Religion, ESP, And Light Therapy For Bipolar Disorder
January 5, 2008 by Alicia Sparks, Mental Health Notes
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
From anxiety levels among religious women to testing for ESP, this Saturday Sanity is sure to teach you something new.
- Women Who Stay Religious Less Likely to Have Anxiety Disorder. I’m not a religious person, though I have found that when I’m paying more attention to God and prayer than to the physical world around me, I do tend to experience less anxiety.
- Mental toll of war hitting female servicemembers. Not your usual post-traumatic stress disorder story. Well, not the usual story I’ve discussed here.
- Two acclaimed mental health professionals have recently passed away. Dr. Edward Weinshel lost the battle with an Alzheimer’s-related illness at 88 years old, and Dr. Donald Lunde passed away with cancer at 70.
- Neuroimaging Fails To Demonstrate ESP Is Real. “Because knowledge and expectation bias brain activation, neuroimaging offers us a uniquely powerful test of subtle perceptual or cognitive processes.” And here I thought Lifetime’s America’s Psychic Challenge had it all under control.
- Bright Light Therapy Eases Bipolar Depression For Some. “People with bipolar disorder are known to be sensitive to changes in outdoor ambient light and to seasonal changes.” On a personal note, I always have been. Fortunately, the negative reactions I had were never so bad that I suspected seasonal affective disorder.
I’ve been thinking of trying light therapy for some time. I think I’ll bring it up with my psychiatrist at my next appointment.
You know, I find I tend to be in a better mood and feel better overall when I use a tanning bed. Unhealthy on so many levels, I know, but during those times (a week here, a fortnight there), my mood lingers on the upper end of the pole and I actually look forward to the time of day I climb back in the tanning bed.
My name is Laura Mitchell, and I am a Shamanic Practicioner, and a Reiki Practicioner. I have suffered from depression, and s.a.d. for many years.
Several years ago, I threw my medication out, and said “This is crap!” I was on a mission to solve these issues. I hired a good therapist that felt good to me, and it felt good intuitively.
I joined a group to gain skills on mood regulation, anger management, time management, and mindfullness.
3. Then, I kept a journal for three years on food, sleep, sun, and exercise in the winter time. I read a tremendous amount on vitimins, and minerals that are present in food. I have cut out all process foods, including fast food. I eat organic, and local. The freshest the better. You are what you eat, period!
4. I listened to my intuition, and listened to the food that went into me.
What I found is that I eat salmon at least once a week, if not twice a week. Fish oil pills also work.
I eat a ton of citrus, and eat greens, and make homemade soup once a week. This is what makes my body tick, but every one is different.
5. A light therapy box, or lighting is essential. It doesn’t give me any extra energy, but regulates my bio-rythmns to sleep when I am suppose to sleep, and get up when I am suppose to get up. I do not steer from my work schedule routine, and my weekend schedule. I do not sleep in.
My eyes, and my body feels like tar inside, and craves to see bright things. This is when I know I need sunlight, or light therapy.
6. GET OUTSIDE AND EXERCISE!!!!!! OUT OF EVERYTHING, SHUT THIS COMPUTER OFF AND GO OUTSIDE! People complain about winter, and being cold. Buy a good north face, waterproof,gortex, wind proof coat, and go outside. Ice skate like you did as a kid, go sleeding, shovel your own drive, ski, walk, sit and listen to the winter stillness. IT WILL MAKE THE SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER GO AWAY!
7. Listen to your heart, and body. Your head will go into overdirive, so leave that out. Listen to your heart and body, and it will tell you what to do that is healthy for you!
This has been a journey of 19 years for me, and found relief about six years ago.
My you find your own cure to s.a.d.
@ Laua – Thanks so much for sharing your experience and the things that have worked for you. I hope someone reading will find them beneficial, and I’m glad you’ve found some solutions and relief!