I am married to a mentally ill man ask me anything

amother

Fri, Apr 26 2013, 3:45 am

chani8 wrote:

I had complex PTSD, and EMDR changed my life. I also did biofeedback on breathing, another life changing tool. I use SE (somatic experience) daily. You should know about EFT. I didn't find EFT so helpful, but I've heard that some people do.

I also read a lot. I can't imagine having a diagnosis and not reading everything you can on the subject. A person with mental illness has to take their healing into their own hands. No therapist or even medication is going to do it for you. I found talk therapy to be the least effective. 12 Step support groups were the best. Self help tools, like journalling and art therapy and pets, helped me. Anger work was life changing. Cognitive Therapy is good, too, and keeps the depression away. There are great books on it (Dr Burns The Feeling Good Workbook).

Encourage your spouses to create a theraputic lifestyle and a support system.

Chani8, you wrote "encourage your spouses to create a therapeutic lifestyle and support system". Well, right now, all he is doing is taking meds (which have helped a great deal) and is in (mostly) talk therapy. I know my husband well and he would never go for most of the things that you mentioned. EFT is weird, I tried it once for something, that would be a definite no go but the other things, well, he has almost no time as it is and to add something else to his mix, I seriously do not know if he would be able to do it.
And about reading things, my husband is not a big reader, so thats not going to happen either, but thank you for all for all of these great ideas.

amother

Fri, Apr 26 2013, 3:54 am

amother wrote:

chani8 wrote:

amother wrote:

I posted a thread on this and it got deletes..sorta understand why. But it was about a product called empowerplus by truehope.com which was made for bipolar disorder and can also be for other emotional/mental disorders as well. Check it out. it is best for those who either don't respond to meds or don't like the way the meds make them feel.

The stuff that company uses would help with PTSD. But so would certain herbs. I found Valerian to work immediately and effectively. Dr Amen has done SPECT studies on Valerian and saw that it really works to heal the brain, not quite as quickly as (the right) medication, but effective nonetheless. And it has no little to no side effects.

BTW, weight lifting is also good "medication".

What exactly does that herb do? You said you saw an immediate effectiveness, in terms of what?

I also have complex PTSD and Valerian didn't do a thing for me - so different strokes for different folks. the most important thing is to find whichever medication or remedy that works for you and stick with it; no vacations for this.

amother

Fri, Apr 26 2013, 4:32 am

amother wrote:

I just wanted to add that the only side-effect that I have from my med's is extra thirst - which is certainly well worth it!

amother

Sat, Aug 02 2014, 7:25 pm

I am the OP from this thread. I just found it interesting that I started this thread almost a year and a half ago and my husband's diagnosis (and psychiatrist and therapist) have (all) changed. He was diagnosed a few months ago with having bipolar II and has had his medication changed with little difference seen by me and his therapy changed as well.
See what time can do, in anything in life?
Im hoping for some positive changes with all of these new things changed in his life. Who knows.