Critique of Bipolar Disorder - Thoughts from a Former Psychotherapist

[@christinebadostain6887]

One of my favorite ways of understanding "mental illness" is instead of asking "what is wrong with you?" asking "what happened to you?"

[@matilda4406]

that is the right and loving thing to ask, yes

[@korpiz]

Thats a quote from someone in the field, I cant recollect whom atm.

[@christinebadostain6887]

@@korpiz Yeah, I have this from several different "alternative" sources.

[@adair6633]

Gabor Mate

[@christinebadostain6887]

@@adair6633 Right, I love Gabor!

[@sublimesamoyed]

Spot on. I was diagnosed with bipolar type 1 (amongst other things over the span of 6 years) and what helped me the very most was realizing that I have complex trauma I am healing from and I had to stop drinking because it had become a major problem. When I started to work through the trauma, stopped drinking all together, got off all psych meds, made concerted efforts to lower my daily stress, found a religious center, and started working on some emotional regulation with mindfulness based cognitive tools on my own, it made a tremendous difference. I now know bipolar is something they created to give people pills, when really mania is just something people tend towards to compensate for other experiences and emotions like anxiety, trauma, depression, etc.

[@dirtylaundrygirl]

Well said and well done ☺️

[@Earl_E_Burd]

Nice work! I've been on a somewhat similar journey. That must really boost your sense of self overcoming all those obstacles and continuing on the challenging inward journey. So many people could benefit from this type of awakening. By being an example you are laying out the blueprint through your actions for when others reach a place where they are ready to wake up. Cheers to you.

[@Marcelube]

Wow. Thank you for that.

[@michasosnowski5918]

I can relate to your story. Lots of drugs to cover one side effects with another. I did not drink, but I was given mood stabilizers to help with bipolar symptoms I developed on SSRI drugs.

[@briancrawford8751]

@@michasosnowski5918 I had a nurse practitioner tell me I might be bipolar because I said that SSRIs make me angry and mean when I was justifying my refusal of an SSRI. I calmly explained that I have no bipolar symptoms without SSRIs, and if it's caused by a drug, it can't be bipolar disorder, because it's simply a reaction to the drug. She didn't seem to get that. Nurses shouldn't practice psychiatry.

[@katierosecohen]

this is so validating to hear. i was diagnosed with bipolar as a teen and then put on a rotating pile of psychiatric "meds" what was actually happening was ptsd from bullying, a severely emotionally abusive mother, both mother and father being emotionally unavailable and thinking emotions are illness, and i am just a very intense and creative person. i had a revelation during an lsd experience when i was 21 that there is nothing wrong with me and that there is really no such things as these illnesses, people are just being affected by their environment and if people could be in a healthy, stable environment that promotes autonomy and love that we could all have the chance to be ok

[@happytrails699]

I just can't stand most psychiatrists. So many of them have their own psychological issues.

[@ninaj6051]

And a lot of them are narcissists who'll blatantly torture and gaslight you, and say that's all from your disorder, that you're sick and that's why you feel like they are not treating you well...

[@mltiago]

Having psychological issues is not a problem per se. I now depressive psychiatrist and problematic psychoanalyst that are absolutely terrific. But their is an epstimological and financial interest that is absolutely problematic, specially in US.

[@pod9363]

I've tried to address this on a subreddit for talk therapy and a TON of people are like "well they can still apply their practice if they're dealing with crap themselves". I think a lotta people have sunken a lotta time with therapists that aren't working and they wanna avoid having to start another search. I get that though cuz I don't wanna start my search again either.

[@samanthab6642]

Every human has issues.

[@daisy7066]

I have 2 relatives with bipolar, both have had traumatic or repressive upbringings, & there was a denial of feelings in the family. This was their feelings coming out, it is like a safety valve for months of repression and failure to face reality.

[@eastalawest1633]

I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, my sister was diagnosed bipolar, my brother ADHD. It's all just TRAUMA.

[@Rose_Ou]

Add to trauma nutritional deficiencies, food allergies, toxic air, water, pharmaceuticals that are everywhere and we're walking dead.

[@vlogcity1111]

@@Rose_Ou agreed 100% trauma and nutrient deficiencies. When your depressed or traumatized your not eating regularly and the cycle continues

[@hiya1399]

Same. I was misdiagnosed with mental illnesses for years and it was unresolved trauma. Psychiatry does this to a lot of peopel

[@clausmehl8731]

@@hiya1399 Psychiatry is evil

[@melsplanty8444]

For those therapists diagnosing patients who are crying and grieving I wonder if having anything more than mild emotions and expression of those emotions is a prerequisite for being diagnosed with BPD. After having been through a tiny small fraction of what my sister went through when she was alive, experiencing emotional mental and the threat of other trauma as an adult during this pandemic I realized how detached and sick most of the adults in her life were when she was alive (including our “parents”). I no longer talk about my sister as “having BPD” because it is dismissive of the traumas i know (and those i don’t know) she experienced and natural strong emotional reactions she would have to them on top of being a passionate person herself. I’m not totally against meds if people find it truly helpful...still have a lot to learn and consider on this and related topics. There’s also more to say on lifestyle-- sleep (also food, nutrition, social connections and having them in the first place, exercise) can have huge effects....

[@Rose_Ou]

My cousin was diagnosed with bipolar disorder ages ago, but no one took her hypothyroidism into account or severe gluten intollerance. I dropped gluten and grains in general more than 4 months ago and haven't had one migraine, vomiting episode and suicidal thought ever since. It is truly worth looking at ones diet.

[@Sonic_sorceress]

Indeed, the diet is important. Thanks for sharing 🙏🏻

[@mariahconklin4150]

Rose you are so right! I got CDIFF so did a gluten free and organic diet and felt better. I tried kombucha to but gonna possibly give it up due to all the sugar. The last psychiatrist I saw said I may have Bipolar 🤷‍♀️ First BPD then Bipolar I’m just tired of it it all. But yes gluten free works for me. Danial is right Dr amen adams said we dr need to test our brains instead of just diagnose so yes both of them are right.

[@lilafeldman8630]

I still eat wheat and grains however it's not a huge part of my diet. I think that having a carb heavy, sugar heavy diet will lead to the jitteriness and dysregulation.

[@dibelgelo]

Exactly my experience with gluten!

[@strangeland4062]

Thyroid, undiagnosed PTSD, bad reaction to antidepressants = bipolar dx on first visit to a psychiatrist and told I will HAVE to take these meds for the rest of my life. It's like they flipped into scare tactics once they detected my objection on the dx. I started tapering off the meds while I pursued a correct dx, which I finally got. :)

[@briancrawford8751]

If they threaten you with involuntary admission to a hospital, make sure you research the laws on this. In my state, they have to swear out a mental hygiene warrant. It's a civil hearing before a mental hygiene commissioner, and you get assigned an attorney. You sound like you'd be in a good position to call their bluff and just refuse. So what if they drop you as a patient?

[@lisaalexander1824]

What's DX

[@Sonic_sorceress]

I get bipolar on bad choice of antidepressant like seroxate

[@trinleywangmo]

@@lisaalexander1824 I suspect "diagnosis" based on their first usage.

[@SerotoninaCuSonia]

I absolutely LOVE this series of critiques on mental health disorders. Brilliant.

[@engineoil9]

I think he's magical.

[@thebreeze6765]

This is a very important video. Too bad you experienced such severe burnout from being a therapist. Your approach and emphasis on healing the underlying core issues without a stigmatizing diagnosis and drugs would really help a lot of people.

[@samanthab6642]

It is interesting how the people that can help the most tend to take themselves out. I think it has to do with being really sensitive which is a gift in my opinion but makes it more difficult to deal with crap.

[@anitaknight3915]

@@samanthab6642 absolutely it's very difficult to be an empath and highly sensitive to others emotions and energies. I am a therapist and it's difficult. The profession inevitably leads to burnout and overwhelm.

[@lisaalexander1824]

He's reaching far more ppl now on KZbin, globally..

[@lindapedigo5855]

Just for devil's advocacy, I'm Bipolar I with psychosis (and yes, certain antidepressants have sent me into mania). In my case I think the diagnosis is correct and the meds needed. I have done DBT and am now in trauma therapy, neither of which I would have benefitted from without meds. I am happy and well for the first time in decades, and am grateful for my treatment. I agree, however, that inaccurate diagnoses are too common, and I surely wouldn't wish this on anyone.

[@abrum8869]

Off topic to the video, on topic for OP. In a video of yours I viewed recently, you mentioned that some viewers commented negatively on your clothes and manner of speech. I never took note of your clothes. I love your open gestures and storytelling. You have a strong, positive energy and can let a story flow. Thank you.

[@michelem226]

I have a family member that was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, but for the last 10 years they have been off medication and nothing bad has happened. I think they got misdiagnosed, because they were reacting to trauma, taking drugs, and they are also just an odd person. They are still odd and aren't really employable, so I have to wonder if they have ASD like I do. I hear that people with ASD get misdiagnosed all the time, because they don't present their autism in stereotypical ways.

[@lyndahubbs8274]

Of it could be FASD Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder with ASD

[@andreaspropst2708]

What you described is exactly what was done to me. This message came just in the right time when I needed it. Thank you Daniel and kind regards from Austria!

[@lilafeldman8630]

Getting on a regular sleep schedule and decreasing stress has helped me immensely.

[@mariahconklin4150]

That’s so true! But I hate when I de rail from the schedule 😢

[@GlobalistGazette]

@@mariahconklin4150 Eating well, sleep, and exercise. All of the obvious things we should have been advised to do during the great emergency of 2020 but strangely weren't 🧐

[@h.p.dominocus]

I like this guy! Very likable.

[@Rose_Ou]

My cousin has always had problem digesting gluten (it runs in our family) and thyroid problems. She had been treated for depression + benzodiazepins for anxkety for 10 years (!) before she was diagnosed with bipolar. They've been testing ALL sorts of drugs on her ever since (10 years) and nothing seems to be working. She is a disabled person now thanks to her drugs that she trusts 100%. She was 50 kg before, now she's almost 100 kg. She has many comorbidities at this point and sleeps 16 hours a day. She's never changed her diet believes her doctors and never doubts their decisions. And yes she was abused as a child.

[@daisy7066]

She sounds like she's never had a choice, I have a relative lime that.

[@lisaalexander1824]

The weight, fatigue, brain fog, lack of excitement and motivation makes our lives a thing to be endured, not enjoyed..coz ya still get the self hate AND guilt for being a lazy nobody

[@Em-df4ww]

I remember asking a therapist if there was a blood test for depression. He was like, uh no. My take away was treat "symptoms" with whatever works and doesn't harm you, as there isn't an exact science to it. I've since learned all medicine is art, often there is no one perfect way to help. Best advice I got from my most effective therapist was to stay far away from the DSM lol. I believe I payed her in cash on a sliding scale, no insurance or diagnosis involved. Worth every penny. Back in the 90's, it was cheaper then but I was young and a bit broke, still worth it.

[@dasein1137]

I belong to those group of viewers who know, quite definitely and within seconds of starting the video, that they will watch the entire video and listen to every word you have to say. My confidence in what you were saying was instant and remains.

[@catlover-hq4dt]

I love these "critique" type videos! Could you do one on obsessive-compulsive disorder? Thanks!!

[@SantaFeSuperChief1]

Don't know if you've seen it, but he did put one out recently

[@Keekonuts]

I was diagnosed with manic depression in 1979….I was wild, I truly believe my parents pushed me into this to exempt themselves from what happened as a kid, I have been on drugs ever since. My best psychiatrist said I was just highly neurotic. I am on a heavy prescription.😢

[@hollyjean2800]

Daniel, you make my world a much better place. Seriously. Thank you.

[@MirAndHer]

I intuitively learned that while depressed, if possible, and despite wanting to sleep / escape painful feelings, if I stayed awake for a night I could often kick myself out of depression, and into the seemingly preferable opposite, mania. I had a narcissist mother who intentionally distressed me to the point of psychosis, and then called the men in white coats. She benefitted from my being labelled as mentally ill in so many small and big ways. When I was depressed, pushing my feelings down, she was happier because she could be in control of me, and use me for her own needs. But, when I veered towards mania she felt very threatened, and she would not be able to control me. These manias were, I believe, attempts to express my true self, and create healthy boundaries. They were a bit like a rebellious teenager's behaviour. I was trying to individuate, which was not mother's desire. I had to be quelled, disabled by the label, attitudes, and drugs that sought to ignore the reality of why the behaviour. To miss the opportunity of experiencing true healing. I never denied the existence of these 'disordered' states, and behaviours, but I believe they are a 'symptom' of trauma and abuse, not a biological brain disease.

[@johnnyyeates5375]

I've come across your videos in the last few days and watched a few of them now, just want to say you're great and I hope you keep doing what you do.

[@dmackler58]

Thanks Johnny.

[@lisaalexander1824]

Oooh....SSRI WITHDRAWAL...now that needs a whole show dedicated to warn young ppl to get off these toxic meds asap...i couldnt withdraw..brain zaps, headaches, fatigue, flu...I'd have to go thru detox then rehab...

[@skeevantas]

I really appreciate the insight from a former therapists perspective. I used to be really upset about not being able to get certain diagnoses bc I felt sure if I had that official label it'd help me to get help easier, and I felt I was being denied entry to that. But these days I think maybe my therapist being hesitant to diagnose me was a good thing, and she was smart to the way things worked inside the system.

[@anitaknight3915]

She was trying to do the best thing for you. What is unfortunate is that we have to add diagnosis codes for billing and insurance purposes otherwise you cannot get the help and it covered. We know labels such as a diagnosis can be very stigmatizing so often most of us try to choose the lowest diagnosis disorder code possible, but it sucks we have to abide by working within the protocol of this health system. People blame many therapists for these issues but it's really the insurance, facility, and pharmaceutical industries that require these.

[@briancrawford8751]

@@anitaknight3915 More people need to know this. That's why if you go to a psychiatrist, you're going to at least get diagnosed with depression and get handed a script for an SSRI, just like if you sit in a barber's chair, you're going to get a haircut.

[@bellakrinkle9381]

I've finally met someone with whom I would feel comfortable being totally open and honest. Seriously!

[@bellakrinkle9381]

LOL I am not Bipolar. My sleep is my ongoing issue - no scripts or drugs. I believe I have fixed 90-95% of my neuroses. Only that 5-10 % remains. I'm looking for the right person.

[@NachoNiuNiu]

I can’t thank you enough for this video and for the information you put out into the world. This is the first time I’ve seen anyone say such common sense things about bipolar. I was kicked into a mania by an antidepressant and then diagnosed with bipolar. My life circumstances got much better and I’m no longer on meds. The psychiatric treatments I had just made me worse. I’m so happy to have survived the system and I wish the same for everyone. 🙏🏻

[@somegenerichandle]

I asked this on the AMA on bipolar earlier this week on reddit. The experts didn't know how many get antidepressant induced mania. It happened to me and it's frustrating.

[@muirgirl]

Corticosteroids can also induce episodes of mania AND there is some very intriguing research suggesting high fever can cure manic symptoms in previously diagnosed 'bipolar 1' sufferers.

[@lisaalexander1824]

High fever releases DMT, leading to higher consciousness, creativity and energy,..like the Kundalini rising..it's led to fantastic ideas from many famous scientists, inventors, leaders..

[@lisaalexander1824]

I think everyone should be taught about Shamanic experiences leading to insight, wisdom and ideas..not put on meds to kill it

[@mosschamp7600]

you are SO cool Daniel, i love they way you express yourself, your passion, how your words are tainted on the beautiful color of your emotions, all the great ideas you have truly an amazing dude for real, hope you keep uploading videos for a long time, you helping me a lot

[@pod9363]

Internal Family Systems proposes that bipolar disorder is when "parts" or sub-personalities blend with you so much that they not only influence your decisions but totally take over.

[@chaddy2409]

sub personalities = parents personalities ?

[@corsicanlulu]

i saw a similar description in an old christian exorcism/deliverance book

[@SerotoninaCuSonia]

Where can I find a book that talks about these "disorders" in such perspectives?

[@corsicanlulu]

@@SerotoninaCuSonia i dont know if you were referring to me but the book i read was called "pigs in the parlor" by fred and ida hammond. its very famous in christian circles

[@1life744]

@@chaddy2409 that makes sense.

[@MaryseUsher]

You're a genius and an advocate for reality, Daniel.

[@OnePercentBetter]

Yes yes fucking yes. Grew up as an observer / carer with mother misdiagnosed after a highly traumatic life event, no time to process, chucked straight onto meds. Witnessed everything you described in this video. Bringing back the locus of control to ourselves to heal is key imo. We aren't permanently stuck or genetically chained to being 'bipolar'. Question deeply held beliefs that cause apathy/guilt/anger/fear/depression, taper off, and make small incremental changes to lifestyle, especially sleep like you said! And also find a greater purpose. Deeply grateful for you sharing 🙏

[@PassionateFlower]

I do not believe that having a realistic reaction to the ongoing chronic torture of being raised by narcissistic parents in an invalidsting society should be classified as a mental illness. Every time I talk to a therapist they want to put me on medication and I keep asking them, "Why do I have to take medication for my parents making me sick? Shouldn't THEY be the ones put on medication until they learn how to treat their child with genuine love, care, and respect?"

[@violetmushroom6]

You are so right about these 2 points particularly for me: 1) feeling super inspired and alive after being dead in depression, and also possibly as a defense mechanism, and 2) not sleeping because you fear you will lose this state. I would add that this state by itself is addicting like a drug, and you can just not regard "normal" mood states as good enough, so in a way it can by itself be a trauma or a problem. And not always it is caused by a substance, it truely is is a hypernormal state and I do think there is something special about it that can be harnessed in right ways. I feel so understood, I wish you did still participate in scientific conversation about this because you are spot on. Thank you, you are such a gift

[@tessyong7596]

This is a very important talk. Very valuable. I agree with you. I work as a LPCC and your knowledge is helping me.

[@reshenewells3649]

Glad you are talking about this i have bipolar disorder and i agree witj you on everything you said it refreshing to hear a psychologist who really gets it and exposes some of the dark side of big pharma and the mental health system

[@LydiaWhoExists]

I saw a study about reduced grey matter in the brain after a manic episode

[@alejandrawalker5045]

You are bringing SANITY Indeed! explaining it so eloquent. THANK YOU

[@melsplanty8444]

Yess!!

[@charlottem6065]

Fascinating Daniel totally makes sense thank you for your insights 💋❤️🙏🏼

[@tiffanykennedy788]

Great video. Because I was a noncombatant in the Air Force my service connected disability can not be PTSD instead I am compensated for bipolar disorder mental condition. I am also unable to receive VA PTSD group treatment. I was locked up 28 times in the VA psych ward for dual diagnosis bipolar and alcoholism until I finally became service connected then I could receive treatment at the outpatient mental health clinic. This went on for six years. Turns out my private medical doctor found the low T3 and T4 thyroid disorder a few years afterwards. I was miserable and homeless the whole time. That's another VA story in which the female veteran is counted for grant disbursement to the VA while the female veteran withheld the housing benefit. I need grief counseling, thyroid meds, more exercise, and good sleep hygiene. I have five years sober, trying to give up coffee, and taking Choline.

[@msbrunataylor5125]

Great perspective Daniel! I have heard from people who are prescribed anti-psychotic drugs how it has affected their brain in a negative way & how mental health professionals insist on their client's taking these drugs. Too many labels in today's society & it's become big business. I was at a work meeting & they had guests speaking about dementia & 1 person with early dementia was talking about so many types of dementia & so many labels that I never knew existed. While listening I felt that there were too many labels & also me at 52 yo at the time, that I had some of these so called signs of dementia if I bought into it. Of course labels may be good for some people who are at their wits end, I would not put my whole trust in someone else, we need to do our own research first & then decide ourselves which way to go. I agree with Gabor Mate a former doctor who ended up working with addicts in a holistic way by healing the trauma first. I can see why u gave up ur work as a psychotherapist as u are expected to follow guidelines u don't agree with. Thanku Daniel! Greetings from Australia.

[@bastian6173]

Thyroid yes! 100%. And thyroid again as I found in my case was related to me losing connection to my inner voice. And losing connection to my body. I was totally disconnected from this moment and so my thyroid was just blasting all the time. It become totally exhausted. I was losing weight like crazy. FUNNILY, once I learnt to journal properly and learnt to reconnect with my emotions, learnt to grieve and started dealing with my feelings, especially shame, guilt and anger and fear, my thyroid was getting BETTER. It could relax. And my mood swings were much less intense. Diet plays a huge role. Let's say I eat sugar all the time. It's easy energy. No wonder the mood swings, eh?! But nah... let's not talk about truth. Let's just blame the brain. And let's not even mention the mind... Another good video from you. Keep spreading the truth.

[@dmackler58]

Very interesting to hear, Bastian -- thank you for sharing, Daniel

[@kj-sf4md]

Its also the most lucrative diagnosis in mental health. I once talked to an impatient therapist. She said in the last 3 months 98% of the patients were bipolar. She said that just isn't statistically possible. Then she added, bipolar is never questioned by insurance so & insurance will only pay for inpatient services if meds are prescribed. So it becomes a self feeding cycle. So very sad.

[@muirgirl]

Grotesque.

[@lisaalexander1824]

😮

[@TasLomv]

Watching this video takes me back to the time when I was myself diagnosed as suffering from BD and being prescribed with antipsychotics that made me feel absolutely terrible! Later on I realized that what I was really suffering from was depression with some intervals of good mood and that I could have just taken antidepressants or just changed my lifestyle to start getting better. Looking back now I feel like I've been maltreated from a psychiatrist that was deeply dissociated from his own feelings and saw me as a sick person and not for who I really was and what I was suffering from. Thanks again Daniel for shedding light onto this important matter!

[@BritPopSnob]

One of the best videos on psychiatry ever. Bipolar is the most over-diagnosed mental health issue EVER. I went to a group therapy meeting. There were around 20 people there and almost all of them were claiming they had Bipolar. This is a mental illness used to prescribe more medication for the pharmaceutical industry. This is a HUGE problem within the mental health 'industry' and it also makes all of the statistics regarding mental illness WRONG. Thank-you for this video.

[@diphenhydramine6072]

When I started feeling healthier my psychiatrist was saying that I was showing signs of mania but when I said it was not mania, he started saying that he thinks I’m using drugs (which I have a history of) but I was not on anything at all and sober for months.

[@anoninii]

My dad stopped taking his meds a few times abruptly. Each time ended up with police at the door, dragging him to the mental institution where they medicated him into a plant and kept him there for months..breaks my heart for anyone going through this and living with bipolar, its a lifetime of being deeply misunerstood.

[@iferal5205]

I love the way you describe the circular thoughts psychiatrists use to come to the conclusion that THEY need, in order to give a diagnose/medication when feeling uncomfortable. It seems we didn't evolve a lot emotionnally as a society since inquisition, finally. I am certainly not the only one saying out loud in front of my computer "Yes Daniel, thanks!" when you mention the fact that many of them are dead inside.Creepy, but so true.

[@nobutterinhell]

Daniel, This is an excellent video! I sure hope that people will listen to you and take your advice!!!!

[@lynx.medicine]

You feel more and more like the "crazy" professor, and Im here for it. We all know that professor is not really the crazy one at all... :)

[@lynx.medicine]

Ps fully agree with you on all of this. Society really loves the labeling though it seems, then they do not have to deal with trauma.

[@dmackler58]

Thanks Lou!

[@avertingapathy3052]

@@dmackler58 I'll play devil's advocate. Outside of The Myth of Mental Illness by Thomas Sez, they can establish heredity fairly well for bipolar whatever that is, I guess probably of 80% or some incredibly high number than diabetes. These are large scale studies. How do you explain that? Is it all just trauma ?

[@matthewkopp2391]

I was diagnosed with BP2 but luckily my therapist did not believe the diagnosis and just diagnosed childhood trauma. And I did not get diagnosed with BP2 until after I took Celexa. I can relate to everything you are saying.

[@michasosnowski5918]

I had the same reaction to SSRI drugs. Always made my moods go crazy. Acatysia, depression, anxiety, mania. And that would go on and on and on. They diagnose CHAD and put you on mood stabilizers. Patient for life $$$$.

[@lisaalexander1824]

​@michasosnowski5918 but hopefully you're not suffering any more ?? ...

[@honeyfurfarm2182]

I had a terrible reaction to Celexa, how long afterwards did you have effects? It's been 4 years and I still feel like I'm just getting over symptoms.

[@lisaraye6241]

I have always felt the same way but never had the words, thank you for making this video. Like someone else said, you're the crazy professor but that's what makes you great! I wish more people took the time to view these diagnoses as such

[@engineoil9]

Oh my Gawd, you are the best 'trick-cyclist' I've have ever heard. Well done for your fabulous INSIGHT and COMPASSION. Bravo💙💕

[@JimmyDShea]

Daniel, thank you 🙏🏼 you are shining a light into forgotten caverns.

[@TheSanityMachine33]

Truth. Thank you, Daniel.

[@chloekravatz84]

Thank you for pointing out the antidepressant bit. Doctors decided I was bipolar because I became manic on Prozac (never before, never after) and then they put me on latuda and I got what I think was akathisia. Grinding teeth, body tense as rock, trouble eating and sleeping etc. So I told them, and they just tried to put me on abilify I think, which has a higher chance of giving one akathisia! I also had an abusive parent. Doctors in my experience just WILL NOT acknowledge trauma as a cause of mental illness. They'll poison us to death to avoid saying our reactions are actually normal. I'm currently not in therapy even tho I know I should be because I don't want to get WORSE again.

[@briancrawford8751]

Yeah, same here, but I didn't fall for that crap, and I talked my way out of it. It worked, because I wasn't exhibiting any of the symptoms and they wanted to put me on Prozac. I explained it made me angry and mean, and a nurse practitioner said that maybe I had bipolar disorder and the antidepressant was just bringing it out. I said that if a drug causes it, it's not an actual illness, but a reaction to the drug. She really couldn't argue with that.

[@lisaalexander1824]

So sorry for what you went thru...hopefully never again.x

[@Medietos]

Well said Daniel, thanks. And med drugs all burden the Liver, - which is often already having difficulties functioning and detoxing because of developmental trauma and stuck, stacked up emotions from all of life. a Bipolar man, with terribly ill-making habits, might get the nutrition- art- and crafts-therapy. I haven't got help for 40 years but managed to stop med drugs with the help of a DAA group,it took 2 years.Amazing. Toxic metals and nutritioanl imbalances cangive seriyóus and heavy symptoms, including psychical ones. .

[@willd6215]

Sounds to me society is the real problem. Individualism scares people in power because control is easier when people conform to a set standard. We are slowly learning to accept the individual and their uniqueness, even if it may not conform to the standard set by the controlling systems at play in society. Every individual animal, including humans should be respected because they hold intrinsic value

[@EvanLandry221]

I took antidepressants and had a pretty wild hypomanic episode because of it, nearly a month of completely disabled impulse control and relentless vigor and hypersexuality. My hypomanic experiences before that were hardly 30% as strong. They wanted me to go on nasty bullshit like lithium/depakote and I'm so glad I didn't.

[@jnewmark41]

This happens when an INAPPROPRIATE antidepressant is given without a mood stabilizer. Your Dr should have known better!!

[@lisaalexander1824]

Did the mania just wear off, or did you crash n burn ??

[@lisaalexander1824]

This reminds me of that Bradley Cooper film where a pill made him hyper human...learning music in days, languages in hours, charisma tic and popular, creating massive wealth with his ideas...I love being manic/ high...

[@ninaj6051]

I just came in to watch the video, and I'm going to share my thoughts before and after. My main critique is how when you get it as a diagnosis, you're having it for life and can't have anything else diagnosed as it's supposed to be for life, and everything you go through labels as a bipolar symptom from then on. I was diagnosed when I was in hypomania, which I got into only after I got off from psych meds that were restraining me so much I couldn't take it. Then, after I got a pill to calm me down, I went to an opposite state, when I took many pills on my own and ended up in the ward, which was a story on its own. For a long time, before I got off the meds and psychiatry, I was in anhedonia that I couldn't "cure" no matter what I tried, and other symptoms of debilitating depression. But, they said it's better than to be in an unreasonable state that is hypomania again, and do the thing I did "because of it and my condition" etc. But, after I went off the meds, I got my anhedonia erased very quickly *and* the bipolar symptoms I had for years erased, and now I feel I lean to another "condition" that my shrink suspected I had and had a dilemma about it, bipolar and borderline personality disorder, which is schizotypal, that is effed up on its own, but I'm better off psychiatry and learning to overcome those issues in a way that actually works because psychiatry doesn't. But, I know I wouldn't ever get my bipolar diagnosis erased, as it's permanent by default, and that everything would remain attributed to it, instead of my hypothyroidism, insulin resistance, and PCOS that was very hard to diagnose, but bipolar, depression, "unspecified" psychosis, etc. was very easy instead.

[@ninaj6051]

It happened to me for the first time with risperidone, which made me a zombie with uncomfortable physical reactions for a year, and I reacted angrily as my doc wanted to place me on a medication called lurasidone when it was only in a trial period, and she acted extremely pushy, and then everything placed me in a panic attack when I screamed after she managed to extort from me to agree and to start tests for it immediately in the ward when she alarmed everyone that they have a psychotic episode there and gathered them to ambush me to make me lay down and gave me Haldol and some benzo injection after things started to get very dark. As she refused to change my meds, those dosages made me have sudden memory losses a few times a day. I even remember carrying a tray with pastry, and dropping it as I lost my conscience for a moment, which was an everyday thing for a while. Yet, the next shrink still refused to change my meds for at least a month, even though I was desperate to prove to her how horrible I feel, she said that I should find someone else if I'm not satisfied. I did so and then went to that shrink who diagnosed me with bipolar, etc.

[@ninaj6051]

I'm at 6:00 and the lady whom I talked about told me, as I told her in the ward back then how I feel I got finally unlocked (like a relief, something I struggled with ever since I got in that mental health machine), that I got unlocked "too much"...

[@ninaj6051]

@@loanicastillo3327 Yes, I have. Funnily, the shrink who diagnosed me with bipolar noticed my neck looked weird and advised me to go to a specialist for thyroid conditions to get it checked. I did and even before I did blood tests, the specialist was sure I had hypothyroidism by asking me questions where I said "yes" to each one of them (a lot of them were the same as bipolar symptoms lol). Shrink continued to treat me for bipolar with his drug cocktails still. After a while, when I was at the gynecologist, they found cysts on my ovaries, and I had other criteria for PCOS, so I got that, too. Then, I went to an endocrinologist for everything, as that lady was also insulting me, as she mostly shamed me for my weight and was like "oh PCOS, that's nothing really", even though her hormonal pills made me gain weight like never before during 3 months I was on them, and before that, my weight was only a side effect of my psych medication. I got there diagnosed with insulin resistance and prediabetes, the latter of which I managed to treat/reverse. Only recently I also found out on my own that I am on the "gifted spectrum", with not much in common with Aspergers, autism, and ADHD, but mostly with overexcitabilities in general, and I was aware for a long time that I'm a highly sensitive person. Now, I see a therapist who is specialized for HSPs and people on the spectrum. It's tough, but I at least feel I do *something* however small it may feel, as opposed to the past 10 years where I mostly felt like I'm going nowhere.

[@charronfamilyconnect]

My son was diagnosed with Bipolar a couple of years ago. First two years ago he started experimenting with taking high amounts of marijuana edibles, up to 300 mg of THC at a time nearly every other day. Then he had an anxiety attack at work. He was send to the doctor who prescribed to him Effexor (anti-depressant). After one month of being on a fairly low dose of this, his dosage was doubled. Then two weeks later he had psychosis and was admitted to the hospital where they thought he had either schizophrenia or Schizoaffective disorder. They gave him lots of Benzodiazapines. and adavan and other drugs to calm him down as he could not sleep at all. After two weeks they sent him home and prescribed him abilify. This stuff made him very agitated and restless and he still could not sleep. Eventually the psychiatrist determined that he was not schizophrenic and took him off the abilify and prescribed him Mirtazapene and another drug to help with sleep which did not help matters at all. He went crazy and got more restless and called the ambulance to take him to the hospital, and they sent him home with some anti-psychotics again. He ended up running into the street and got hit by a car and was lucky not much injury was suffered. Eventually he was released one month later from the hospital and they put him on some other anti-psychotics and mood stabilizers. We tried to wean him off all these meds slowly but he showed signs of mania again such as over consuming drugs, spending money like crazy, paying for taxis everywhere, paying for ubers to sleep and pay for prostitutes, and losing thousands of dollars doing online gambling. This clearly was unusual behavior and was manic so the psychiatrist said he is definitely bipolar so they put him on a new medication called Valproic acid which he has been taking for 1 and a half years now. It mostly keeps him stable and he is not out spending every cent he earns. All he does these days is consume high amounts of marijuana edibles every once in a while maybe cause he cannot afford to buy it every day any more. What do you think of this. I personally hate medication, but its all that keeps him fairly stable while he tries to seek out gainful employment now that he is on disability which he doesnt like cause he doesn't make much money from this. He used to have a very good job. He is currently 24 years old and is stuck at home with us cause he cannot afford to live on his own. What do you think of this story. ITs very frustrating to figure out what to do. I hate meds, but on two occasions we tried to wean him off slowly and it always resulted in him being hypo manic, and out of control. He is currently looking into possibly trying magic mushrooms cause he read that they help some people. I personally wish he never dabbled with any drugs or dope cause I have a feeling it made him originally unstable with anxiety and panic attacks, and then his anti-depressant threw off his chemistry and probably caused his psychosis, and maybe all the other drugs he took threw him out of balance to the point where he needs to depend on a mood stabilizer. Well, at least he is not on any anti-psychotics anymore cause they did make him feel dead inside, and brain dead. What do you think of this story? thanks!

[@natali487]

You can also look for the advise at www.surviving antidepressants. In my opinion they know about this subject the most. Lots of useful info and support. People who have been through similar situations. The most important lesson to learn there is how to taper.

[@charronfamilyconnect]

@@natali487 Thanks for the advice! Well, there was no tapering originally when my son was admitted to the hospital when his Effexor was doubled so maybe this is what caused all his restlessness and attempt at suicide. I will check out that site. Thanks!

[@michelem226]

I'm sorry to hear this. My family member had a similar time in their 20s. All I can say is that they figured it out and their life is pretty calm now in their 40s. No medication now. It was helpful for them to get on disability. They still aren't able to work, so having that small amount of money is helpful.

[@charronfamilyconnect]

@@michelem226 Thanks for sharing your story! I hope to god he gets gainful employment before his 40's. Thanks again for sharing your story!

[@muirgirl]

Unclear why his docs convinced you that going on venlafaxine (Effexor) is in any way a "low dose" option.. it is a notoriously high dosed SSRI. That's exactly why Pfizer pulled the original formulation.. As a rule venlafaxine dosing is significantly higher compared to many SSRIs. Additionally venlafaxine is never to be administered if the patient has been on any kind of MAOI, which cannabis definitely is... for his doctors to know he had basically overdosed on a natural MAOI (cannabis) and then give him venlafaxine could only trigger psychosis. It can take YEARS to wean off of even low dose hormonal birth control, so it is WILD (unreasonable and anti scientific) to expect that process to occur so very quickly. The benzodiazepines, Ativan, and every other pharmaceutical intervention described above will result in manic outburst as the brain of the patient desperately tries to get back in control of itself and regain homeostasis. I am very scared for the health of your sons hepatic system long term based on these extreme antipsychotics and lack of stable routine. It is not helpful for you to speculate on his behavior causing any of this when its abundantly clear it was the malpractice and malfeasance of those charged to a higher standard who kicked off this crisis. Lots of people (young and old) will have the occasional intense edible experience, but its the ones who then are taken to unethical doctors and HCPs who say TAKE A PILL rather than allow the body the time it needs to come down. Your story is heartbreaking and infuriating and I hope your son finds a fitness routine (yoga, pilates, more gentle stuff) that can help him learn to hear his body again. I would discourage any intense trips until after he has been at least a year of routine fitness and nutrition and SLEEP. Some folks need to eliminate alcohol from their diets and perhaps a nutritionist (ideally one who is not anti-cannabis) could help your son begin to try to reclaim his health. Wishing you the very best!

[@purplerain5251]

This is so insightful. Can you please make a video critiquing OCD. 🙏

[@RhenanMartinsRepoem]

Essa linha de raciocínio se encaixa para todos os demais diagnósticos de transtornos mentais. Minha filha de 8 anos recentemente foi diagnosticada com TDAH (ADHD) e TOC. Eu só fui buscar um diagnóstico porque precisava de um norte sobre os sintomas, alguém que pudesse com maior isenção identificar sintomas que estavam fazendo mal para ela. Mas desde o começo eu já previa que era as condições/rotina de vida dela que estavam gerando aquele sofrimento. Moral da história: nós mudamos a rotina dela, mudamos de escola, de cidade etc e ela passou a comer normalmente, estudar, parou de se coçar, de não conseguir permanecer fazendo tarefas. Tudo sem remédios e sem psicoterapia, apenas observamos o que não estava de fato bom para ela e passamos a atender as principais necessidades dela. Isso tudo em 3 meses e sem nenhum sintoma.

[@briancrawford8751]

What clinicians need to do before diagnosing bipolar disorder is ask "Is the patient on any drugs or medications that could cause this behavior?" If the answer is yes, they may make the mistake of diagnosing a drug, not a person.

[@mazemir1]

Very happy that you are being critical of the psychiatric paradigm where the power of the system has moved away from the experts of the field I.e psychologists and into the hands of medical doctors who treat mental issues the same way they would physical ones.

[@bunny5914]

Omg I feel like you’re describing me exactly and I completely agree to (and relate to!) everything you’re saying. I feel like my story of being diagnosed as bipolar is basically identical to what you described in the video. I went to a prestigious high school that was very academically focused, where I tried to do the international baccalaureate program (IB DP). Mid way through my second last year of high school my mental health was extremely bad and so I started seeing a school psychologist. She pressured me to see a psychiatrist so I could start taking fluoxetine for my “anxiety”, which I did. While I felt somewhat better on the fluoxetine, it led me to as you described a “substance induced manic” episode - leading me to spend two back to back admissions at a children’s psych ward totally a month. I was then put on a mood stabiliser and a low dose of anti psychotic medication. The antipsychotic prescription (abilify) was off label and so in order to get subsidies for the medication my psychiatrist had to write “schizophrenia” on the prescription (even though I don’t have that and no clinician has thought I did). While I’ve never had a full blown manic episode since I have had some sleepless nights leading to what clinicians described as “hypomanic episodes”. More recently I tried to go off the mood stabilising medication with my psychiatrist’s permission, and I was meant to “taper” the dose every month but I rushed it to every 2 weeks. This led to a rapid decline in my mental state, and I was also not sleeping so my psychiatrist prescribed me “Seroquel” (anti psychotic) as a “sleeping aid”. I was then admitted to psych ward (again) for the purpose of “diagnostic clarification and medication review” - ie to determine if I had depression or bipolar. After being discharged after 8 days I had a hypomanic episode and that led me current psychiatrist to think I have bipolar. This feels exactly like the “reactive mania” you describe when going off psychiatric drugs too quickly. I have seen 10 different psychiatrists (many for second opinions), of which 3 think I definitely have bipolar disorder and 6 think I definitely do not think I have bipolar. One professor of psychiatry has even doubted that I’ve never been manic. However last year I saw a different psychiatrist for a second opinion about whether I could taper off my mood stabilising medication. He didn’t even care about my trauma and other issues but was extremely fixated on all my possible manic/hypomanic episodes. He thought I was bipolar and therefore should stay on psychiatric medications for the rest of my life. He has received speaking fees from Servier, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Organon, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen- Cilag, AstraZeneca, Wyeth, and Pfizer. Definitely no conflict of interest there. I totally agree with your points on getting a good night’s sleep and avoiding caffeine as key to not getting manic. I find that I’ve never been deemed “hypomanic/manic” when I’ve been sleeping decent hours, and I don’t drink coffee at all since my first manic episode. Thank you so much Daniel for another fantastic video! It’s so wonderful hearing someone actually describe what I feel like I’m going through, and I’m looking to forward to what you discuss next!

[@GlobalistGazette]

I've taken a quick route off meds. This video is giving me cause to consider tapering. However, Ive gone cold turkey before and it was really horrible but I was able to survive. I thought I would try it again with new insights that I have. I'm very grateful for these videos. Thank you Daniel.

[@dmackler58]

Some most definitely can survive a cold turkey. Some people can handle it better than others. But some can be ruined by it... Clearly not everyone's the same. Wishing you the best!! Daniel

[@GlobalistGazette]

Thanks for your response@@dmackler58 A good therapist is as rare as hen's teeth, and that you are.

[@changtillend5718]

Thanks My Brother...

[@jimmiller6023]

This is excellent work. Psychiatry in my experience is a bogus profession that does more harm than good.

[@jnewmark41]

That is unfortunate. Without them, many would die from suicide. There are bad psychiatrists, for sure. The stats on untreated mental illness are not good. med.uth.edu/psychiatry/2020/07/16/suicide-in-bipolar-disorder/

[@rose4490]

It's certainly not unheard of for doctors to misdiagnose a person with Bipolar disorder when the person actually has Borderline personality disorder. I think mentally ill people should educate themselves as much as possible, and learn about something called countertransference! Don't be afraid to look for a second opinion.

[@Dystopikachu]

Amazing how diagnostic criteria or willingness to diagnose differs wildly between different countries. I had symptoms of mania, psychosis and depression for a period of 10 years as well as an extensive family history of bipolar, yet I didn't get diagnosed with bipolar until recently. My doctors said they couldn't rule out my episodes being caused by the ADHD medications I was taking at the time of three manic episodes within a span of 6 years. I decided to stop all medications including antidepressants, and about a year ago I sadly had another episode and was finally diagnosed. I've decided to take lithium as a leap of faith more than anything, even though there is zero medical science behind why and how the drug works. It may prove to be a bad mistake in the long term, but I really am out of options.

[@lisaalexander1824]

I'm adding salt or magnesium to my diet to see if that helps..lithium is just salt..

[@Dystopikachu]

@@lisaalexander1824 Not sure what you mean by "just salt". The term "salt" in chemistry means something very different to the colloquial term. Be mindful of your sources of information, there's a good reason lithium salt is what's prescribed rather than say one of the other alkali metals. They all do different things in the body.

[@bvgg833]

@@Dystopikachu how is it going with the lithium? I'm hoping to start next week

[@Dystopikachu]

@@bvgg833 Been on it for about a year now, and there hasn't been any major issues with side effects so far. Whether or not it will stop my episodes remains to be seen, because for me they tend to appear only every 2-3 years. Good luck to you, and have fun having your blood drawn a dozen times. Let's hope big pharma comes up with something better long term.

[@ai_hime1707]

I was on anti-depressant for 3 years that put me on hypomanic state. I was completely deceived by this psychiatrists but was pressured to go by a partner. Now I don't talk to her, be careful the people you're around before taking these drugs. Sometimes, they're the problem.

[@oraclehaveacookie9737]

Thanks for this video. It makes a lot of sense.

[@amandatenney3028]

My 12-year-old niece was just admitted to a psychiatric hospital because she might be "bipolar." They put her on Prozac, which worries me, knowing this will further dissociate her. She has family members with it, and I am seeing more and more evidence that her upbringing may have contributed to it.

[@juliettailor1616]

Spot on in every way. These videos are pure gold and should be shown as part of the curriculum for people in the field. The field pathologizes complete normal responses to crises and trauma stigmatizing the person forever. "The Zyprexa Papers" is a case in point for anyone interested and which should be required reading for professionals.

[@juliettailor1616]

Also, very useful links posted under the video. Borderline personality disorder is also very commonly misdiagnosed as bipolar.

[@dmackler58]

Thanks Juliet. I read "The Zyprexa Papers" and it's excellent. I'm actually good friends with Jim Gottstein and sat in on part of his trial versus Eli Lilly in New York. He's a hero. I guess you probably know, but Jim also started Soteria-Alaska -- I worked there back in 2012. I'm better for knowing him and people like him!! Daniel

[@juliettailor1616]

@@dmackler58 Jim Gottstein is certainly a hero and I learned in an interview with Peter Breggin that he has had his own experience with arbitrary diagnoses when he wound up on a psych ward from exhaustion and sleep deprivation.

[@daisy7066]

@@juliettailor1616 seems to me you can end up in a psych ward with anything...... it wouldn't hurt to bring back rest homes, but they probably consider that a "holiday" you should pay for yourself. Theres a theory the English "asylums" actually helped some temporary residents by giving them respite.

[@juliettailor1616]

@@daisy7066 AMEN! Yes simple life crises will "drive one crazy" which is why, as you say, asylums or sanatoriums as they were also called, should be brought back. These places could simply be "retreats" in nature, with caring people, good food, and several kinds of therapy. A few exists, but those are for the priviledged few. The vast majority continue to get further traumatized on pysch wards with toxic food while they are put on neurotoxins long enough to make it horrible to try to quit.

[@davesims7917]

Hi Daniel... just wondering if you would ever consider putting your musical snippet at the front and of your video rather than the back? I love listening to your videos and it puts me in a very relaxed state of mind. I have a difficult time sleeping sometimes so I will put your videos on but unfortunately I am a very light sleeper so any bit of disturbance wakes me up. I know this is coming across as very selfish of me to ask you to put the music on the front end but figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask to see if it’s something you would consider. Thanks again for all the work that you do!

[@mindyjoyfullplay5340]

Thank you! Thank you! And amen!

[@nobutterinhell]

Daniel, several of the things that you mentioned in this video that causes symptoms that are labeled as bipolar for example taking drugs, not sleeping , being obsessed with sex and definitely taking the anti-depression and anxiety medications ; all those things over expands the aura and mostly when it comes to having a lot of sex , the issue is how the person is focusing their mind ; if the person is fantasizing this will extremely over expand the aura actually using the visual brain to imagine we’re doing something that we’re not really experiencing takes our mental consciousness into a trance and then into the intellect causing our aura to over expand ; expand more away from our body we are still connected through energy ; yet instead of having our emanation be smaller , our emanation is way stretched out and thinned out and there’s many different reasons for this actually we can even be affected by the people that we live with or work with anyway we end up absorbing a lot of unconscious feelings when our aura is over expanded we need to connect with our feelings since our Spirit is love and love is a feeling we need to feel our feelings for healing and we need to connect with water we need to drink more water soak in water and get grounded connect with the earth and face reality and get massages and have hugs and be touched and be able to communicate and be listened to and yes the caffeine addiction is a big issue and caffeine erases our cellular memory and that’s what our feelings are our feelings are really our spiritual consciousness which includes our memories drugs are sometimes necessary yet in general drugs are not a healing path marijuana over expands the aura also so does hyper ventilation and many breathing practices are too controlled also causing a spiritual over expansion of our etheric body ( spirit breath ; holy spirit ) blessed be

[@Amber24426]

I’m curious how you managed to (or didn’t manage to) work with people who were very attached to their diagnostic labels? It seems that you only talk about times that you had clients who were very receptive to viewing their diagnosis from an alternative framework, but surely you were also met with resistance from some clients, individuals who might not have appreciated having their diagnosis essentially “undermined”? It’s just surprising to not hear about those experiences as well, being that it seems that more people than ever buy into the medical model of psychology and mental health. So many believe or are taught to believe in the biological basis of these “disorders”, and I imagine it would be difficult (if not near-impossible) to open up someone’s perspective on that, when broadening said perspective would include dismantling their diagnosis and with it, the sense of identity they have likely attached to their particular disorder.

[@oompaloompa9139]

I would imagine people who are attached to their diagnosis and medication, would steer clear of a therapist who's known for helping patients taper off drugs and explore a different approach.

[@dmackler58]

Good point, Amber. I worked with quite a lot of people attached to their diagnosis. I sometimes challenged them gently, but if they really were wedded to their diagnoses and felt it was a strong part of their identity I didn't argue. I instead tried my best to focus on what it was that they were coming to therapy for and what they wanted from me. After all, I was working for them. Meanwhile, I have friends now who strongly believe in their psychiatric diagnoses. They know my point of view and we just agree to disagree. It was the same way with some of my past clients too.

[@nobutterinhell]

Hey Daniel and this is a really great video and I sure hope that people take your advice and I already posted earlier a comment yet it seems like KZbin is forcing me to make my comments twice otherwise they don’t stick so hopefully this one will actually post and I have a few other things to say yeah let’s see if I can even post this to start with

[@mariahconklin4150]

I’m actually pretty calm off medication unless I’m dealing with stress.

[@lisaalexander1824]

Stress gives me energy..i go all hyper and excited...since i was 10 yo

[@robertdamphousse1351]

Ty for your work. Very helpful

[@jordanferguson2254]

Thank you for this.

[@artemkatelnytskyi]

I delay going to sleep because I am worried about what tomorrow will bring :(

[@kahlodiego5299]

I went to my primary physician. When I picked up my referrals for blood work there was also a paper diagnosing me as bipolar and referring me to a psychologist.

[@yehmen29]

Very good point on thyroid disorders/antidepressants and dx of bipolar. When I met my GP of now over 25 years, I was having a flare up of Graves disease. My thyroid condition had been dx when I was 25 by my ENT (he is very aware of other 'fields' of medicine, he also advised me to take Magnesium to help with my period cramps, and when I was dx with cancer, he was one of the doctors I went to for advice), I had bloodwork and ultrasound scans, but his goal was to avoid removing my thyroid, whiich is the 'normal' course of treatement in France (3 million French people, most of them women, live without a thyroid. This is out of a population of 70 million). and to try and avoid flare ups (get enough sleep, avoid stress at work, i.e. stay no contact with my family of origin, avoid trigger foods, especially oysters and algae etc.). My GP didn't have a full history (I didn't trust him yet and didn't want to have an argument with a 'doctor' hell bent on having my thyroid removed) and did wonder whether I had bipolar, but as he does with all other patients, he considered the possibility that this could be a thyroid issue, and he ordered bloodwork. It turned out to be a flare up of Graves, and when I told him I wanted to follow my ENT's advice and keep the thyroid, he told me that this was what he did with his patients too. He now quite a lot of thyroid patients, including women who had their thyroid gland removed by other doctors. A nice little earner, as he puts it, as these patients often need to have bloodwork and see a doctor every month for the rest of their life. A nightmare if you don't have medical insurance. I am currently unable to afford acetyl l carnitine, a supplement which I take to avoid flares up of Graves, and it's rsulted in a flare up. I've now been managing this thyroid condition for nearly 25 years, it's totally doable, as with most chronic conditions. I also had a flare up of mania when I was prescribed amitryptiliin (an old 1st generation antidepressant) for sciatica... I lasted 5 days on the 'treatment'. It also gave me suicidal thoughts and hamster wheel very very dark thoughts. It took me 6 months to get over the side effects of that poison, and of course I had to pay for physio out of my own pocket (I'm in the UK).

[@musicandpoetry_8]

There’s some people where childhood trauma isn’t always the cause and I do think it’s a brain disorder because there’s people who get brain injuries and get bipolar

[@ginagg200]

What if im a night owl :/ but what if coffee makes me happy But yeah you’re basically saying get your neurotransmitters back to their original state then you can accurately determine if you have a disorder or if it’s the medication throwing the person off. It’s like an elimination diet. I thought bipolar disorder Is very serious and it is very obvious

[@daisy7066]

Coffee has been found to act like an anti depressant, hence it makes you "happy" temporarily but you still have to come down off the high, coffee's also bad for your bladder & means you can't sleep. Dont believe coffee ads, there's alot of money invested in it & hardly any of the truth.

[@lonepheasant3489]

I was diagnosed with it by my Covert narcissist mother (who framed me with triangulation very early on when I was a baby and gaslight my reality as to ruin my credibility so that she can punish me for the rest of my life and is still stalking me for going no contact because of her codependency etc) and society who loves to covertly torture me when it's the reason for all of my disabilities

[@daisy7066]

I hope you you gave her a warning about harassment & protected yourself

[@niveajones6400]

Awesome!

[@ANaturalApproachMedFreeAndMore]

Hi Daniel & Everyone Else. 👋 First of all I want to say Daniel I agree with you 100% on everything you've said here. I have a Facebook group, actually 2 of them and they began because I was in other bipolar support groups that blocked me when I mentioned about being med free. I believe that unresolved trauma is the what number one mitigating factor and of course like you mentioned the other things you brought up like lifestyle choices and environment. Bipolar is not genetic or hereditary, it is epigenetic in origin. My mindset is in the same area as yours with regards to bipolar. I would love to work together with you. I like working together with people of the same mindset and getting the word out there about this. I hope that you will help me get the word out there about this and together we can help more people. Do you have an interest in natural holistic health? I have a passion for holistic health and educating people about options other than pharmaceutical medications. I worked in allopathic doctor's offices for many, many years, and more recently in a holistic office. I was part of 3 bipolar support groups last year and 3 of them blocked me because I mentioned the possibility of being med free. I'm not bipolar, but 2 people in my life are. Because of getting blocked, I decided to start my own Facebook group page where I would not be censored with what I have to say about the subject of health. I would love to have you join my new Facebook group that I started December 31, 2019. I would love to have you share your testimony of getting off your medication. That always helps people who are not there yet in their journey to have hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel. A Natural Approach to Mental, & Overall Health: Are There Med Free Options? facebook.com/groups/2520960211495674 I just started a second group, too, on October 29, 2020. A Natural Approach to Bipolar Disorder: Med Free m.facebook.com/groups/2024662377747610 I believe that the best way to get the word out with regards to functional, holistic, and integrative health is to link up with like-minded people and groups to spread the word. Big pharma, allopathic doctors, and the mainstream media aren't going to tell the truth. I originally started my first group because my fiance´ and a longtime childhood friend suffer from bipolar, but it has now morphed into so much more and is for anybody that struggles with any disease, disorder, or illness because I know that if you can find the root cause of the problem it can usually be healed. I am looking for people that either want to go the med free route or are already doing it and can share their experiences and how they did it. I am also looking for people that are knowledgeable in holistic medicine and can share that information or people who are wanting to learn about it. Thank you for your time and consideration. If you have friends that also might be interested in the group, please let them know about my page, too.

[@googleshitsyt5557]

I am so happy that there are more anti psychiatry voices than Tomas Szasz

[@SaturdayAfternoonTea]

Hi Daniel, First of all I only noticed your page today, and this is the first piece I have watched. You seem to come from a very genuine and sincere place, and have put a lot of effort into your work. I was diagnosed with bipolar 1 in my late teens. I take lithium to manage it, reluctantly at times. Lithium is not patentable by pharmaceutical companies, so there is no financial incentive for doctors to prescribe it. Each time I have taken myself off my medication, normally after several months, I have had a severe episode. I have been told that I am symptom free in between episodes by a psychiatrist, and a psychologist. My question to you is, if you say that some episodes of mania are caused by drugs or an unhealthy lifestyle, is that not a clue that the illness may be biochemical? Also, the genetic evidence seems to point to bipolar being hereditary too. For me it is normally triggered by heavy stress. But unfortunately stress is unavoidable. So I think I might just keep taking my medication for now. Katie

[@airmark02]

All these *Mental Health* professionals ought to be required to attend at least *7 Ayahuasca* sessions before they are let loose on the unsuspecting public. I've seen too many of my friends led astray by therapists who were more crazy than they were ....lol.😉

[@samanthab6642]

I have done ayahuasca a few times and I hope to be a good therapist..lol

[@airmark02]

@@samanthab6642 Good to hear that ! I am obviously of opinion that questions the efficacy of most contemporary mental health modalities that dismiss shamanic or spiritual practices. That said ~ i wish you the best of luck in your practice.

[@lisaalexander1824]

​@@airmark02 hippies were right all along.....

[@lilafeldman8630]

Dang, this sounds like me when I stopped taking my meds!

[@marioct130]

I have a friend who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after a bad reaction to Chantix.

[@dmackler58]

I remember reading a few years ago that Chantix is the number one pharmaceutical drug that provokes suicide in people 😟

[@CompassionIsPower]

I got a bipolar diagnosis by a doctor who knew me for less than an hour, after I attempted suicide to escape a religious cult.

[@dmackler58]

I'm glad you survived!!!!!!!!

[@amsalespush]

Well, yeah, psychiatry... My favourite story is that of Gert Postel. He was, as the name suggests, a postman. By forging a few documents and faking some fancy speech, he became the leading psychiatrist in a clinic in East Gemany. Actually, the health minister of that federal district begged him to become the leading one. There is a video of a district attorney on youtube explaining that Mr. Postels evaluations of crime suspects for court cases were the best he ever got. One day, Gert Postel was found out, fired and sent to prison for 4 years. He wrote a book titled "Playing Doctor". He says that he was "an imposter among imnposters", that psychiatry is practiced like a pseudo-science. He says that he could have anyone committed to lock-up for arbtrary, made-up reasons with some glittery wording. He made up non-existing, presumptuous-sounding medical terms, and everybody nodded in awe and obedience because of the way he carried himself. After the show was over, what did most of the psychiatrists do? Did they thank him for pointing out some flaws? No, they went at him like pouting little children, poured some medical terms over him, distance-diagnosed him with a lot of disorders and went back to routine.

[@dmackler58]

Wow -- brilliant story. I never heard it before. thank you for sharing this. "an imposter among imposters." -- I love that quotation. Very sad, though -- all of it.. Daniel

[@dmackler58]

and I see he's on wikipedia too: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gert_Postel very interesting!

[@amsalespush]

@@dmackler58 Yes, interesting he is. There are many angles to the whole story, but he certainly revealed a few important things. I guess, good morning to NYC now.

[@sandrakostic2002]

Great video,thank you for sharing :)