“Medicine’s a funny business. After all, dispensing chemicals is considered mainstream and diet and nutrition is considered alternative.”
― Charles F. Glassman, Brain Drain The Breakthrough That Will Change Your Life
Not everyone diagnosed with a mental illness chooses the traditional treatment methods offered. Many people have not responded well to traditional pharmaceuticals and have chosen instead to take a more holistic approach. The holistic approach requires a certain amount of dedication and self-discipline. Having a great psych team who is supportive of a more organic approach to mental health recovery is a challenge however.
I have during this course of mental health recovery for myself and family caregiving for my son discovered many different approaches to a successful journey. I researched and watched videos and read papers and studies and came up with a very effective program for myself. My son didn’t respond well to the traditional methods of treatment and he decided he wanted to take another approach. I don’t share what exactly we use openly on social media, I have in the past, because I don’t want someone to quit taking their medication or to take the herbal supplements in addition to traditional treatment medications and wind up very ill or symptomatic.
When I decided to blog about nontraditional methods of treatment for mental health disorders I was hesitant because not many people want to hear about it and many dismiss those of us who choose to take a nontraditional route as “quacky” and many psych professionals have given me tongue lashings about them. What I understand is science takes a great deal of the natural methods and modify them, condense them into pills, and sale them to us anyway. That’s subject matter for another blog.
So I’m going to share with you a few resources so that you can research on your own and decide if a more holistic approach is possible for you. Here are SOME of the research resources I used to make a custom fit therapy for myself:
What is Alternative mental health? According to Safe Harbor: “For the past two centuries, the treatment of severe mental symptoms has been the province of that branch of medicine called psychiatry. The most common treatments psychiatry has offered in the past fifty years have been drugs and electroshock therapy.”
Inflammation & Depression - According to Science Daily: “About one third of people with depression have high levels of inflammation markers in their blood. New research indicates that persistent inflammation affects the brain in ways that are connected with stubborn symptoms of depression, such as anhedonia, the inability to experience pleasure…”
Research: How to rid the body of inflammation naturally or Supplements which treat inflammation in the body naturally. According to Scientific American, “Mental Health May Depend on Creatures in the Gut The microbiome may yield a new class of psychobiotics for the treatment of anxiety, depression and other mood disorders”
Anxiety & Gut Bacteria – According to: The Surprising Link Between Gut Bacteria And Anxiety - n recent years, neuroscientists have become increasingly interested in the idea that there may be a powerful link between the human brain and gut bacteria. And while a growing body of research has provided evidence of the brain-gut connection, most of these studies so far have been conducted on animals….
Those are just a few articles out there which can lead you to alternative methods in treating mental health disorders. You can research different types, the physiological affects of mental illness on the body and go from there. It’s all in how much are you willing to commit to having a successful and personalized journey to mental health either as a supporting family caregiver or as a mental health survivor. Information is endless you just must commit to finding out and testing out what works for you.
You or your loved one are in as much control of finding better ways to help manage mental illness as you choose to be.
May today bless us with whatever makes us successful and may God bless us real good.
I have a really good training program going on right now called “Breaking The Time Bank”which focuses on your self care and the restructuring of your caregiving day that allows for the care of your loved one and a life outside of caregiving for you. If you’re interested click here: #BreakingTheTimeBank and once you have entered your email click the “Click here after registering to purchase the "Breaking The Time Bank" modules for this course” The next training starts February 2, 2016.
La Shawn is a Mental Health Survivor & Mental Health Family Caregiver. Although her passion has always been to help those in need, Homagi began 12 years ago as a non profit for homeless women and children, she chose to use her experience as a Mental Health Family Caregiver to guide other family caregivers on their journey as they assist their loved ones on theirs. She is known for her vibrant smile, easy going personality, positive attitude, and servant spirit. Always willing to stop and listen or share an experience with others, you feel heard and appreciated. Don't let those characteristics fool you into believing she's not an advocate who will stand up, march, and make the voice of the sometimes voiceless heard. A California native, now a Houstonian she loves the beach, hiking, crocheting and woodwork. She is married to her best friend and co-pilots their blended family of 5 children and 3 granddaughters.