Alternative Bipolar Medications Available To You

By Dr. Arturo Ovies

Bipolar as a major mental disorder affects the patient and his family. A person with bipolar disorder experiences extreme elations that alternates with deep depression. Bipolar disorder is also called manic depression. Generally, characterized by depressive episodes and accompanied by a manic episode creates what many patients describe as a "living hell". Patients continually feel hopeless and helpless.

To put it simply, bipolar disorder affects feelings, thoughts, behavior, and perceptions. Experts say that it is brought about by the chemical and electrical elements found in the brain that are not functioning properly. There is a family history involved, so families having a history of bipolar disorder or other mental illnesses are more prone to having it.

There are certain medications given for bipolar patients, and not all of them are quite comfortable in taking daily doses of different medications. Most of them are interested to secure supplemental or alternative therapies rather than taking prescription medications.

Omega 3

Many researchers show that omega 3 found in fish oils and in certain fishes are excellent for bipolar patients, as well as those having other mental illnesses. There was a significant research done in 30 bipolar patients for four months. It was a placebo-controlled and double-blind study. It aims to compare omega 3's efficacy versus olive oil or placebo for the treatment of bipolar disorder.

According to researchers, bipolar disorder is a neuropsychiatic illness that has a high mortality and morbidity. In their preliminary study, it was proven that omega 3 performed better and resulted to longer remissions based on the four scales of symptom-severity. Further studies are still underway, and researchers are hoping that they can come up with new classes of psychotropic compounds that can be used as mood stabilizers.

Herbal

Most people resolve to the use of herbal supplements instead of taking prescribed drug medications. But not all herbs are good for the treatment of bipolar disorder. In fact, there are certain herbs that can worsen the condition of a bipolar patient. Some herbal supplements actually have a harmful reaction when used together with certain drugs. Consult your doctor first before taking any herbal medication along with your prescribed drugs.

Nutrition and Your Diet

You have to adjust your diet, and this means checking your meal menus everyday. The nutrients which the body receives are very important. Holistic physicians use b-complex, magnesium, and thiamin for episodes of depression.

Pastoral Counseling

If you're suffering from bipolar disorder, you can also talk to your pastor or spiritual advisor instead of talking to therapists. The religious community can be of great help during these times. In fact, the community is now recognizing the role of spirituality and prayers. In can even be included in psychotherapies and medication.

Art Therapies

Through the arts, you can express freely your feelings and do so without inhibitions. You can enroll in a drawing class, sculpting, painting, and many others. Find an appropriate therapist in your locality who specializes in art therapies or expressive therapies.

Dance therapy helps a lot if you like moving. Let your feet fly and your spirit soar while incorporating your physical, cognitive, and emotional facets to the dance.

Soothing music can make a person relax. So why not enroll in sound or music therapy? Your body chemicals can be stimulated to improve blood pressure and flow, breathing, pulse rate, and changes in posture.

Traditional Medicine

Traditional medicines or the culturally based ones like shiatsu, reiki, acupuncture, yoga, Ayurveda, talking circles, and sweat lodge are only typical examples. All these healing arts are based on balancing the states of the physical, spiritual, and emotional for the wellness of an individual. If the forces in your body are imbalanced, you will likely get an illness either physical, mental or both.

If all these things are combined: omega 3, herbal, right diet, spiritual counseling, art therapies, and traditional healing arts, perhaps the forces of the body can be balanced and a bipolar patient can be treated effectively. But remember to consult your doctor for any problems that you may encounter, and don't just stop your prescribed medication if you have one. Continue using it, and ask your doctor if you can also use other alternative medication.

About the Author:

Dr. Arturo Ovies is a Health Researcher who has dealt with Bipolar Disorder and Severe Clinical Depression since childhood. Over the past 5 years he has devoted his entire personal and professional life to research and teach about this debilitating mental illnesses. He has also written an easy and comprehensive guide to understand Bipolar Disorder

Get Your Life back By Overcoming Depression

By Dr. Arturo Ovies

Hello,

If you would like to overcome depression and regain control of your life I urge to read this.

That's how important this is.

I'll tell you what's this about:

At the age of 42 I was diagnosed with Major Clinical Depression after the passing of my father and 2 close friends within a period of 6 months. I was devastated, feeling lost, hopeless and helpless.

The diagnosis was not a shock to me, what threw me out of base was the fact that I had been depressed since I was a child. So I knew I needed help desperately.

Since I had been depressed my entire life, I needed to know how not to be depressed. It was so ingrained in my psyche that I couldn't fathom the thought of not being depressed.

I had no choice but to confront my fears and step right into my depressed mind set.

Was it scary?, you bet it was. I didn't know if I would make it to the "finish line" so to speak.

When one is depressed the last thing you think about is, am I depressed?. You are lost on your sad feelings and emotions that is really hard to ask for help, sometimes is takes a family member or a friend to "pull you out" and literally take to the doctor. Other times you can do it yourself but is really, really difficult, I speak from experience.

Based on my clinical history it turned out that I have been depressed my entire life. Not good news.

After I while I realize that I could not remember the last time I was ever happy.

Once I got diagnosed I accepted the fact that it was the first step towards recover and a life richer and fuller.

Getting better became my daily mantra.

The past five years have been the most challenging of my life and that's why I am writing about it. It's been a long, hard journey.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. You are worth it and you will make it through.

Remember I have been there, I know is not easy but doable.

"If I could do it, so could you".

Of course and this is big disclaimer, I am in no way suggesting to take my advice literally and not seek professional help for your depression. My recovery occurred thank you to the outstanding support from health professionals and alternative medicine providers.

About the Author:

Dr. Arturo Ovies is a Doctor who has lived with Depression and Bipolar Disorder since childhood. Over the past five years he has dedicated his entire attention to the research and teaching of how these debilitating mental illnesses can be for the patients themselves and their families. He has developed an easy to read and follow guide to Depression Recovery on his website.

How to Have an Effective Support Group

By Lisa Copen

Starting a support group doesn't have to be an overwhelming job. Just follow along with this detailed checklist and you will have covered many administrative hurdles way before they come up in your group. It will save you much time and heartache in the future.

[1] Group's purpose. Spend a few minutes writing a 1-2 sentence mission statement to help you clarify your goals.

[2] Group description. What is the problem people are facing and how will the support group help fix it or offer encouragement?

[3] Personal motives. Take some time to ask yourself "Why do I feel I am the one to lead this group?" Make sure you really want to do it, and are not just saying yes to someone because you'll feel guilty saying now, nor because you are seeking personal glory.

[4] Approval. Do you need to seek formal approval from an organization, church, or company, that you are leading the group on behalf of?

[5] Group's life expectancy. What do you see as the life of your group? Do you hope it will meet indefinitely until the need fades away, growing and changing as members define it? Or would you rather ask that people commit to the group for a certain amount of time, like four months, and then recommit if they still want to attend?

[6] Frequency of meetings. How often do you want to meet? Weekly, bi-monthly, monthly? Consider the schedules of the participants. Would you rather have seventy percent show up once per month or thirty percent twice per month?

[7] Outline of the group outline. How will you fill the time? Do you want people to network with one another, work their way through a study or workbook, listen to speakers from the community, or a mixture of all of this? What do you believe your members will desire?

[8] Location. Where will you meet? Is it within a short driving distance for most people? Is it handicapped accessible? Is it comfortable for the atmosphere you desire? Will it intimidate members? Is it well lit? If it's in a large building, be sure to hang up signs and alert the receptionist about your group. Do they know where to park and are there parking fees?

[9] Attendance. Will your attendance be open or closed? For example, can anyone come at any time, or are new members welcome only during a certain time period? Are there any qualifications to attend? Such as, if it's an illness support group sponsored by a church, do participants have to attend the church?

[10] Activities. Would the group like to have special times together outside of the group? Would people want to have a picnic or get together with family of the group members? How frequently would you have these outings?

[11] Guest guidelines. May family members or friends attend a meeting? If yes, is this alright with other members? Is it approved for only certain occasions, or any time?

[12] Projects. Would your group like to help plan activities that can help others? For example, would you group want to put together gift baskets for people who are home-bound or provide a holiday party for children of parents who are going through a difficult time?

[13] Policies. Have you written up some basic guidelines for the group? They should contain: a privacy statement, the expectation that everyone will be treated respect, how to handle conflicts, that the group is not for commercial use, etc. If you are an illness support group, you may want to be specific about how you will handle alternative treatment discussions and people's desire to share their most recent "cure."

[14] Handouts. What brochures or other educational pieces will you have available? Can anyone bring handouts? Do they need approved in advance?

[15] Exchange of personal information. Do group members want their address, phone and/or emails distributed to other members as a directory to do they want it to remain private and give it out to people on a need to know basis?

[16] Promotion. What are your plans for letting people know about your group? If your group is formed under an organization, what forms of advertising are acceptable? For example, a classified in the local paper? An announcement in the calendar section of the paper? Flyers? Is there anything not allowed that you should be aware of and do the promotional pieces need approval?

[17] Media exposure. Can you write a press release? If not, be sure to find someone who can help! Explain the logistics about your group meetings, as well as the purpose for the group. If there are certain group members who may be willing to be interviewed by a journalists at some point in the future, keep that in mind.

[18] Videotaping or photos. You may wish to consider videotaping group meetings for people who are not able to attend to watch, but you must inform your attendees. They may choose to sit out of the camera range or even not attend. Turn the camera off druing sharing times. Even if you aren't sure how the tape will be used, have participants sign a release form. Also, do not post the video online without telling those in the video you plan to do so.

[19] What promotional pieces do you need and who will design them? Posters, flyers, business cards, and stickers, can all be helpful.

[20] Online communication. Would your group benefit from a "hub" on the interent, where they can exchange information and encouragement? You can just use an email group to encourage one another, or you can use a social network with many options such as Ning.

[21] Online web site. It's easy to set up a simple web site using free blog software online. This can be a great place to post your groups' calendar of events, links of resources, announcements, etc. You can also share online information with your group from other organizations and web sites as well. Use RSS feeds, links to online radio programs, and more. This can quickly give your group the support that they may need that you may not be able to provide on our own.

About the Author:

Read the rest of the 22-35 vital steps visit Lisa Copen's chronic illness and pain support social network for support group leaders. Be prepared! Read her book, 'So You Want to Start a Chronic Illness Pain Ministry: 10 Essentials to Make it Work" at Comfort Zone Books or Amazon.com.

Brain Fitness- Improve Your IQ

By Vlad Stivenson

The brain is one of the most important organs in the body that you should be able to maintain and work out. Since it is as well part of the body which you usually are concerned with when performing certain exercises, it is important that you should perform the same maintenance to your intellectual ability to enhance your mental capacity.

Well, you should definitely make sure that your brain is still capable of responding into any activity that concerns utilizing it. There are various ways where you can workout your brain so it can be able to adjust readily to different conditions in the environment. You'll actually find games or exercises that can contribute to this intellectual workout either if you would like to be comfortably sitting on a chair or working or you might as well go in front of your PC.

If you would like to know how would you be able to keep your brain in good condition, then you should be aware on how your brain memorizes and keeps everything it absorbs through your memory bank. The mind can be easily influenced and that is why it thinks. When it thinks it tries to gather up information from the memory bank which definitely are relevant to the situation that the brain in trying to decide on. What if let's say you forget? What makes the brain experience this then?

Usually you hear people blanks out because they are unable to remember. They'd say that probably their age has to do with forgetting to do something or why they could not easily remember. Actually one can win a victory over this issue and that is through "Brain Fitness".

Have you ever heard of Alzheimer's disease? This disease actually has a lot of medical definitions but basically the disease is associated with the continuously loss of memory which leads to not being able to get access to those memories anymore. And isn't it a very sad thing not for you to remember those happy memories that you once had in your life? Like it just get's wiped away because of a certain disease that acts like a virus that have deleted and corrupted important files in your computer. Well you certainly don't want to be in this situation right? So, try to make your brain more functional as it should be to be able to obtain its maximum production possible.

Your brain actually serves as the main network of the whole body. It receives the signals, decides what to do with it, and have other parts of your body execute what is being asked. So if your brain malfunctions, definitely other parts of your body would as well be affected. Now. in string details into your memory bank, the brain doesn't simply stores what you did or a certain memory by keeping it a single entity. Memories are stored like packets of data being sent into a central unit which distributes them to the different channels of the brain.

Achieving Good Memory Skills

In an ordinary conversation you have with your fellow colleague or with somehow someone you has just got an acquaintance with let's say for about a day that passed, can you recollect the details that you have been able to discuss which pertains to that particular situation accordingly? If not, then try to reconstructing certain activities that may be related to it and see if it would bring up a clear recognition of that particular conversation that you have had earlier.

Of course to achieve the best results in enhancing the capacity of your brain to think and recall, you'd definitely need to practice to recall what things may have happened to you recently or even the not so distinct details in a situation or a conversation. This would exercise your brains capability of storing information to its memory bank and keep it going for a longer period of time.

Including different Activities To Everyday Living

The different activities that you add to your life would be part of your brain's memory enhancement program. You can start by actually by choosing your chores dynamically and changing routines. try getting involved with new topics and new conversations with new people, this would help your brain absorb other things and gather certain information accordingly.

Being able to bring something new to the brain give it the capacity to produce more space for it to store more memory instead of overwriting the old ones so the more you add new experiences, the more you obtain sharper memory.

Even your brain get's bored with the same old thing that happens everyday, so try something new to make your life more exciting as possible.

Gain New Knowledge About Almost Everything

Do you know that physical activities can contribute as an exercise for your brain as well? That definitely is true, so don't hesitate to keep a healthy lifestyle by not only getting new food for the brain but as well as keeping a healthy lifestyle by enjoying new physical activities such as sailing, skiing or maybe even those silent activities that involves physical and mental stress relief like for instance yoga. Another thing is that, you should always enhance what knowledge you have in store for your brain. How will you be able to interact with intellectual conversations if you are not prepared to what you are going to say? It is necessary that you try reading books of your interest but should as well be challenging on your end where you wouldn't feel that what you are reading is something that you already know about. In short, try reading something that you have never read before and absorb what's in it for a change! What is more important in adding that excitement to your life is having the ability to practice what not only is healthy but is challenging to it as well. This is the same as maintaining your brain's intellectual state and its capacity to fill up all those spaces with memories that you will be able to recall in the future. You may as well add up a manifestation of joy to your life as well as putting yourself into a good mood, because this would definitely help you gain mental stability as well as a definite stress reliever for your mind and your body.

About the Author:

Vlad Stivenson, author of difficult intelligence quotient test

How to Get Rid of Acne Scars - Without Surgery

By Martin Hancock

Acne can leave behind permanent scarring that can take on a variety of forms including ice pick scar. They can alsolast a lifetime if left untreated. Acne scars can be unsightly, appear anywhere on the body and can be a cause of stress and anxiety for sufferers and this is why there are a number of specialist products and treatments to remove acne scars.

Laser treatments are one such method, but these are invasive and can be very expensive. To bridge the cost gap, specialist creams and lotions have been created to that are less costly and because of the new found success rates people are achieving at reducing the appearance of scarring, they are being used more and more by acne scarring sufferers to remove acne scars.

Acne scars come in different shapes and sizes and are generally categorized by their appearance. Common scars are deep ice pick scars, boxed scars, hypertrophic scars and rolling scars. Be aware that some treatments will only work on a certain type of scarring.

For a remedy that will work on any type of scar you should seek a proven acne scar removal kit that has evidence of succesfully treating all types of scars. These kits not only help reduce the appearance of your scars, but they heal the cause of the scarring as well, repairing your skin.

Cream and lotion application kits can use a mixture of natural and medicated ingredients that work in harmony at dealing with acne scarring and are far more affordable than laser acne scar treatments.

Before testing the laser removal option to get rid of acne scars, why not try a specialist acne scar cream kit that has been formulated to quickly and painlessly repair and remove acne scars.

About the Author:

To further assist you in your search for freedom from your scars, click how to get rid of acne scars to see what solutions made it into our top three recommendations and remove acne scars to find the winner of our research.

A Closer Look at Bipolar Disorder Symptoms

By Ken P Doyle

The mental disorder known as bipolar affects people of any ages. However, it occurs more commonly in teens and adults. It can be quite difficult to self-diagnose because there are a lot of mental disorders with similar symptoms to Bipolar disorder. Another problem is that there are different types of bipolar which makes it difficult for people to realize that what they are experiencing is already the symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Depression Episodes

During a depressive episode comes one of the classic symptoms of bipolar. This is a decrease in pleasure and interest in the activities of daily living. The mood here can be very different to the standard moods and interests of normal individuals. The person with this would feel like he or she is in a state of depression, which can occur with or without causes at all. Sadness or emptiness is additional moods that can be described as in this state. Acting in these ways often calls for ridicules from people around those with bipolar. Another effect that this phase of bipolar disorder has is that it can negatively impact a persons occupational and social functioning. Bipolar symptoms can last for days and even up to weeks depending on the severity of the disorder.

The person will most probably lose weight because the appetite is affected. Other common symptoms are extreme fatigue, loss of energy, decrease in gross motor skill agitation, and sleeplessness. The person may also have feelings of worthlessness and guilt, all which can lead to suicidal attempts and death.

Mania Phase

The manic phase is the opposite of a depressive state. The symptoms experienced here would be the exact opposite to the ones experienced in the depressive state. The behaviors manifested here can also be due to known or unknown causes just like the depressive episode. It may also last from days to weeks depending on the severity of the disorder.

A Mixed Period

On the other hand, during the mixed period, both the bipolar symptoms of the depressive episode and the manic episode can be manifested at the same time. This could last for one week up to a couple of weeks. The mixed episode can be considered as more dangerous and can cause more social impairment in the daily functioning and work situations since the symptoms present are of both the depressive and manic phases. Additionally, when the symptoms of depressive and manic episodes are occurring all at once, it becomes more difficult to treat the disorder and it is harder to predict the behavior of the person.

Most of the cases of bipolar disorder are more often confused with other health conditions and substance abuse. This is one of the main reasons why most cases of bipolar disorders are diagnosed at later stages when the condition has already worsened.

It is important to know the symptoms of bipolar disorder so that you are able to treat them once the symptoms are identified. This mental disorder can be termed as dangerous because it can lead to suicide and death. It is advisable to get some help as to prevent these from happening.

About the Author:

Ken P Doyle is well versed in the domain of Bipolar Disorder. He would like to share his knowledge and information on symptoms of bipolar on his resource center now.

What Causes Depression?

By Charlie Brown

Before you can figure out how to treat or cure your depression, you need to pinpoint the causes of depression. Just identifying the cause of any problem is often half the battle. Because if you know what caused the problem, it's much easier to figure out how to fix it.

Inherited From Your Parents Or Grandparents

In early '06, Rockefeller University researchers--with the help of an international team of scientists--identified a "depression gene" called p11. Evidently this gene controls serotonin transmission in your brain. And in case you didn't know, serotonin is the main 'mood chemical' in your brain; if you don't have enough floating around your brain, you will be prone to depression.

But you should know that a bad p11 gene doesn't mean you will be depressed. It just means that you will be more apt to get depression. The reason for this is that depression is a very complex disease with not only physical causes but psychological ones as well.

An example would be someone (whose p11 gene is faulty) that does not get depressed until the death of his or her wife or husband. Now, something like this will get anyone depressed, but the difference is this person stays unusually depressed and doesn't recover; they're not in mourning but really depressed for many months on end. (These are the people who would probably respond best to a drug like "Prozac" or any other Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor type of anti-depression medication.)

But it's important to note that this will not, for example, bring back their deceased loved one--which was the "precipitating event" that launched them into depression. This is why it's always best to treat depression with cognitive therapies (a fancy way of saying 'talking with a trained therapist' ), as well as with medicine like Prozac.

But is there another option to treating depression? Yes there is - and for those that can manage it - it's called "self help." Like following a step-by-step plan on overcoming and curing depression (which you'll find out how to do this later...)

Anxiety From Stressful Event(s)

As in the above example, sometimes a single stressful event can cause someone to get depression (even though their serotonin levels may be normal). And a series of stressful things can cause you to be clinically depressed...

At 16 years young, my depression was so great that I attempted suicide by ramming my car into a grove of trees at over 120 mph! (When you read my story you'll be amazed I'm here with you now.) My problem was the result of a couple years of bad decisions that added stress upon stress - if you read my story you'll be able to relate.

My amazing survival was a turning point in my life. I started looking for natural cures for depression because I knew that changing my life would involve much more than taking a pill like Prozac or some other SRI - "Serotonin Reuptake Inhibior." (They weren't around then anyway!) But I was determined to 'outsmart' my depression.

It's Rarely Just One Stressful Event

Using divorce as an example - even though divorce describes a single event, the divorcee goes thru multiple stressful events at the same time:

- Loss of companionship

- Loss of financial security: "How am I going to pay off this debt?"

- Loss of a higher standard of living: The nice car is replaced by a crappy one, nice home replaced by a fleabag apartment.

- Daily contact with your kids is no more.

- Moving even though you didn't want to move.

... There are probably other things, but you get the idea.

Taught To 'Enjoy' Depression

It sounds counter-intuitive, but for some people depression feels 'right' to them...sort of. They thrive on the drama of big emotional events. It's like they thrive off the negativity like most other people thrive of being extremely happy. They feel that the importance of an event justifies being sad for a long time, so they do their best to be what they consider 'appropriately sad.'

The reasons for this 'depression response' are two-fold: It protects them from having to deal with responsibilities of everyday life, and/or it gets them attention they wouldn't otherwise get from people around them.

Psychologists tell us one theory is that they are "taught" this behavior as toddlers:

If your parents rarely paid attention to you unless you cried, you learned that "the squeaky wheel gets the grease," as the old saying goes; as long as you were in distress, people paid attention to you and comforted you.

About the Author:

Find out which causes of depression could be affecting you right now. Also download your complimentary report, "How To Tell If It's Clinical Depression And Not Just The Blues." Better, you'll find out how to treat and cure your depression the right way.