offer any advice for a guy whose gf has S.A.D and bi-polar

[blinky99]

Or have any supplements that you took for S.A.D (seasonal affective disorder)
Did some research a lot of people say Vit D, st johns wart, and L-tryptophan

but the doses are all random especially for vit d 400IU-4000IU is what I've seen
So we went out and got her some Vit D start at 1000IU daily.
TY!

[antiquemom]

Is she currently taking meds for Bi-polar? I know its not "healthy" but tanning beds help some people, some docs order a "Light Box" or "Bright Box"
uv-free lights, they sit and read, watch TV, work, whatever just exposure to the lights helps with the SAD.

[ouprincess]

I have a girlfriend who has bipoplar disorder and her doc told her that while st johns is good for mild depression it shouldn't be taken by people with more serious conditions like bipoplar.......don't know if every doc would say that, but you should def ask a doc before using it for bipoplar exspecialy if your on meds.

[blinky99]

she is on meds abilifi and soem others. i read light boxes arent good for bi-polar people and vit D in double blind trials works as well or better

[FireFit123]

my ex was bad enough with out having any diagnosed disorders lol
best of luck to you man

[tinymomo]

Get a light box. My friend suffers from that, and it works wonders on her SAD

[blinky99]

well bi polar + light box = manic episode or something so i read

[antiquemom]

She should talk to her Doc, you can leave a message at the Docs office as well. They won't tell you anything medically about her, but if they have a little inside information of a current problem it can help get her better treatment. My Dad was Bi-polar, no SAD though, on occasion I would call up the Docs nurse and fill her in on some indications of a manic situation comming on. If he stayed on his meds, AS PRESCRIBED, he was fine, but as with most in that situation they like the mania. I feel for you, and her, it's a tough situation.

[blinky99]

not really sure what a manic situation is. she use to see a therapist but not sure any more not sure hwo often she visits her doc either.

[ouprincess]

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publi...lication.shtml

Here's a good link that will give all the basic info on bipolar disorder and it explains what a manic episode is.

[blinky99]

thanks

[blinky99]

so whats the best way to handle a manic episode

[moskalski]

I don't know much about bi-polar disorder, but SAD can be treated by doing things outside in the winter. Lots and lots and lots of natural light.

[ouprincess]

so whats the best way to handle a manic episode

Unfortunately there really is no answer to this question there's just to many variables here. The best advice I can coud give based solely off my own personal experience is to try your best to help her manage her own behavior during these episodes.Then there's the ovious but not likely soloution try and keep her on her meds during this time and try to keep her communtcating with a doc that can help.
When my gf (ex now) but when she has these episodes she rarely stays on her meds, because it's a high. She likes them.She feels good she has all this energy and she doesn't need to sleep much, but she also cann't see where her behavior becomes destructive, and ofcoarse there's the crash that always follows which is made that much harder by the fact that she has stopped taking the meds that would have helped her cope with this.These meds have to rebuild in her system before they really help agin.
The only thing I can say is that the longer your with your gf the easier it will become to reconize these swings in her behavior so it will become easier for you to respond to them. Hope I helped at least a little.The problem with a straight forward answer is that the behavioral problems you see in these episodes are very individual and it's hard to help people when they don't see the problem and during manic stages they rarely see the problem.

[LunicaAshes]

I have SAD and Asperger's syndrome (which in my case results in depression, hypomanic episodes and anger,) and fish oil really helps me a lot for the lows. It also helps to force myself to get active (preferably outside) every day.

I have worked with a teen girl who had bipolar, and Abilify helped her a lot. But there are MANY types of bipolar and it is very often misdiagnosed. She really needs to find a VERY good psychiatrist for this.