Snake Oil Part II

Why do I share this.  I share this because it’s part of my story.  It helped shape who I am today.  It started me on my path of self discovery, or maybe letting go of parts of myself that needed to be discarded.  I share this because I still have clients coming to me today that can’t get help for their complex issues because they do not fit into our present medical model of health.  I share this because I hope it may be inspiring to others...I believe there are answers if we are willing to look.  I share this because more change is needed.

We are not the sum of our individual parts! We are whole, and the body, mind, emotions and spirit all work together.  The medical model sees us like a car mechanic would a car; replace the muffler or put a new gasket on the manifold, and the problem is solved.

But is it that simple?  Is our physical body that simple?  What about when you add the emotional, mental and spiritual component?  Obviously even the physical body isn’t that simple, and though the medical community has a good understanding of how things work, we have far to go, but when you add the other components it becomes even more complex!

What does this mean, or how can this be applied?  

• Anything you do on any level will affect all other levels. Acupuncture, a more energy based therapy, affects our physical well being, but it also has an effect on our emotional and mental health. This is also true for Chiropractic, Massage, Counseling and many others.  This simply means that there are many ways to address an issue, and that all health issues need to be addressed from a more holistic approach for true healing to occur.

A simple example of this is someone presenting with a physical health issue with their colon.  The colons function is absorption of water and certain minerals, but its predominant function is elimination.  This can be addressed from a very physical perspective using laxatives, but it may also be related to other digestive issues which could benefit from Acupuncture, which can help the various organs come into greater balance and healthy function. Chiropractic on the other hand can help with nerve transmission to the digestive organs which can also be helpful.  Massage and other bodywork therapies; CranioSacral, Myofascial, etc. can of benefit by releasing restrictions in the area which can cause tension that leads to poor blood supply, muscle movement (the colon is a muscle), and poor function.  Counseling can affect mental health issues related to issues and trauma that the individual may be holding on to and hasn’t been able to “absorb/assimilate/eliminate”; this may even be related to an inability to forgive oneself with regard to past issues and relationships.

I share this with the hope that the medical community begin to listen to patients/clients and their symptoms again, knowing that our measuring instruments are still fallible. I have met many clients other than myself whose thyroid tests come out “normal”, but who have all the symptoms of Hypthyroidism.  And yet if a doctor treats a patient for thyroid issues without supporting blood work they can get into serious trouble with the board.  During my own health struggles I met many Gastroenterologists, but trained as they are no one was able to help me, until I met Dr. Rea, a Thoracic Surgeon, who ultimately performed colon surgery to resection my colon.  Why did the other doctors do nothing?  They didn’t see anything wrong on their tests.  In simple terms, I didn’t fit into their box.  They weren’t able to see the forest for the trees, and basically use “common sense”.

I share this so that others demand more from the medical community.  It is my hope that we kick insurance companies out of making medical decisions, and that we do the same to pharmaceutical companies.  It is my hope that we do what works, not what makes money.  It is my hope that we continue to integrate all areas of healthcare to get to a more comprehensive/cohesive system.

I’ve Got Bipolar

How many times do I hear that? Daily, weekly, monthly. 

Bipolar has become the new ADHD, and everyone has come down with it. Why the sudden rise in Bipolar? And finally, could this be an epidemic?

First I don’t mean to make light of Bipolar, or any other mental health disorder. My goal in writing this is to take an objective look at Bipolar and provide a better picture of this complicated diagnosis.

In the medical field there is no explanation for the sudden rise of Bipolar. However, some might say that our ability to diagnose the disorder has improved, and therefore also the number of those being diagnosed. For someone in the field of Mental Health, a Counselor like myself, the answer is not as easy.

I have had years in the medical field, more specifically the Integrative Health Field because of my own chronic health problems in the past. During that time I studied many modalities of healing, Acupuncture, Nutrition, Herbology, Massage, CranioSacral Therapy, as well as others. I found that with any illness there are multiple causes. Think of it as a wheel, with each spoke on the wheel relating to a different area or factor. These include genetics, psychological/emotional issues, stress, chemicals in our air/water/foods (silver amalgam fillings, herbicides, pesticides, silicone breast implants, etc.), vitamin/mineral/amino acid deficiencies, viruses/parasites/bacteria, structural problems (spinal misalignment especially after trauma, accidents, etc.), hormonal abnormalities (hypothyroidism, menopause, etc.), and lastly allergies (pollens, foods, etc.).

The problem any time we make a diagnosis is that it’s complicated which becomes part of the problem. Western medicine tends to want to make things simple; often just treating the symptoms. Bodies are broken down to their individual parts and then we forget about the whole. You have one doctor who treats your knee, another who treats your colon, a third your heart, a fourth your brain, etc. We have made incredible advances at treating acute problems using this model; heart transplants, brain tumors, hip replacements, the list goes on. We are not so good at treating chronic problems.

This leads to my final point. In order for a Psychiatrist to give you meds he/she has to give you a diagnosis first. Most people have times they are angry, and moody. If you are someone who has used drugs you would have experienced these and other symptoms; extreme high feelings, anxiety, insomnia, etc. Maybe you’re just overworked, and running on adrenalin all day, you can’t sleep, are irritable, moody, and have times of depression and lack of concentration.

I share these examples because all of these can be Bipolar symptoms when viewed individually, but when taken in context and seen as part of the whole picture they can all be normal reactions to life’s stressors.

What if you were exposed to chemicals at work that caused you extreme anxiety, or if you lived in a building that had a mold problem, or you had hidden food allergies that caused you to become moody. Is that Bipolar? No. What if you had been sexually abused and traumatized as a child, and now had severe mood swings, and depression. Is that Bipolar? No.

Many of these are everyday examples of people that are either diagnosed or treated for Bipolar, when other underlying factors could be the cause for their problems.

If these examples don’t meet the criteria for Bipolar, what or who does? To have a diagnosis of Bipolar, you have had to have at least one Manic Episode which includes, besides anger and mood swings, feelings of grandiosity or an inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, spending sprees, pressured speech, among other symptoms. And before you say, “that’s me”, these symptoms must last at least ONE FULL WEEK. Also being a rapid-cycler does NOT mean you go from being happy to sad a couple times a day. Rather it means you have had episodes of Mania that meet the previous criteria, as well as episodes of Depression that meet the criteria for that diagnosis, and have had 4 or more episodes in a 12 month period.

If you or someone you know meets the criteria for the Bipolar diagnosis, then I would advice treatment. If on the other hand you don’t, you may instead be suffering from Anxiety, Depression, adult ADHD, or some other health problem. Sometimes adults with ADHD look like they are in a Manic Phase, though on further evaluation, you find out they’re always like that. Other people suffer from Anxiety, either through heredity, or any number of other factors. This too may look like Mania at times. It’s important to separate out the symptoms into their individual categories, but then you have to view them within the whole picture. ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression, all can be treated with medications successfully if necessary without resorting to Bipolar medications.

If you are like many of us, either overworked, stressed, possibly harboring unresolved issues from the past, then before resorting to any medications, there are Counselors, Psychologists, Life Coaches, Fitness Trainers, Massage Therapists, Nutritionists, Chiropractors, Acupuncturists, as well as other professionals who can help you get on the right course by learning to take care of yourself. Prevention is often the best medicine in these cases, but if that’s not possible, don’t wait till it’s too late. Start taking care of yourself today.

There are also many self care techniques, tools, or modalities you can use as well, a hot bath with 2 cups of Epsom salts, a good book, a 20 minute walk, Yoga, Meditation, journaling, art, exercise, gardening. It all works; you just have to learn to take the time for yourself. What’s stopping you? What would others say if you started to take care of yourself? How would you feel if you started to take care of yourself?

If you think you have a medical condition that is contributing to your overall health or mental health problems, I would suggest seeing a doctor, or Nurse Practitioner. I have often found that NP spend more time with you then doctors, and in today’s world that can be a real plus. As I said earlier there can be many issues that cause us to feel unwell. In my time spent at a local Mental Health facility, the most common factors were structural abnormalities, caused by car accidents, and hormonal problems, most commonly hypothyroidism.