Supplements for SZA and Bipolar disorder

Family
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I’m struggling to try and help my son. He’s age 30 and has been dx as schizoaffective/bipolar type. He’s also very much against taking medications. So, I’m thinking about getting him to try supplements, but I know little about them, their effects, or benefits, or how one takes them (most efficient and effective ways). I’ve tried looking in the other forums, but I still get a bit lost and off track. I presume several different supplements can be taken together if needed, but as for which ones, I have no clue. So, I would ask in anyone in this forum has any resource I can access or can point me to something that might offer me a path towards enlightenment. I truly need the help. Part of the concern is that I’m aging and at 69 years of age, I am getting to the point where I might need caregiving vs. being a caregiver. I have physical issues developing from getting older though my mental state is relatively fine. There is the occasional forgetting a name or a word that I want to use, but usually that comes to me after a while.

What I think he needs are supplements that can at least arrest any further deterioration, that can mitigate his anxieties, clam his mania, and possibly help with reducing his delusional state - he covers the full spectrum here - paranoid, grandeur, reference, you name it.

I’m kind of on the fence about the typical AP drugs. I’ve seen the weight gain, the TD, and other undesirable effects. And, rarely have I seen much improvement in his condition from any of the meds he has taken. He has been on Invega (injections), Zyprexa, Seroquel, Buspro, Vraylar, and others I don’t remember, but have difficult to pronounce names.

If you were to ask what symptom(s) would I most like to fix, I would say the manic behavior. That’s where he is most aggressive, belligerent, and actually dangerous to himself and others. I can handle the delusions. I’m having much more difficulty handling the physical confrontations. And, he won’t go to see a psych doc.

Thanks for any suggestions and references. Or, my apologies if I overstepped the bounds of common decency.

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@Tuck, The best thing I can suggest is that you read the book “I Am Not Sick: I Don’t Need Help” by Dr. Xavier Amador. It is available on Amazon. It will help you learn how to talk with your son to convince him to take meds, treatment, or even supplements. I he is dangerous to himself or others at times, I seriously doubt that supplements will help much. They call this a SMI (Serious Mental Illness) for a reason.

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Thank you for the suggestion. But, I read Amador’s book about 4 years ago and tried for a very long time to employ the LEAP protocol. It hasn’t worked with my son. Actually nothing has really worked so far as he simply refuses to be medication compliant. I’m not suggesting the LEAP system does not work. I’m sure it’s valid in many cases and I’m sure I’m not that effective at employing the techniques. But, that’s the problem with LEAP for me and my son. Ergo, I continue to look for effective treatment options.

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Hope this link might help.

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Thank you. I tend to believe that nutrition, diet, and exercise can be and are beneficial to one’s mental health. The problem I face is getting my son to try anything that’s not usual for him. He does exercise when he wants (he likes to swim), but his diet is terrible with lots of fatty foods, red meat, sugary drinks, and not much in the way of vegetables, good grains, or other beneficial foods like fruits. I make these available, but end up eating a lot of them myself and tossing those that spoil because I can’t get to them soon enough. It’s one of the reasons I’m trying to look into supplements though he has two large bottles of vitamins, he rarely if ever takes any. So, it may be another way of banging my head against the wall. It does feel good when I stop.

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@Tuck My heart goes out to you! You are not alone in having tried LEAP and it just didn’t work. I agree, it is not easy to use, only because it goes against our nature. But not knowing anything else that works, I just keep encouraging people to try it. Practice it. Remember that people, as well as this illness, change(s) over time…I’ve been told that people often mellow out with SZ as they get older. So you could try it again. I often use the words “It is important to me to know what YOU think (or want).” And don’t try to force anything else because it won’t work if he doesn’t want it unless you can find something else to agree on (the “A” in LEAP). It may require a lot of patience. Keep hope, regardless!

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Hi,

I dont want this to sound patronising nor condescending but the idea that fat and red meat are bad for you is certainly not IMHO good science. This despite it being the current dogma. Your son may well benifit from eating more fat and meat in a KETO diet. Foods to Eat on a Ketogenic Diet

Certainly do try to get the vitamin thing in too but I and many thousands globally have found KETO really helps.

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Read this thread on Lion’s Mane from the sister site to this one:

I bought some for my son, but he refused to try them. I took them myself, and ironically for memory purposes I had slightly better results from the cheaper version of Lion’s Mane, so YMMV.

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Thank you for your recommendation.

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Thank you for your reply. I’ve tried talking to my son about taking supplements and he simply refuses to try anything. I have a fairly hopeless situation.

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I’m sorry, I know how that feels. My son seems to go through phases, though, so don’t give up. At times he’s been willing to try anything, other times nothing. As far as the supplements go, would it help if you took them along with? Maybe that would drive home to him that they are not harmful. Also, I’m certainly not above bribery.

When my son was last living with me, at the end of May, he got very annoyed with me when I brought up anything that I thought might help him - employment, exercise, supplements. Right now he is living with his dad (my ex) in another state (by previous arrangement, he didn’t leave in a huff, ha ha), and doing several of the things I nagged him about! No supplements that I’m aware of, but he’s running, and got a job waiting tables (huge for him - he’s never done this before). I’m so happy for him and proud, but I can’t even tell him, because he has not shared these things with me (my ex told me, and I can’t let on that I know).

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Hi again

Having you tried leaving things which are healthy in your fridge which he could access. ie boiled eggs, steak, salami, cheese, even some salad stuff. Also small bottles of fizzy and still water to help cut down on sugary things.

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Yes. I’ve tried all sorts of healthy foods. He will only eat what he wants. He does eat salads for instance, but he will pig-out on pasta, drink a liter Mt. Dew, and eat a full package of cookies in a day. Thanks for the reply.

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I’m afraid I have to be careful with what I take as I already have to take 7 different medications per day (heart problems). I would do that if he would though I would have to check with my doctors first. Unfortunately, he won’t go along. Thanks for the thought.

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If he is a aggressive to you call the cops and they will take him to hospital, where he will be evaluated and kept until he is back on track with his meds. My son is now on a once a month shot, and don’t have to worry if he is taking his meds.

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I agree that the LEAP method can help. It’s not magic and may not work right away, but don’t forget what you learned from that method. The suggestion is good. Your son needs treatment from a professional including, but not limited to medication. I also found it seemed to really register with my son when I asked him to tell me about how he was feeling about what was going on and then told him that I thought that if I were in his shoes I would be feeling exactly the same way as he was feeling. Paranoia may also be at play in your situation. You have to find a way to convince your son that you are on his side and are there with him all the way. I don’t have paranoid delusions, but I can only imagine how really terrifying it must be to not be able to trust the things that your mind is telling are real. He may not trust what you are telling him. Keep searching for some way to convince him that you are on his side in this struggle. Sorry that I can’t give you more than that for advice, but keep trying.

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I agree that the LEAP method can help. It’s not magic and may not work right away, but don’t forget what you learned from that method. The suggestion is good. I also found it seemed to really register with my son when I asked him to tell me about how he was feeling about what was going on and then after he told me some things told him that I thought that if I were in his shoes I would be feeling exactly the same way as he was feeling. Paranoia may also be at play in your situation. You have to find a way to convince your son that you are on his side and are there with him all the way. I don’t have paranoid delusions, but I can only imagine how really terrifying it must be to not be able to trust the things that your mind is telling you are real. He may not trust what you are telling him. Keep searching for some way to convince him that you are on his side in this struggle. Sorry that I can’t give you more than that for advice, but keep trying.

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My son is finding that taking CBD is helping his voices subside. He’s no longer delusional, but the voices are there anyway. CBD is helping to quiet them he says.

Meds: 15 mg olanzapine (Zyprexa). Just got completely off Seroquel. Various benzos, which I don’t agree with, but his psychiatrist prescribes them as sleep aids.

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My son switched from zyprexa to abilify with improved results, including his weight seems to be more stable now. It seems to be a very personal matter regarding which med will work best.

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My son enjoys fruit smoothies. I make them in the blender with frozen fruits, almond milk, a powdered supplement, lecithin, and a little juice and yogurt.

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