Bipolar disorder was formerly known as manic depression. It is a mental health condition that is characterized by extreme mood shifts.
Significant symptoms of bipolar disorder include:
- Episodes of low mood or depression
- Episodes of mania (elevated mood)
Bipolar disorder is quite common. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, at least 2.8 percent of American adults (the equivalent of 5 million people) have bipolar diagnoses.
Although there’s no cure for bipolar disorder, many effective treatments are available. With these treatments, you’ll be able to improve your symptoms and quality of life overall.
OCD, on the other hand, is an acronym for obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is a condition that features a pattern of fears (obsessions) and unwanted thoughts that causes you to engage in repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Compulsions and obsessions interfere with your activities of daily living, resulting in significant distress.
There are two main symptoms of OCD — obsessions and compulsions. Most OCD individuals experience both symptoms, but some people may experience only one of either symptom.
These symptoms aren’t just short-lived or fleeting. Mild symptoms may last over an hour and significantly affect your daily activities.
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The current treatments for bipolar disorder and OCD
Several treatments are currently being used to manage bipolar disorder and OCD.
Current treatments for bipolar disorder include counseling, medications, and lifestyle changes. Drugs currently in use for this condition include:
- Mood stabilizers like lithium (Lithobid)
- Antipsychotics like Zyprexa (olanzapine)
- Antidepressant antipsychotics like Symbyax (fluoxetine-olanzapine)
- Benzodiazepines a short-term anti-anxiety medications.
Current treatment for OCD involves connecting with a therapist that is experienced in the treatment of OCD. Most conventional treatments for OCD include both medication and psychotherapy.
Some psychotropic medications can be used to reduce OCD symptoms. For example, your psychiatrist or any other clinician might prescribe any or some of the following drugs:
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like sertraline and fluoxetine (Prozac and Zoloft, respectively).
- Clomipramine (a tricyclic antidepressant). Most clinicians may not prescribe it as a first-line treatment.
- Antipsychotics such as risperidone or aripiprazole may be recommended to enhance the effects of SSRIs.
- Your healthcare provider may also recommend memantine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, which can enhance SSRIs’ effects.
The effects of SSRIs take between 8 to 12 weeks to manifest, so you’ll have to take your medication continuously as directed, even if there’s no noticeable improvement at first.
Some people may experience side effects, so you’ll want to inform your care team about any unwanted symptoms while taking your medication. If the side effects exceed the benefits, your psychiatrist will most likely recommend a second treatment approach.
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What you’ve not been told about bipolar disorder and OCD
Many people need the missing information that your friendly gut flora makes a tremendous amount of neurotransmitters. So, if you have problems with your gut, then you must work on that because there’s a possibility that the microbiomes are not making enough neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters include:
- Serotonin
- Norepinephrine
- Dopamine
The implication is that people with bipolar disorder have a much higher incidence of gut inflammation than people that don’t have that condition. So, there is a link between your gut and your risk of bipolar disorder and OCD.
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So, what’s the best natural protocol for bipolar disorder and OCD?
First of all, you have to fix any underlying gut issues. You can do this by consuming fermented foods with prebiotics and probiotics. Probiotics can help restore the balance of friendly gut bacteria and may even help eliminate some digestive problems (1).
Go on a low-carb ketogenic diet. Keto is known to be beneficial for people with gut problems. For example, a study involving 13 people on a low-carb diet found that the diet improved multiple symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. This disorder causes stomach cramps, diarrhea, and gas (2).
Examples of keto-friendly foods for gut health include:
- Leafy greens like spinach, arugula, kale, and cabbage.
- Avocados
- Coconut oil
- Kimchi
- Butter
Take a high-quality triglyceride form of omega-3 fish oil. Cod liver oil is great because it contains vitamin A, D, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Take B vitamins. B1 and folate are essential. Nutritional yeast is also a rich source of B vitamins.
Cut out grain oils, sugars, and grains from your diet. It is essential to support the friendly microbes in the gut and remove things from the diet that cause inflammation.
A couple of additional options include:
- Niacin
- Glycine
- Hyperforin
- N-acetyl cysteine
- Lithium orotate
Takeaway
It’s always best to be open with your care team about what works and doesn’t. If something doesn’t help or makes you feel even worse, don’t hold back from letting them know. Your mental health matters and your care team should always support you in finding the most helpful approach.
A little self-compassion can go a long way, too. Remember that bipolar disorder, like any other mental health condition, didn’t happen by choice. It’s not caused by anything you did or didn’t do.
It’s OK (and pretty standard) to feel frustrated when treatment doesn’t seem to work. Try to have patience and treat yourself kindly as you explore new approaches. Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions.
Disclaimer: Dr. Berner does not diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical diseases or conditions; instead, he analyzes and corrects the structure of his patients with Foundational Correction to improve their overall quality of life. He works with their physicians, who regulate their medications. This blog post is not designed to provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment, or services to you or any other individual. The information provided in this post or through linkages to other sites is not a substitute for medical or professional care. You should not use the information in place of a visit, consultation, or the advice of your physician or another healthcare provider. Foundation Chiropractic and Dr. Brett Berner are not liable or responsible for any advice, the course of treatment, diagnosis, or any other information, services, or product you obtain through this article or others.
