Dangers of Holistic Medicine

[bpchrisb]

I have a family member that's BP and she's been seeing a homeopath that's basically 'fly-by-night'. He pops into down every six weeks, dispenses his concoctions, dishes out bad advice and then hits the road again.

However, my family member has struggled with BP disorder for a very long time; the mania has been destructive. She's really had a difficult time 'finding herself' and figuring out who she really is. She has started to define herself by the mania and that's a bad thing. She doesn't like the fact that the meds kill her mania and pulls herself off of them consistently.

However, this homeopath and gotten her convinced that the manic phases are who she is and that she's 'enlightened'. He's been telling her that she exists on a higher spiritual plane and all kinds of other crap.

Now, she's really, really buying into this crap and it's definitely making things worse for her. When she gets manic, she becomes delusional and the visits with him just keep feeding into it. But, on the flip side of the coin, she was in a bad, bad depressive state when she first met him and the weird, herbal cocktails he had pulled her out of the depressive state. So, she's very adamant about sticking with this cat.

I really don't know what to do; I believe that there's a strange metaphysical side to disorder, but I learned not to try and define it. This family member will not stop seeing the guy, is buying into these delusions more and more, and that's all she focuses on. Even when she's stable (she's back on her meds), she still talks about how she's 'enlightened' and 'living in a different dimension'...

I don't know what to say to her. I have asked her to focus on finding a happy medium between Eastern and Western medicine. But, I feel like I need to jump her and tell her to get the h-ll away from this homeopath because I've seen him once, and he's a total quack; anti medication in a very passive-aggressive manner.

So, do I jump her about it and lay everything out? I can't get her to dial into anything past the metaphysical side of things and I know that she's going to pull herself off of her Lithium again if she doesn't stop seeing this homeopath.

[bpchrisb]

Well, unfortunately, it really is a mute point with her. If you argue with her about it, you'll never get to the other issues; taking your medication, seeing a therapist, monitoring moods, etc.. Now, this lunatic homeopath is definitely causing problems with respect to the other factors. But, you just can't touch them unless you avoid talking about the homeopath.

I have another BP friend that sees a homeopath that's a little bit better, but he's seeing her in combination with the rest of his treatment. He's getting better; he's finding a compromise between Western medicine, therapy, and Eastern philosophy. So, he has a grasp on everything else; he knows that all BP folks function differently than the rest of the population, that there's probably something metaphysical behind it but he's stopped trying to define it. That's the way I am; I think that there are metaphysical issues with being BP, but that that I function on a different level. NOT a higher level, but just a different one.

I'm a strange cat as is; being BP just adds to it. LOL.

[paranoid_cataclysm]

No amount of arguing will change the mind of someone who is delusional.  I just love these people who are antimedication and believe mental illnesses are just where you're letting yourself be that way due to negative thinking.. there was this guy I know who is a homeopath and tried telling me my illness too was just the way I am and was because I was letting things get to me... I hope not because I see monsters that aren't there and have a voice in my head trying to steal my soul and many other things like that when not treated correctly with medicine.

[rogelio63]

I was a naturopathic doctor( not a mail order one either) trained in homeopathy for years.  I would never attempt to take someone off their medications.  Maybe that's partly because of my perspective now.
If he's a real, board certified homeopath, he's an idiot for the liability he's racking up for himself if something happens.
By the Way,,  I don't practice anymore.
Rogelio

[bpchrisb]

I just don't know what to say to her... Like I said, I saw this homeopath and he is a friggin quack; he shouldn't be allowed to work with anyone with mental health. I mean, I can really see how someone who hasn't had success with Western Medicine could turn to this type of 'treatment'. BUT, this guy continually feeds into the delusional aspect of mania and that is just flat out dangerous.

[vsantos]

Not sure all of you got my point. But I have no problem with my husband looking for other 'types' of help as long as he takes his Meds...See it has only been 2 months since he got off the meds on his own and he is getting very Sick again!!!
    Yes, at some point all of us, Bipolar or Not must take responsibility for our own Healtha and lives. And at this point He chooses NOT to take care of himself, therefore be the father  he has always been....
  
   Love and understanding will always be part of my life with this man. For the past 10 months his family and I have done everything imaginable to make him feel 'comfortable', we gave him his space etc... but I had to ask him to leave the house because when he was Manic last year (and it took him a long 6 months to start feeling a bit better) he was extremely aggressive, Paranoid, Psychotic and twice I had to RUN out of the House with my 3 year old.

   I love him--but I am responsible for a 3 year old and for my Own mental health!

[bpchrisb]

I don't have any qualms with her seeing this fellow as long as she stays on her medication. I understand that there comes a point where you to need to look for more solutions, but those solutions need to be in conjunction with Western medicine.

I have studied a lot of metaphysical philosophy over the years and I really do find it fascinating. I have applied what I know to my current situation in an effort to find some answers outside of science. It has been helpful but I still understand and trust Western medicine. It was hard for me to do so, for a VERY long time, but I found a good combination of medications and the fact that I am stable allows me to put Eastern philosophy into a healthy context.

[adel_ezz]

i forgot to tell you another true story, in our country some quacks give you a piece a paper written on it few hazy words, and i know a servant of ours illiterate who was extremely sick and the mother told us by putting this paper under her pillow she got cured. so as you said there is a metaphysical aspect to not only bp but all the other psych illness.

still how can we get convinced, and if so who can do it for us. this is why i asked in a previous post whether any of you know another road to follow, a chinese old medicine, acapuncture, or indian say. for example st john's wort is known from ages but you said is risky


etc, etc, etc.....

[adel_ezz]

contrary to what vsantos said, although i am accepting totally my illness, yet i am desperate and eager to find another non-meds solution.

so i understand your friend bpchrisb she is not advancing, so why not. of course this doesn't mean i am encouraging to see quacks but when you are desperate you accept any idea even if they tell you need to travel to china and eat a paticular kind of ants that bread on red malaysian melons which will cure you.

for instance, both my parents are university professors and well educated and well read, yet at one point my father thought once why not i am haunted by the devil and fetched an exorcist, only that my mother was abroad once so he happened to google and understood my illness, so he laughed later at himself. so believe me "if you don't know where to go then any road will lead you there"

now coming to the difficult part, how come this woman made some progress on depression. why becauase i read that bp isn't only psychological, it's neurological, not only the meds which act but other psychological factors and the proof that CBT and therapy works. so the guy convinced her. believe me if i am convinced, really convinced that i am not ill, it will make a huge difference. unfortunately i am not

incidentally, ask her about his herbal mix !! pls

[vsantos]

Hi,

I totally understand what you are saying. Let's just say my husband is going through exactly the same situation. Diagnosed with BP last august (after trying to commit suicide).
    He did start treatment only to stop suddenly 2 months ago. But since lat August he found a 'new friend' in this woman who happens to have Boderline Personality Disorder and who is into Voodo/Spiritual Rituals crap, and though nobody (not even my husband ) is responsible for his Illness, it is for SURE this woman is damaging and confusing him even more than he already is.
    Just yesterday I found this hand written paper with some Ritual that he needs to do so he can accomplish his goals in life, really Stupid stuff like getting a Mellon, offering to the Gods at the beach and waiting while at sleep for his dead mother to speak to him!

    to answer your question , What to do? His family and i have tried everything, being Nice and trying to show/prove it to him this person is Causing Harm to him, we've tried to Tough way either you let Go of this friendship or we're done with you... Really this has been going on for 10 months at this point, even when we were able to show him once he was much better form his Manic/Psychotic episode, what this woman 'made' him do, things he would have never done before (ex:she wrote this 2-page Court Testimonial for him - he doesn't write English- accusing me of beating our 3 year old, i had to go to court and everything!).
     Trust me, nothing has helped...because my husband and your loved One are sick, confused, and because they refuse to accept their Illness and take care for themselves, they tend to look for someone who will believe/buy into their Delusion! this woman for example has become his Only friend, he is not talking or accepting help from his family at all, and none of his Real friends know anything at all!
     It's very sad, that other people take advantage of the Mentally Ill / emotionally vulnerable, but now I believe it!
       So his family and I can't do anything else at his point, he stopped taking his meds, refuses to go back (we even 'use' our daughter as a good excuse for him to be healthy --see he has been an amazing husband for 13 years and the Best Dad  ever for 3 years!) --but nothing is getting thru!
     Unfortunately, he is slowly getting sick again, and he may need to Hit Rock Bottom again to , hopefully , understand he will loose his beautiful family if he decides Not to take care of his Health! Very Sad, but it has gotten to the point that we're justing giving him tough Love (for his own sake). Just this week I told him that he needs to leave our house. If he doesn't want to be responsible for his Health and go back to being the Great Dad he has always been, then I can allow him in the house with our daughter like that anymore!
    Trust me, it was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life, I ADORE this man, but as family members, we MUST take care of our Mental and Physical Health First!

   Hope this helps!
   A very dedicated wife.