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Alternative to antidepressants?

michael714

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Hi -

I know the medication of choice for OCD is antidepressants. However, I'm bipolar and anti-d's send me manic. (Most bipolars can't handle anti-d's).
Does anyone know of a medication that is a good alternative to antidepressants that they might have tried? I know, I know, go ask your Dr. I'm meeting with him later this week but he's usually limited by what's tried and true.
 

keryakos

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Hi -

I know the medication of choice for OCD is antidepressants. However, I'm bipolar and anti-d's send me manic. (Most bipolars can't handle anti-d's).
Does anyone know of a medication that is a good alternative to antidepressants that they might have tried? I know, I know, go ask your Dr. I'm meeting with him later this week but he's usually limited by what's tried and true.


Michael this is something i am exploring myself for safety reasons checking with a dr or pharmacist first is imperative however there are a few things you might be able to try .. I am limited by the rules here on this forum but if you pm me ill tell you what i know

Andy
 
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JohnnieGuy

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I would suggest praying in faith for God to help you through your illness, and I can't give any medical advice because I am not a doctor, but as far as I know manic-depressant medication should take care of OCD symptoms, since it works on both problems whenever they come up.

I am praying for you and hope God will lead you to an answer.

In Christ,

John
 
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keryakos

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I would suggest praying in faith for God to help you through your illness, and I can't give any medical advice because I am not a doctor, but as far as I know manic-depressant medication should take care of OCD symptoms, since it works on both problems whenever they come up.

I am praying for you and hope God will lead you to an answer.

In Christ,

John


It depends on the individual Johnnie people react differently to certain medications and some psychatric drugs actually make certain patients worse ..
 
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michael714

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>Are you seeing an MD (or OD) or a psychiatrist?

I've been seeing a psychiatrist for several years.

>but as far as I know manic-depressant medication should take care of OCD symptoms

The only time the meds I'm on helped the OCD stuff (some) was when I was overmedicated into a depressed state of oblivion. It's been a hard process of trial and error.

>It depends on the individual Johnnie people react differently to certain medications and some psychatric drugs actually make certain patients worse ..

This is absolutely true. There's no one size fits all solution. Medication that sends me manic (I heard voices when I tried Wellbutrin and had panic attacks on Prozac, for example) affects other differently.

I was just curious if anyone here had success with something other than antidepressants.


Thanks for praying.
 
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dabro

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Um. buddy you seem kinda stuck there. We are not you so it's kinda hard to help you. but well just talk to you dr. and hopefully you find the right med. Sry for the blane info.
 
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Assyrian

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Have you looked in omega 3, ie fish oil? Two main things I would warn you to be careful about, if you are on medication it can interact with them, it increases the effect of antidepressants and blood thinners, and if you get it from fish liver oil eg cod liver oil, they contains vitamin A which you can overdose on if you don't follow the instructions. A google search should give you the information you need about amounts you need as well as pro and cons.
 
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lifeknowingjesus

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Yeah, antidepressants are poison to those with a "bipolar" brain. Besides, medicines just mask symptoms, include numerous sideaffects, "dumb down" your brain and cause further health issues. But things like good nutrition, vitamins, herbs, sunlight and exercise target the actual source(s) of the problem (if the cause is purely physical/organic and not spiritual). Exercise alone has been proven in studies to be as effective as the typical antidepressant.

Try some natural things that calm and balance out the brain, (without sideaffects!) like...

--Fish Oil/DHA/EPA (high potency)
--5 HTP
--Rhodiola Rosea
--Lumina
--Kava Kava
--Valerian
--Magnesium
--All vegetables and fruits

Metagenics.com and Puritan.com are great places to get the aforementioned vitamins.

Read the book "The UltraMind Solution" by Mark Hyman (The Ultra Body-Mind Solution (Hardcover) | Overstock.com) and learn what doctors aren't telling you.

I also strongly recommend investigating and addressing any spiritual causes of your thoughts or mood (speaking from personal experience, as one who was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and numerous other "mental illnesses", given every medicine that exists for both Bipolar Disorder and Anxiety Disorder, experienced a ton of sideaffects and no real relief from the symptoms...and was set free by Jesus from what turned out to be spiritual bondage and mental oppression).

Before anything else, I highly recommend the book "Spiritual Warfare" by Jerry Rankin and also "The Steps To Freedom" booklet Neil Anderson. The booklet addresses the thought life: obssessive, blasphemous, condemning thoughts; repeating nagging thoughts (such as "I'm dumb", "I'm ugly", "Nobody loves me", "I can't do anything right")...

Here are some quotes from the bible and Christian authors to consider:

"Tormenting thoughts that we do not choose to think come from Satan, the enemy of our soul. He puts those thoughts there and we accept them as ours. So we feel guilty about them. This is mental oppression, a ploy of the devil. When he starts to bring to bring up things like that you have to tell him to leave you alone. If you resist the thoughts, they’ll eventually leave. ...Say outloud: 'I will not be controlled by negative thoughts. I renounce these thoughts in the name of Jesus. God has not given me a spirit of fear [2 Timothy 1:7]. I have the mind of Christ and I refuse any thoughts that are not of Him.” (Stormie Omartian)

"Scripture clearly teaches that Satan is capable of putting thoughts into our minds. ...These deceptive thought come first person singular in such a way that we think they're our own thoughts." (Neil Anderson)

"The Devil throws hidous thoughts into the soul--hatred of God, blasphemy, and despair. ...Sometimes he produces such as to make me doubt whether or not there is a God." (Martin Luther)

"The enemy's chief target is the mind because the most effective way to influence behavior is to influence thinking." (Bethe Moore)

"'Voices' in the mind are not uncommon: blaphemous mockeries,spurts of temptation to wallow in vile fantasy or behavior, pursuasive lines of belief. Classic spiritual warfare inteprets these as coming from the evil one." (David Powlison)

"I have counseled hundreds of believers who are struggling with their thought life. Some have difficulty concentrating and reading their Bible, while others actually hear 'voices' or struggle with accusing or condemning thoughts. With few exceptions these struggles have proven to be a spiritual battle for their mind. This shouldn't surprise us since we have been warned in 1 Timothy 4:1: 'The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.'

"...Many people will assume the are mentally ill...Are they mentally ill or is there a battle going on for heir mind?...Psychiatrits and psychologists routinely see patients who are hearing voices: chemical imbalance is the standard diagnosis. I believe our body chemistry can get out of balance and cause discomfort and hormonal problems can throw our systems off. But I also believe there are other legitimate questions to be asked, such as, 'How can a chemical produce a personal thought?' and 'How can our neurotransmitters involuntarily and randomly fire in such a way that they create thoughts that we are opposed to thinking?' Is there a natural explanation? ...I don't think we will have a comprehensive answer unless we take into account the reality of the spiritual world.

"...Much of what is being passed off today as mental illness is nothing more than a battle for our minds."

(Neil Anderson)


"This [superficial] wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual [animal], even devilish."

"Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers...authorities...world powers of darkness...spiritual forces of evil in the heavens." (Ephesians 6:12)

"Satan offers wrong thinking to everyone, but we do not have to accept his offer." (Joyce Meyer)

"We are in a war. ...Our warfare is not with other human beings but with the devil and his demons (Ephesians 6:12).The primary battlefield is the mind. The goal of our warfare...is to steal back our thought life and take it captive to Christ instead. ...The weapon is the Word [of God]." (Joyce Meyer)

"Jesus tells us how we are to win the victory over the lies of Satan. We must get the knowledge of God's truth in us, renew our minds with His Word, then use the weapons of 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 to tear down stronghold's and every high and lofty thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.” (Joyce Meyer)

"We take our thoughts captive, making them obedient to Christ, every time we choose to think Christ's thoughts about any situation or strongholdinstead of Satan's or our own. What are Christ' thoughts? The Word of God revealed to us. ...We must know the Word of God well enough to be able to compare what is in our mind with what is in the mind of God; any thought that attempts to exalt itself above the Word of God we are to cast down and bring into captivity to Jesus Christ" (Bethe Moore)

"Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]." (Philippians 4:8)

"The thief [Satan] comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (Jesus, John 10:10)

“If you continue in My Word, you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (Jesus, John 8:31-32)
 
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michael714

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>mind if I ask what dosage?

3600 mgs.

> Before anything else, I highly recommend the book "Spiritual Warfare" by Jerry Rankin and also "The Steps To Freedom" booklet Neil Anderson. The booklet addresses the thought life: obssessive, blasphemous, condemning thoughts; repeating nagging thoughts (such as "I'm dumb", "I'm ugly", "Nobody loves me", "I can't do anything right")...

I certainly have problems with the blasphemous thoughts. I've prayed through Neil Anderson's steps to freedom twice in the past 2 years. Spend time in God's word every day, and have been working to memorize scripture. Sometimes (okay, often), I pray and ask the Lord to reveal whether my problems are chemical or spiritual, but I don't have any clear answers at present.

How did the book "The Ultramind Solution" help you?

Lifeknowing, thanks for taking the time to write your reply. I also take inositol, which I've read might have some benefit for OCD, although in much higher doses than I'm taking.

I'm going to write this that you mentioned for future reference:

'I will not be controlled by negative thoughts. I renounce these thoughts in the name of Jesus. God has not given me a spirit of fear [2 Timothy 1:7]. I have the mind of Christ and I refuse any thoughts that are not of Him.” (Stormie Omartian)
 
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seymourfaith

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Michael 714, I'm totally with you on praying for whether it's chemical or spiritual. I know there is a spiritual aspect to it (esp. cause a lot of the thoughts are about God) but I also know that I truly did have OCD when I was younger...so I'm not sure how to beat this. (Also curious, have you increase inositol or noticed a difference yet? I've been considering it...)

Lifeknowing, where did you get that Stormie Omartian quote. I liked it as well.
 
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