The 4 WORST "Mood Stabilizers" for BIPOLAR DISORDER! 

QUICK NOTE ABOUT CAFFEINE: I personally enjoy a coffee every morning. I love it. It's all about balance though... If I start consuming caffeine pills and energy drinks - just to get through life, that's where it becomes a problem. If it starts to impact my precious sleep, that's a problem too. We all have to find our own personal balance and for me, a cup of coffee in the morning is a must lol. Stay well Warriors

The only thing I ever found to bring normalcy to my life is lamotragine. No side effects, no outbursts, no more terrible decisions

Alcohol had ruined my life, pre-diagnose. It literally didn't feel right being sober. And the things I would do while drunk are embarrassing, yet I preferred it over feeling depressed. I lived like that for almost five years, until one night I peaked into Psychosis. Possibly the scariest moment in my life, I was delirious and out of touch with reality. I ran away and disappeared for a day from everybody! Ever since those experiences I have been sober, 145 days now to be exact. Although sometimes I am very tempted for a drink or two, I try to avoid it at all cost because I too have an addictive personality. We can do this!! We are much stronger than our temptations, you guys! We are warriors! :)

Agree,totally,alcohol was a destructive pause for near enough 45 years for me. A day at a time I've been sober for over 3 years.

I was waiting for alcohol, that's something I have and still use to "level me out". Alcohol has done nothing but cause harm.

I used methamphetamine and pot addiction finally i am 10 months clean with no treatment just jesusam now a year

I just came out of the psych ward super manic, ruined a great relationship with someone who loved me (there is zero chance of getting them back) and I am just hanging on. Thank you for making these videos. I’m so glad I found your channel way back when I did.

Great refresher topic. Chasing the mania is an "addiction".

I swear sometimes we have lived the same life. Thank you so much for you’re courageous, honest look at our illness. We are a tough bunch, we can overcome and thrive. Everyone, please be kind to yourself.

Over time I've found out by trial and error and more trial and error that I need to avoid: Caffeine Energy drinks of any sort Alcohol Stevia Certain preservative found in biscuits and cakes. Dried fruit Dried meat Anything with a lot of food colouring. Grapefruit Of all of these the worst is definitely stevia. Which I found out when I tried eating diet food to manage weight gain. No one talks about it. But in 10min I become very strange. I've also found my mood is much more stable if I don't eat junk food. It's been more than 2 years since I've had McDonald's, Hungry Jacks, Dominoes, KFC. Sometimes I'll have Nandos or Salsas. Mostly I've found it's just a better idea to cook at home. Then I know exactly what I put into my food and if something effects me it's easier to narrow down what it might be.

Im one of those who swear by marijuana. I've struggled with all kinds of adictions to other substances, and still struggle with binge eating. But marijuana is like medicine for me. Im "fine" without it, but definetely much better with, even after using it for 18 years. And it keeps my weight off when I binge. Bingeing during a "clean" period will always show on the scale for me. But it's like meds, what works for one person doesn't neccessarily work for another. Good video as always Rob! 🖤🤍

WOW. I have yet to come across a video that has had so much breakthrough and explained so much in one video. I thank you for letting yourself be vulnerable enough to share your story and help so many with understanding symptoms,medication side effects,getting through "episodes" etc.... I wish you all the best!

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge in such an accessible and human way. I hope you know the beautiful impact this has had on so many people and on me personally. From Brazil, obrigada and wish you the best. 💜

Before I was diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder I had a serious reliance on energy drinks. I didn’t know that for years I was plunging myself into hypomania with the caffeine.

Thank you so much for sharing these videos. I was diagnosed just over 2 years ago and it has been one insane journey ever since. I feel hope and certainty that things will keep getting better and that I won't always suffer. Kind regards and keep at it! Many thanks, again!

All so relatable as a B2 polar warrior, thank you! I have watched most of your videos and think this is one of your best, it needs more views :)

Always interesting and your community gives me so much strength. Thank you once again x

Thank you for these videos. I can’t tell you how much comfort I’ve gotten from knowing I’m not alone. I’ve learned a lot too. You are warm, caring, real and open and I appreciate you for that. ❤️

Thank you for your sharing it has helped me so much to understand my beautiful friend that I had to let go because I couldn't handle his abuse..... I held space for him through his delusions and unfortunate hospital stay & I took him in when no one else would..... now I have had to let him go and I am so sad and missing him but I am protecting my mental health at this point and praying he will find his way somehow. You are amazing! Sending good energy your way!

I found your channel by accident and I’m very glad I did. I am extremely impressed with the high quality of information you present and it’s obvious that you are dedicated to research and to carefully relating anecdotal information from both your viewers and your own life. You delivery is personable and appealing, especially since you eschew claiming expertise and support people in making the best decisions in their choices for recovery. I will definitely recommend your channel to others. I don’t know if you are familiar with the work of certified peer specialists or CPSs , but we are people who are willing to self identify as having received a mental health diagnosis and work with others who have experienced similar problems in supporting their recovery. Thank you for your excellent work.

Wow, thank you so much for this video. Between the ages of 18-24 my life was a blur of reckless decisions & I rarely went a day without abusing xanax, adhd meds, alcohol & cocaine. They made my symptoms 100x worse; I'd be sobbing on bathroom floors around the world, waking up in strangers' apartments and basically a mess. They were all bandaids for my deeper issues. I am 25 now & was diagnosed bp2 a few months ago, on a low dose of lamotrigine and not using any crutches. Alcohol was the hardest to release, but reading the book "This Naked Mind" really helped. Now to turn my life around and face everything head on lol... Very glad I found this channel.

I was misdiagnosed with Unipolar Major Depressive Disorder in 1989. After years of trying various antidepressants, I was labeled medication-resistant. I also developed severe anxiety including panic attacks and night terrors. I was prescribed Klonopin which made me sleep 20 hours a day. I was then put on Ativan. It wasn't unit 2007 after a suicide attempt, with yep a whole bottle of Ativan that I was properly diagnosed as Bipolar II. The psychiatrist I had to see before I could be released from the hospital talked to me for about two hours and then said my problem was I had untreated Bipolar II. He started me on Lamictal. The signs were there. I had had a number of, at the time unrecognized hypomanic epsidoes, especially when I was put on a new antidepressant. My depressions were very deep, long-lasting, almost always accompanied by suicidal ideation and regularly occurring and I was on Welbutrin, which was the only antidepressant that worked. The mood stabilizers worked, but I was still on Ativan for what was then diagnosed as GAD. As an side at that time, I was also on hydrocodone for my knees. I never had a problem with it except it made my nose itch which caused me to scratch it at inopportune moments. I have since gone to injections and a prescription anti-inflammatory cream and will be getting them replaced. When I quit them I had no issues. Ativan on the other hand was my "special friend". Unfortunately, that psychiatrist passed away of a heart attack three months into my treatment. I couldn't find another one in the area that would take me and my insurance, so for a number of years, I stayed on the same meds managed by my primary care physician. It has only been in the last 4 years that I have found a great psychiatrist and a therapist I liked. The first thing she did after I gave her my history was to give me the Adverse Childhood Experience test after which she changed my diagnose from GAD to PTSD. Then she did something I really hated. She took me off all benzos and blacklisted me with the local pharmacies. Instead, she put me on Seroquel, which was not the same at all. I'm fairly stable now, though I am a fast cycler. Therapy has helped me recognize my triggers and also deal with the guilt I felt for the rages I was in when I went hypomanic. Fours years on I still miss the Ativan. When you have a severe anxiety attack you will do almost anything to make it go away and it was so easy to just pop an Ativan and ten minutes later feel sweet relief. That is the psychological addiction.

I hope every Bipolar Warrior discovers your channel! I've done a lot of my own research, but your explanations in these videos, tops all of that. Thank You.

I’m just here to support a family member with mental illness. Thanks for your hard work on this channel and all the best to those suffering. I hear you and see you.

Thank you so much for this video. I love your channel. Your amazing. Stay strong polar warriors. I’ve been through all 4 of these situations

I am so grateful that you have this channel. I feel kinda normal when I listen to you. Thank you

Just now discovered your video's. I've been shocked to discover that I relate/recognize every symptom, in every video I watched.. I often entertain the thought that I'm not rêallý bipolar.. I cant stop watching, you've given me so much information and good advice. Its nice to hear someone speak about bipolar with some positivity. Thank you

Your videos are so helpful it is unbelievable. I can relate to most to almost all your points. Done all of them in the past and did not even know it.

So glad I came across your channel. I went from blanked out mania to feeling dead and lifeless. Drinking energy drinks for weeks just to get me through the early starts at work then rewarding myself on a day off with an alcohol binge. Then bang! Hell broke loose. The following day I had no recollection of what happened because it all felt so fast.

Hi Rob, Thanks for addressing this topic. It is timely. Exercise and just being outdoors are the best mood stabilizers for me. Especially since food (SUGAR) is not helping. To everyone in the Warrior community, take care of yourselves.

Love your channel; I belong to a Clubhouse w/primarily bipolar clientele & I have shared your channel in our newsletter. Keep up the good work!

Hey, I just wanted to say, although I'm choosing the unpreferred and very unfavorable unmedicated life for my bipolar disorder, and probably especially because of so, your videos are very helpful. There's not a lot of people who can understand, and you do not only a good job of understanding, but also of explaining and giving insight on a lot of topics and issues, and a good job of explaining the damages, causes, effects, etc. I just wanted to thank you for taking the time out of your days to do this. I know it gets hard sometimes, and even if you start one of these videos, following through with making them is very difficult. I struggle with bipolar disorder, and my dad chose the medicated route after reaching his prime and the consequences becoming too much, and I think with the abilities I have, combined with the knowledge of those who have suffered and my own, I can do this. You've given me the confidence to drive my life in the right direction, so thank you very much. You've also given some of my loved ones the insight they ended up needing.

Regarding Cannabis, ive noticed - Sativas will definitely push you into a manic state, avoid at all costs. Indicas will snap you out of a manic or depressive episode almost instantaneously, but sometimes makes it worse the next morning once worn off. I find mixing a good old school Indica 50/50 with a quality CBD flower is the best cannabis combo for my BPD, but still needs to be used in moderation.

Thanks Robert! I always enjoy your videos. Honestly, I've learned much more about my own bipolar and taken it much more seriously since finding your channel a year or so ago. I'm not a fan of medicating at all, especially with pills- uppers, downers, Tylenol, anti seizure, antidepressants, antibiotics.... I just hate swallowing pills in general. That's part of the reason I've been on and off meds over the years. Personally, I found marijuana to be relaxing in small amounts but a little more sent me into anxiety attacks. So I avoid it altogether. The last time I went into psychosis, I wasn't on anything at all. I was driving in a Walmart parking lot and crashed into one those little yellow poles. It's made of concrete and covered with a hard plastic type material, and I bent it. It was brand new at the time too- less than a week old. Destroyed the front end of my car because concrete will do that. Lol! Anyway, I hope you're doing well, kind friend. Thank you again so much for putting so much time and effort into every video you make. I know there are many hours of behind the scenes stuff to make these videos the quality that they are..... Take care!!! 🤗🤗🤗

Thank you so much Polar Warrior-creator for your amazing channel because you’ve been an inspiration and support through this whole process of learning more about my bipolar condition and for making me feel I’m not alone in the world going thru this illness. Truly appreciate your channel and again thank you so much for it!

As always I am so very grateful for you and your work. Thank you for another informative video 🥰🙏🏼💕

I definitely agree with caffeine. As I get older, I find that I’m becoming more sensitive to it.

232 Days Sober today. "I actually believed a little bit of alcohol was part of my wellness program and how I maintained stability. Alcohol is like this crazy trap that starts to trigger the same major symptoms that I was trying to escape from in the first place. Alcohol and bipolar have a strange relationship." Couldn't agree with you more, Rob. Since March 2nd, I haven't been on much of a high and I haven't been nearly as impulsive... Yes, I experience a lot more lows but as you say, it takes a while for the body to recover and reproduce dopamine again. Thanks Rob, Cheers

You clean up well for someone that has been on a bipolar roller coaster. I am female and am only alive by the grace of God. Bipolar was such a wrecking ball when I was younger. Thank you for sharing your info. Where was all this help in the 80's when I unable to stop myself from ruining my own life...

This is so right on!! I really hate pot because what it does to my loved one who suffers from BP1

I adore this channel ❤ theres always new information everytime. Ha, I was prescribed Adderall twice daily from childhood for over 10 years. That explains a lot about my manic and depressive episodes and experiences.

Marijuana was my "mood stabilizer" of choice for two decades (I wasn't diagnosed at the time). It was more addictive for me than alcohol and I stopped smoking it about 15 years ago. You really should do a video on marijuana going over both sides of the argument. If someone is self-prescribing it, I don't see it as any different than using street drugs, abusing prescription drugs or drinking. Honestly, due to the lack of peer-reviewed studies on marijuana and the amount of other drugs that have been studied extensively, I think prescribing the latter makes much more sense.

Thank you for making these.. since I was 18 I felt alone with my bipolar 2, but when I found your videos a couple of months ago, I don’t feel alone anymore . Thank you 🙏🏼 😊

Thank for sharing I don't know if I am bipolar or not but watching your videos gives me direction for improvement

I stay away from everything you mentioned here. I have never had an addiction of any kind and never want to have one. When I broke my ankle I refused to be on any controlled substance. I am absolutely terrified of having an addiction and losing control. I have enough trouble controlling my bipolar.

I’ve got a fantastic psychiatrist that helped me beat alcohol and benzo abuse (I should have died from what I was doing). He’s really helped me minimize my caffeine abuse. Now I just drink my 2 mugs of weak coffee before 9 in the mornings. No other caffeine the rest of the day. Been going strong 5 years!

While doing research on bipolar disorder I found your channel I’ve suspected that I myself also has bipolar watching your videos helped me be able to cope and understand what I was feeling I was diagnosed with bipolar Sunday and I feel like you helped me accept that and I feel calm and okay with myself now

Always good information Rob you tell things honestly wish some counsellor were the same

I really like you your voice calms me I like you have used uppers alot and your right about them when I think About it the reason I tend to use drugs is that when im low Im really in that much despair i just want relief from the the crippling negativity I feel I feel like im the worst most inept and useless person in the world that everyone is so much better Than me I feel inferior to all walks of life. the problem in uk is that alot of so called experts dont believe in duel diagnoses I remember a time when they even stopped alot of nurses who speacilised in that Mine was stopped out the blue I truly believe you are more advanced in america in these arears I have Got a Better understanding of my own bipolar listening to you than any consultant or cpn that I have met and ive seen alot in 21 years you have a great insight respect to you my man

Two years ago I overdosed on klonopin. I didn’t take enough because I’m still here. I stopped taking it after that the hospital gave me Ativan but my psychiatrist didn’t like that. I was surprised that not taking klonopin the world was less foggy. I have been Manic lately so she upped my medication so life has been hard. Tired and no motivation. But at least I’m not on my spending spree. I had ordered a PlayStation 5 that I could of lived without but it gave me such a rush. Thanks for your videos they really do help.

I just found your channel today and I don’t want to self diagnose and I understand that I should see a professional, but I’ve never experienced these feelings of isolation and distrust before in my entire life. I’m 21 as of last January and I just burned so many bridges upon impulse and I am starting to self harm and do damage to myself upon instinct while under the influence. I also can’t seem to remember what certain people sound or act like, and reaching out and apologizing just sounds out of the question. Again, I am not self diagnosing but I’ve noticed some dangerous trends in my behavior and personality. These videos help me ground myself and hope for a happier future. Whether I have anything or not, I don’t think it’d be possible to cope without your advice and honesty. I sincerely appreciate your openness and generosity. It means the world to me, and to people who are suffering. Thank you! :)

Coca- Cola is my major weakness.....I'm STILL in a struggle with it at times. -cries - I wish I had a person to live with me around my parents....but things have been kinda ok lately since I have a puppy to interact with.

So glad I found this. I am an alcoholic and opiate abuser. I’m 45 and could have probably used the diagnosis when I was a teen. I have destroyed my life and others. I have been on antidepressants since I left rehab in March of this year. Doctor and drug counselor both agreed to a bipolar 1 diagnosis. He took away my celexa 40mg kept me on Wellbutrin extended release and started me on Lamotrgine 25 mg to work up to 100 in a month. Thank you so much for your educational videos. When I get back on my feet financially I will support this channel in that manner. Thanks again god bless.

Excellent public service video. This RN appreciates your commitment to sharing nonjudgmental and life-saving information. I am grateful 🙏🏼

Great topic/vid. You do excellent work on our behalf.

This rings so true for me, wow! I have been through it all. Scary stuff!

Sober one year thank you for your videos need to quit caffeine now

Thank you Sir for all you do. I agree with the lists. Very accurate and thanks again 👍

I've got a terribly addictive personality.Black-out drinking for a lot of my life. Stress and hypo-mania led me to buying a bottle of wine yesterday,thankfully with the support of a friend ,I poured it down the sink.I'm having the house decorated and it is stressing me out. Today I just want to go back to bed with a sandwich,a cup of tea and a book.There is loads I should be doing but the thought of it is nearly bringing on tears. Thanks Rob,you are a God -send,though.I know this will pass.

God dang man ur vids saved my life and helped me get a diagnosis

Oh my gosh! Food! I have celiac disease and now I'm having issues with nightshade foods. Tomatoes are in that category. So being a junk food junkie and having to find gluten free junk was (( still is) quite a task. Then trying to eat healthy, I run into the nightshade issue! I feel like I can't win for losing. Great topic.

Thanks for the videos I find them so informative and helpful. Meds don’t work for me very much and finally got ECT treatments with really helped my depression.

I've heard about your channel and came to look at a video before I go back to bed. Thank you for the information. I think watching some of these or all of them with my husband will be a great idea. I'm the one that has Bipolar Disorder by the way.

I can’t believe Benzos are on here. Benzos are the only drugs that made me feel like everything was gonna be okay. They only time I was able to just relax and not have a stress in mind was on Benzos.🖤

Years ago, I was prescribed clonazepam like it was candy. My doctor told me it was not habit forming or addictive. Yet, she kept increasing my dose when it didn’t work as well. It turns out that she did that to a lot of people and I tapered off with my (new) psychiatrist’s support and my desire to not live in a fog anymore. The original doctor isn’t a doctor anymore, I don’t take benzodiazepines anymore, and I feel like I have my life back.

Love your videos! Very important info. Thank you so much 💕

Great information. 😊 I had to stop drinking in my mid 40's I started having blackouts and no hangover, a serious problem for men in my family. I wasnt diagnosed in my 20's - 54, so i finally understood all of those decades I was self medicating. Marijuana actually scared me because I could hear voices and see shadow people the 3 times I did it, understand now it was psychosis.

Taking lamictal (a UK brand name for lamotrigine) for epilepsy as well - it really does seem to help. This channel is awesome

I've been using hemp oil and the difference is like night and day. My head that can be a chaotic whirl of layers that cloud it but a drop of hemp oil instantly changes my mood. It's like a storm clearing up

Hi Robert congratulations for all your informative and useful videos for the people with bipolar disorder all these years.I had posted my own comment a few months ago about my best friend in upstate New York.I had been away from him I live in Athens Greece but I was talking to him every day via Skype though.He had suffered a lot the last two years but since 2019 he had been under full blown mania with psychosis.There were a few mixed episodes too.He had been off meds but I wasn't sure if he was taking even wrong meds.I wasn't there the last months to check it out.You mentioned in your video the 4 worst ''mood stabilizers'' and you are right.My best friend wasn't drinking or smoking during his life.Unfortunately the last June,2020 he left the place he was living, he went to a liquor store and bought a bottle of alcohol.The store's cameras captured him that day.He didn't have even his cellphone with him.The Police and his siblings were looking for him for the next 20 days.Unfortunately he was found dead with the bottle next to him at the bank of the river.It was a real tragedy!He knew how to end his life since he had never drank before.It was a devastating situation for me.I lost my dearest best friend. I've learned and watched a lot about bipolar disorder due to my best friend suffering[Bipolar1] but I hate it so much!He was ''thirsty'' to live a normal life as everyone but he never made it.I feel dead myself and I will never get over it. I needed to see a psychiatrist too after this tragedy.I loved and love him forever!God bless you all!Thank you.

Here because I need this. Thank you. I am trying one day at a time. One long walk at a time. These videos are very helpful. Thank you for the information. Working on creating new neurons. Sadly I have had some really nasty lessons also.

I've also abused everything mentioned. Somehow though I've never been addicted. The only thing I'm addicted to is food. The meds definitely triggered an ED. I've got a video on that not sure if you saw it. Anyway, great job as always Rob! 💜💜💜

Alcohol and benzos made a mess out of me. I never experienced as much pain and suffering as I did quitting benzos. Was a nightmare that seemed to never end.

I just want you to know I have watched you since you started and your channel is the best. I shared your channel with my subscribers.

Thank you for your channel your videos help me lots I'm 48 and struggle every day I'm also a selfharm cutter your videos bring me hope thank you look forward to more new videos god bless

I'd love to see a collaboration between this channel and Lauren from the Living Well with Schizophrenia channel. Would bring lots more subscribers to both channels and raise even more awareness to mental health issues.

I can identify with Xanax and pot. For me they both help and give me relief. I have an anxiety disorder and they really do help but it's not for everyone. I do appreciate the info on the two.

Very good again, and I like your calm delivery.

This has been such a blessing for me. Thank you.

Diagnosed with Bipolar II and doing OK on meds, eating right, and exercising. I can wholeheartedly agree with the ill effects of the substances on this list. I have bad days all the time but I am now able to recognize them for what they are and don't feel like everything is a vortex of doom and dread. I am navigating and avoiding the iceberg tips on the ocean of life as opposed to being rock bottom and stuck in an underwater icy corridor with no way out. I remember, despite taking several of the stuff on this list, denying that they were affecting me negatively and blaming it solely on my depression and my terrible life. I was eventually prescribed medication and even though the meds were of great help for my mood, the tired feeling I felt never went away. I gained considerable weight while taking the medication too and realized that I was beginning to put on more weight than I had at any point in my life so I REFUSED to let the weight continue creep on me to the point that I would one day be 100 lbs heavier than I should. This bothered me mainly because I personally did not want to look at myself and wish I was thin again. I started to exercise daily and picked up running which has now become a passion that I hope to continue doing. I quit smoking ("light smoker" 2-3 cigs a day for 10 years) cold turkey to improve the health of my lungs and dedicate myself to this new and enjoyable hobby. The exercise boosted my energy levels and that was the unexpected side effect which opened my eyes as to why I felt so crumby physically (I would stay in my house for days at a time depressed and denied this aggravated how I felt because I was "comfortable"). After doing the exercise and running for about a month, I realized that I wasn't making progress in terms of weight loss, the issue that prompted me to start exercising. I looked into my diet and there I realized the problem: I was a stress eater and had a high fat diet and was also eating a bunch of junk much to often. I decided to change my diet, eat healthier, and started counting my calories and I've been dropping about a pound or two off my weight weekly since. I'm writing this in total agreement of this video. Avoiding these substances and including exercise, diet, and going outdoors are a huge help. BEWARE the stuff on this list because it can throw off your mood severely either right away or gradually to the point you don't know where the bulk of your bipolar episodes are stemming from or you just deny it like I did. It got to where I was admitted to a hospital for my mental health and I remember telling one of the doctors there that I would never feel happy to be alive like a normal person and that I would never get better. I remember whole heartedly believing it and being mad at how she smiled thinking she was right telling me otherwise. It amazes me that I was so wrong about something I truly believed at the time, especially considering how much I rely on my feelings and trust them. The doctor told me it was my illness convincing me that so I scoffed like it was some cliche bs and told her how wrong she was about me. Fast forward today and I'm glad I'm not a betting man because she was right.

I love coffee. I couldnt imagine not having it. I DO drink wine and while I take long breaks from it, when I drink it, I notice my symptoms increase. I will have to stop having that glass of wine, but coffee? I can't stand caffeine free, so hopefully coffee won't be something that causes issues. Thank you for your videos. I appreciate and learn so much about myself, this disorder and how to deal with it from them.

This guy is spot on! I'm 47 and I'll tell ya it's nice having people talking tge truth like this. Pay attention folks.

Great video!! Makes it easy to understand the do's and dont's for bi-polar people. Thank you!!

Really surprised nicotine didn't make the list

Hola como estas Amigo my name is Sonia and in me mid 30s i was diagnosed with Bipolar and Believe me it's been a struggles accepting me with that diagnosis. I live in NYC and a few years ago people with this condition was doing bad things in the community that it was on the news every week and i felt embarrassed by having to be label with the Bipolar later understood that each of us are unique and society can not blame all of us for a few of People with the same condition doing bad stuff. Anyway thanks so much for helping us. And as you can see i called it Bipolar Condition or Bipolar Mental Health Condition cause I'm not confortable with the Word Disorder.

We are honored by learning from your Channel! Thank you. 🌻

I'm so glad this video came by me a second time. I heard it all the first time around but didn't take on the points that apply to me personally. Maybe it's because I'm only three days out from my latest hospital stay that I can finally be honest to myself above all. Thank you for presenting this vital information in such a compassionate way 🙏

“fresh hell” LOL yup, like things weren’t bad enough already, stir in a little FRESH HELL

Sometimes I feel that there are times my son just chases all the vices of life like alcohol beer coffee etc. Marijuana can be totally negative for some bipolars but they can be extremely stubborn and refuse to see that even when they have proof that it's bad for them!!!!!

I do hope you shine perspective on the topic of marijuana. I'm grateful that you attacked the topics in this video overall. Thanks a million for your heart and transparency.

Once again excellent. Please do make the one on nutrition as soon as you can. Thank you.

My husband has bipolar disorder. Marijuana brought on psychosis , but with the right strain (heavy indica) it’s been a lifesaver.

Quick note about the benzo‘s. He says they are almost like alcohol in pills. When I was in Shepherd Hill rehab they told us that Benzos breakdown in your body into the same chemicals as alcohol breaks down and it is in fact alcohol in a pill

Just discovered your channel and appreciate the insights discovered so far...I too am type 1 and share a similar story. Diagnosed at age 21. Sobriety has made the greatest impact on life. Living with bi-polar is a challenge but by finding a level of acceptance around this I now try and explore my creative endeavours and find nature very helpful. I am 55 and would appreciate learning more about bi-polar as it relates to aging and getting older. Any insights there? Keep up the good work

Thank you so much for your vidoes. I'm glad I found this channel. Can you please add some visuals to future vidoes so its easier to follow

I take Ativan as an as needed med for both my bipolar and anxiety (though honestly it does almost nothing for my anxiety... Great for bipolar crisis though) and I refuse to let myself take it unless I literally feel like I'm dying. Even if I'm in a really bad crisis I still won't take it because I'm scared of the dependence it can bring. I don't go anywhere near it without the permission of my parents either lol It's definitely a last resort... I tend to either put on some headphones with some white noise, meditate, lay down snuggled up in my bed with my eyes closed thinking either about nothing or daydreaming about pleasant things, force myself to shove my nose into a book (read lol), take a short nap, take a shower, ride my bike, or get in touch with a friend instead.

I've tried all mood stabilizers and all of them have made me sick, lithium was one of the worst I hallucinated when I was only around half where I needed to be. I resent ever being put on benzos, no one ever said there was a chance of getting hooked so long as I took them normally. I took them normally and when time came to get off them I had such bad withdrawals they had to put me on something else. I'm currently addicted to caffeine, and still take benzos just to stay from freaking out. I'm in that stage where I wonder if I even have bipolar or if its ADD ?

I can only tell that I have been through hell my entire life... I found out that I was bipolar 5 years or so, but only when I read about it ( just on the web by searching information!!) I got the all instantly, saying to myself "that's why I did and act like a maniac for ever!! Last "insane" thing I did was to blindly trust a "friend" into business and like Robert says (can be avoided!) I almost lost a big amount of money.... no matter I have quite solved the disaster and listening to this video I wish to thank Robert for his most precious advices!!

Thanks for your very sensible and constructive videos.

In the uppers you mentioned coffe, and I am on a down “episode” if you can called like that, I am starting to get to know my bipolar better now, so is it ok to have coffee in the morning? It is so hard for me to get up and going this last two weeks that the coffee is what helps me to get up. Thanks for your videos it has been helping me a lot to get to know my condition.