Hello. I am a 31-y.o. female who suffers from being a manic/depressive. I don't want to seek professional help for fear that I will be committed. My question is there any over the counter drug/medicine that I can take to curb my mood swings?
Melvyn Werbach, M.D. in "Nutritional Influences on Mental Illness" (Third Line Press, Tarzana, California, (800) 916-0076 or (818) 996-0076) describes clinical studies relating nutrition to mental llness, including depression and bipolar disorder. Some of the findings in group studies of patients with bipolar disorder are:
* Folic acid deficiency
* Serotonin deficiency
* Vitamin B12 deficiency
* Vitamin C deficiency: improvement in 3 weeks after supplementing the diet with one gram of Vitamin C daily
* Food sensitivities: symptoms improved within 2 months on a diet restricted to fruit, vegetables, rice, meat and fish. Symptoms reappeared when the patient ate bread.
Because diet plays a major part in health, it's worth trying the dietary approach, being careful that your food has no chemical additives, and include Vitamin C and B complex supplements.
I recommend that you find a health care provider to work with you, possibly a Naturopathic doctor, who is sympathetic to natural methods of healing and who is familiar with depression. It is important that each person is treated for his/her individual needs and carefully monitored for improvements and relapses.