Just a silly question—if people agree that eating and exercising right help alleviate or even cure many illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, etc., why not for bipolar disorder? Is the head cut off from the rest of the body?!! I believe that people in general are so scared of any mental disease, maybe because all these disorders are so new to them, that the only remedy they can accept is DRUGS. And no amount of trying to tell people that I heal myself with yoga and eating seems to work, they keep asking but what about the drugs, and why do I not also take them...
I believe in a person's right of choice for his treatment. It's my body, after all. I'll have to live with the side effects, which are so easily pooh poohed! And believe me, the drugs, which are then life long, have plenty of side effects. I know of someone who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 10 years ago and was imprisoned in a hospital against her will and put on medication has just had gall bladder surgery. When I mentioned that maybe this was a side effect of drugs, they just smiled at me as if I was crazy, and said, oh many people get gall bladder surgery! Sure, but is there a study that sees how many bipolar people on medication have had gall bladder surgery? Or worse, taken drugs to alleviate the side effects that the anti bipolar medication can have?!
I believe in the healing capacity within all of us. Bipolar disorder is a serious disease, sure. It's damaging to the self and can destroy families and relationships if ignored or taken lightly. But, it's also a blessing, in some ways! Vincent Van Gogh was bipolar—I mean, hello?!—he cut off his ear to send to his girlfriend!! I find some of my most creative times are when I am in mania, when my brain works super fast and clarity is easy. Some of the most intelligent people in the world are and were bipolar like Ludwig van Beethoven, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), Charles Dickens, G.F. Handel, Peter Tchaikovsky, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, T.S. Eliot, Victor Hugo, Michelangelo, Georgia O'Keefe, and Jackson Pollack. It is, however, sad to see that so many of those who had this disorder had taken their own lives, but easy to understand as there was no understanding of what causes this and how to manage the illness. In our current times, Rosemary Clooney, Dick Cavett, Kitty Dukakis, Peter Gabriel, Charlie Pride, and Ted Turner are some highly successful and famous people, who have stated publicly that they have bipolar disorder. For a more complete list of people with bipolar disorder who have made noteworthy contributions to our world, see web sites such as http://www.pendulum.org/pwbpd/famous.htm.
So, to come back to my silly question. Why do people give me a hard time when I say I treat bipolar disorder with food, meditation, yoga and chakral healing? Yes, I'm still eccentric and have strange outbursts at times. But isn't that human? Why should we all behave like robots, without feelings and our own idiosyncracies? Everyone is unique and that's what makes the world such a fascinating place!
Free choice. Consumer advocacy. Space to breathe and be. Understanding from family members who put the patient with bipolar first and their needs second. And a lot of love. Is that asking for too much? Sadly, from my own personal experiences, the answer is yes!
Take care, be unique, be conscious, be aware, be individual, and be you! Contact me if I can with your healing, it is very very do-able...
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11 comments:
I must congratulate you on your courage of taking a hard decision even when faced with criticism.
As in physics, there is always a state of flux between mind and matter - mass and energy. Mind influences the body and the body influences the mind.
What I admire in you that you are so aware. Of yourself. Perhaps that's the key to the success of the healing journey.
One word of caution though - mind makes all the decisions. When there's a problem in the mind itself, there is a risk that the decisions could be sub-optimal. Here, at this point - family and fellows can be of immense help - of which I am sure you are making full use in this healing journey.
There's always a positive side. new challenges help us to become better human beings. I am learning that.
Here's wishing you all the very best in your journey.
One would have to be mentally very strong to take the stand that you have taken. But that does not come as a surprise because I have always known that you are a very strong person. Your post dated is extremely thought provoking and I have agonised over it quite a bit.
Years ago I was a great advocate of medication. I used to get upset when my loved ones refused to take medication (because I couldn’t bear to see them in distress). I did not understand why they should choose to endure suffering rather than take medicine and get rid of it. I tried to force them to take medicines, because I had great faith in the doctor’s prescriptions; I used to think, that was the best option (and of course it never occurred to me to doubt the infallibility of my judgement) But I am wiser today and accept the possibility that I might have been wrong. The doctors might have been wrong. There are medicines that doctors swore by, a decade ago but today they have discovered some deadly side effects. And what about Atkins Diet? Millions of people all over the world went on the Atkins Diet recommended by top doctors and dieticians but today they are talking about its deadly side effects see www.atkinsexposed.org
Since there are no guarantees either way, Jhilmil, maybe you are right in following your own intuition. And I am sure that everyone who loves you will want your chosen therapy to succeed. Let me end with a cliché –have faith and miracles will happen.
Dear Durgasankar:
Thanks for your note, there is a lot of truth there. You know, I am so brave because I have a safety net I trust! Like a trapeze who's flying high in a circus, but she knows if she falls, the net will keep her safe... my husband and I decided in October 2005 when we decided to keep our 4th pregnancy and go ahead, that if I get so manic that I am a danger to our children, myself or the family, he will gently guide me towards medication. And as he was the only one who stood by me in the last 2 years, I have a lot of TRUST in him. That's what a person with bipolar needs, someone they can trust, someone who loves them and has their best interests at heart. Love can work miracles if you just believe!
Have a great day, and if you send me your email address, there's a great presentation on eastern medication (yoga, etc.) ways to treat bipolar which you may find interesting. My email is jsbreckenridge@mac.com
Thanks!!
Dearest Rupa Auntie:
Thanks ever so much for your email which resonates with understanding and love! It takes a great deal to admit that maybe forcing people to take drugs may have been a mistake... I wish my parents could see this point of view.
As you say, there are no guarantees. The only thing I know that works is love. The rest is easy!
Have a lovely day!
You write very well on a tricky and extremely difficult to pin-down subject, and I like the way you take various points of view all at once, so one piece by you covers all the related questions that arise to a topic! It is amazing. Also, I am glad you believe in right of choice of treatment -- of course that comes with awareness and a willingness to learn -- even the scientific community can be very blinkered when it comes to learning. I too had cured my bronchitis with yoga. And for me, it was a matter of my body responding to external stress, violence in any person around me (emotional or physical) that would set off a violent unending bronchitis attack(in hindsight, it was the inability to speak out against the perceived, hidden violence that bothered me, I realise -- the throad chakra being violated). So, you are right to draw the link. In fact, I believe that it is very silly for the scientific community to pretend the body and mind are two separate things -- each affects the other so powerfully that a tool like yoga, which marries this awareness, is so liberating. Thanks for sharing. Keep it up:)
And Durga, the caution you post -- just a point. Ramana Maharishi says we use the mind as a reference point, but that is rather silly because in itself it is wayward... I believe he meant awareness of the mind(and its waywardness), rather than the mind itself is more relevant. So, yes, a lot of us make decisions with our mind, and woe therefore! I feel awareness of its waywardness is really the key... There Jhilmil scores over rest of us all put together...
Thanks Shameem for your insight and kind comments about my writing and ideas. Doug, my husband, found this article of mine, way too manic, and not focused enough, so it's nice to get positive feedback from you, as I really admire your writings!
Keep visiting my blog and giving me feedback, it's invaluable!
Hi Shameem,
I can't agree with you again, quoting the Maharshi, that Chetana is never mistaken. For, it has nothing to be so. It is just aware. And truly Jhilmil is so aware as was evident in her piece.
About scientific community and its beliefs, well, they are too pretty aware of the mind-body relationship. That blood sugar, hypertension, cancer, thyroid problem etc. All have been termed as psychosomatic illness - that is to say, these disease spring from the mind. Further, cheering up the patient etc. doctors have been doing that may be from the time of Hippocrates. For they always knew the spirit to live well was always the key.
Oops, Amendment! The first sentence above should read thus: I can't agree with you MORE, again....
I enjoyed your article very much. About your question, I think it is important to follow your instincts. Believing that food can affect bipolar disorder is no more ridiculous than large groups of people talking to an invisible man every Sunday, Friday or what have you.
Thanks Nona! Nice to see you back in my world...
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