Question:
I have been diagnosed with ADD for approximately 8 years, but I have been concerned that it may have turned into bipolar disorder, on and off. I intend on getting assessed soon, but i am wondering if it is possible that ADD may have become Bipolar. Also i refuse to take any form of medication. Not even for headaches. I go to a homeopathic doctor rather than a GP. I wonder if i can deal with Bipolar disorder without taking meds. Have you heard of any success with natural remedies, or supplements.
- Dr. Dombeck responds to questions about psychotherapy and mental health problems, from the perspective of his training in clinical psychology.
- Dr. Dombeck intends his responses to provide general educational information to the readership of this website; answers should not be understood to be specific advice intended for any particular individual(s).
- Questions submitted to this column are not guaranteed to receive responses.
- No correspondence takes place.
- No ongoing relationship of any sort (including but not limited to any form of professional relationship) is implied or offered by Dr. Dombeck to people submitting questions.
- Dr. Dombeck, Mental Help Net and CenterSite, LLC make no warranties, express or implied, about the information presented in this column. Dr. Dombeck and Mental Help Net disclaim any and all merchantability or warranty of fitness for a particular purpose or liability in connection with the use or misuse of this service.
- Always consult with your psychotherapist, physician, or psychiatrist first before changing any aspect of your treatment regimen. Do not stop your medication or change the dose of your medication without first consulting with your physician.
Answer:
To the best of my knowledge it is absolutely impossible for ADD to turn into Bipolar Disorder. These are just two completely separate illnesses/conditions. I can understand your reluctance to take medication, but have to strongly disagree with it. If you are truly ill with Bipolar Disorder, there isn’t going to be a homeopathic remedy that will help. You’ll want to consult with a conventional psychiatrist to design a medication regime designed for bipolar illness as your best bet for being symptom free. And the stakes are not low if you don’t go with conventional medication (assuming you do have bipolar disorder). Some minority percentage of persons with bipolar illness commit suicide. The rest of them have chaotic and difficult lives and a lot of that chaos could be avoided with adherence to a properly designed medication regime. But, it is your life to choose how to live.
Ad