Healing Depression & Bipolar Disorder Without Drugs: Inspiring Stories of Restoring Mental Health Through Natural Therapies Paperback – August 15, 2006

While waiting for a friend at the library, I started poking around and stumbled on this book. Although I'm neither bi-polar nor depressed, something about this book spoke to me and I even went so far as to get a library card, so I could keep reading it.I've always been interested in holistic and alternative ways of healing and I firmly believe that doctors should be used sparingly...for emergencies only.If you appreciate information that's easy-to-apply, inexpensive and could dramatically improve your life, then this book is simply fantastic! I found it so valuable that after I returned it to the library, I wanted my own copy and ordered one from Amazon...my go-to place for just about everything.Our lives are busy and most of us are tired and stressed out and even upbeat happy people get depressed periodically. Before running to a doctor for prescription medications, we owe it to ourselves and the people we love to do some research and be sensible and intelligent about what we put in our bodies.Did you know that something as simple as fish-oil can knock out depression? There's lots of great stories, and very helpful information contained in these pages. The book is well written and touches on numerous modalities that have saved lives. Well worth the read!

This has been an inspirational book for me The story is autobiographical rather than a colle3ction of Doctors "sucess" storiesThe author has done it all, from deep depression and suicide hopelessness to out of control manic behavior. There are many very helpful sources of help listed in the end of the book as well of web sites. One is called "safe harbor" which I found extremly informative.Have you ever noticed that when you go to a new doctor they ALWAYS perscribe a new drug to add to your existing ones. We people with some form of mental illness are nothing more than a chemistry experiment to 95% of the so called experts on BipolarWhen I am perscribed any new drug by a doctor I tell the doctor "I already tried that one. and i got sick from using it. Instead, lets try reducing my dependence on what I'amalready taking and see if that works first"

This book gave me a lot of ideas. It gives stories snout people who were pretty much over medicated, then they found alternate ways it fix themselves. Sounds pretty good right? Like I said, I just took the ideas and mixed them with the lowest doses of my medications for bipolar. Took a lot of tweaking and arguing with docs, but in my opinion, alternative therapies mixed with whatever medication works best for THE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL is what works. Think about it. How can one brand of medication be THE perfect bipolar medicine when everyone is different physiologically? Anyone who has bipolar and is not happy with your meds...argue with your doc! Do research about medications and side effects, pick the least offensive one, try it and if it doesn't work, keep looking. And definitely try adding in the alternative therapies. They compliment the medication.

Much of the info in this book I had already spent about 1000 hours learning on my own. It's nice to see how many other people are looking to the many causes rather than merely treating symptoms with the latest drug doctors are pushing. This book can be a bit overwhelming to someone newly diagnosed but I would hope that family and friends would read it as well and help the sufferer on their road to improved health. I also appreciate the many resources for help it includes.

I found this book easy to read and very informative about alternative methods to treat BD. I liked how it talked about how vitamins, supplements, and diet affect the body, and how brain biochemistry and evendigestion can be flawed. It was fascinating to learn about deficiencies that we are born with that over time potentially trigger mania or depression, which worsen as more traumatic or extremely stressful events occur in one's lifetime.Western medicines are painted an ugly picture. Sometimes it gets paranoid even. The book could use more supporting documentation for her more negative claims. The author mentions briefly that each individual is unique in terms of physiology, biochemistry, and genetic make up which makes each person react uniquely to drugs OR alternative treatments. However, there seems to be more emphasis in why drugs are bad. Her stories of people with BD seemed to be extreme cases of adverse reactions to drugs. I caution you to remember as much as possible that just because her examples had such reactions does not mean that everyone else will, too. It's all circumstancial. Also, note that some side effects do go away in time after consistent use. It just depends on how much you would put up with them overall.Don't get me wrong. Though I think that science has its merits, I am also in favor of holistic and alternative approaches, but I don't think that either one stand alone nor have the ultimate solutions. I think it rests in a balance of both, a harmony of Western and Eastern thinking where so much study has been spent on either side for the same goal of finding "better" treatment, however that applies to each individual.I sympathize that the author herself suffered and in her desperation had to figure out alternative treatments in order to not suffer side effects she could not tolerate. I appreciate that she wants to share hope for others who suffer from BD.Let's not forget that in general, listed side effects don't necessarily apply to the majority so try not to worry so much about possibly getting them if you do take meds. Just deal with them as they come. Meanwhile vitamins, supplements, healthy eating, exercising, getting plenty of sleep, taking yoga or some other stress-reducing techniques play a vital role, too.Addendum:I just started reading "The Natural Medicine Guide to Bipolar Disorder" by Stephanie Marohn. After 30 pages so far this book is a better bet than "Healing Depression & Bipolar Disorder Without Drugs" in that it is better written, unbiased, has more informative explanations, and focuses on possible causes for BD and what can be done about it in terms of medication vs. natural remedies without resorting to paranoid examples. It's very well written with journalistic flair. I would highly recommend it.

When I get a book at the library and want a copy of my own, I go to Amazon. I am happy the condition of the book and the quick delivery. I have not fully read it yet, but I now have it for reference when I want it.