggest you also read some articles at:

www.alternativementalhealth.com

I am sorry that you have a Bipolar son, but a lot can be done if you get a proper understanding of that particular illness.

I also recommend the book:

Werbach,M.R.(1991), NUTRITIONAL INFLUENCES ON MENTAL ILLNESS, A Sourcebook of Clinical Research, Third Line Pres, Inc.Tarzana. Cal.

Getting your son on  hypoglycemic diet (see our web site) will also improve symptoms, but not necessarily cure it.

I hope I have been on some help.

Jurriaan Plesman BA (Psych), Post Grad Dip Clin Nutr.
Author of "Getting off the Hook" (Google Book Search)
For more free articles
www.hypoglycemia.asn.au