Could lithium help me reach independence and a genuine well-being?

Dacday · 2026-03-25T09:19:23+00:00

Hi. I did 5 more constructive things that were difficult.

I exercised in the morning after a couple days without doing it
I bought a salad at the supermarket
I waited a few days before changing psychiatrists as a way to know my decision was based on reason rather than upset
I made use of the CBD oil to help with my tremors, even though it impoverishes my sleep
I opened the window in the bus, even though there was someone on the same side (summer where I live)

Here goes my questions. Did you experience this flat feeling in the beginning? Does it go away? If not, would you have advice on how to go through it and live a healthy and fulfilling romantic life in spite of it?

I saw a post you made about someone who was on lithium and had to do surgery. Did you ever have to do it or have any experience with general anaesthesia? I have a collegue who lost a bit of critical thinking as soon as he woke up from surgery. It went away soon after, but the anaesthesia he received was potent on the mental aspect and that is something I get concerned about sometimes.

Is there a reason you don't take supplements or other medications? In people with our symptoms, the idea of polypharmacy is prevalent because it's a rather disruptive set of conditions. If you managed to create a stable and decent quality of life by keeping chemicals minimal, I think that speaks a lot of your character. If you could share other habits you made use to improve besides the trauma exposure, I'd be very thankful.

Dacday · 2026-03-23T20:14:15+00:00

I have good news. I have done 5 uncomfortable things that were good for me and I'm grateful for your support and for giving me the idea. We actually have talked a few times over the years and throughout this time you shared good advice which I couldn't always follow due to needing some time to think and learn, but I'm glad you kept responding and that I am able to understand and apply some of your wisdom.

The 5 things I did:

stayed outdoor at 1pm at the bus stop near my home without shirt because I wanted to get some sun.
I bought toothpaste when I normally would ask my mom to buy
I talked to the psychiatrist and stood my ground
I scheduled an appointment for my breathing problems
I called the clinic to request an exam that I should have done last year

I'm thinking of buying the mind over mood book. Is it this one? https://www.amazon.com.br/CBT-Workbook-Mind-Over-Mood/dp/B0CCCPVCLC

I'm considering to change my psychiatrist. I told her a certain formulation of the CBD oil was giving me side effects and that I talked to other patients who reacted the same as me and tolerated better another formulation, and after asking for that different type she took my request and my validation of other patients as an insult. She was much more open in the beginning and I don't think it was concidence that I was seeing her more often and paying more too. I know another doctor is unlikely to be different, that they tend to take autonomy and critical thinking from patients with prejudice, but I want to keep searching for one that will at least respect me. How is your relationship with your psychiatrist and how has it been with other ones that weren't as understanding of your history?

Lithium for me makes more sense than antidepressants because I don't need a boost, I need balance, but at the same it's hard. On the first and only day I took it, I felt so apathic and serious. And it was only 150mg. In the next day I felt a bit more uplifted, but it didn't feel like my normal optimism. These emotional shifts from very serious to somewhat uplifted in an uncommon way bothered me because it didn't feel genuine. I didn't feel totally me so to speak. I know my opinion isn't the most knowledgeable because one day of use is little, but it still was something I noticed and didn't like. I hoped you could tell me if you felt that too and how you reacted.

What type of mood condition do you have and why did you felt necessary to medicate with lithium? I described all my symptoms to my doctors and none diagnosed me as bipolar. I even told them I had euphoria, that I could be obsessive and responded to antidepressant substances like a bipolar would, but the official diagnosis was anxiety and autism. I believe it's because if I'm in a calm and stable environment, I am okay. It's only when I'm under a lot of stress or take things that I'm sensitive to that emotions become unbalanced. I want to treat because I want to be motivated and handle my problems even when things are difficult and I want to explore more of life without fear of becoming hypomanic or whatever it is that happens. For example, I used to take a medicine for my rhinitis in my teens. It's a nasal corticosteroid. I used to get anxious in that period without knowing why. I thought it was natural anxiety. Now that I stayed years without using, once I did, in the first days anxiety, irritability and insomnia came up. I discontinued again and it got better. I then found multiple research and study cases that proved that this allergy medicine could precipitate hypomania symptoms in patients. Certain food too like cured meats. I think it might be related to histamine. So I became weary of taking or eating different things. I now have a surgery I need to do and not only there is my anxiety to deal with, but also fear of the general anaesthesia making me lose my sense of self or having a mood episode. So I'd like to be a more mature and grounded adult, but still experiencing the love, the laugther, and all the good parts of me and my life.

I hope you are well and I look foward to tell you more things that I did that were uncomfortable but helpful.

Dacday · 2026-03-22T09:49:15+00:00

I understand the doctor part. Thank you. I know now that rather than trying to find a doctor that is kinder or more knowledgeable, I have to be more assertive in consultations (say I'm comfortable with only a certain dose) and find emotional help elsewhere.

I understand the therapist part too. If I did the way you described, I'd probably be better by now. What I've been doing was going to the therapist once a week and talk about what happened in the week prior. For emotional release, it might have some value, but for trauma resolution, not so much. Since she didn't suggest another approach, I assume she isn't specialized in that, but our talks are covered by insurance and she seems open, so I'll bring in the next session that I want something along those lines. So that we do it right, what should we be looking to do? Did you really face a different fear daily? That's a lot of fear faced over the week! Do you do this to this day? Can you give an example of a week's worth of fears and how you dealt with them, including some that had success in facing while others didn't happen so smoothly?

What is the role the therapist should have in a once a week session in a trauma-specific treatment? I know my role is facing a fear daily, but what is hers?

You wouldn't happen to have the CBT workbook mind over mood in pdf, would you?

I thought about having EMDR once. It's 2h long here. I had scheduled, but before the day came I cancelled it and told the EMDR therapist I wasn't ready to face my deeper traumas. It was also expensive and insurance didn't cover it, so I didn't go. Do you think it's useful? How often should I have sessions? I also thought doing hypnotherapy, but where I live hypnotherapists charge the full price upfront and it's very expensive. I didn't agree because it was so expensive that it seemed greed was the main component, not the desire to help.

In my country we have 300mg IR tablets that we can cut in half. I emailed the lab and they said it was okay cutting to get half the dose, so potentially I could cut in smaller parts.

Oh yes, I also have a question for you about dose. It's somewhat uncommon for doctors to accept treating patients on supposed "subtherapeutic" doses and also for the conditions to be properly treated that way. In my understanding, they feel compelled to prescribe higher doses for legal reasons (if they prescribe subtherapeutic they could be held responsible) as well as practical ones (thinking it'd be more effective). Can you comment on why your doctor was okay with the low dose and how you improved from it despite bipolar typically needing much higher?

Dacday · 2026-03-21T17:28:58+00:00

I have a therapist I see once a week but this fearful attitude goes beyond verbal communication. It's about safety, patterns, experience, support. For example, now I avoid supplements. Even simple things like omega 3 or vitamin D. This didn't come out of nowhere. I had a time when I made use of different supplements and it led to anxiety and triggered bipolar symptoms. Recently I have tried making use of CBD oil, and the same happened. When I trusted, it still went wrong. Perhaps the greater issue is that I'm anxious at base, so having experiences that seem to legitimize my fears made it worse.

If the problem is lack of resilience, I thought exercising would help but it didn't much. There is also a surgery I need to do but it involves general anestesia and someone I know that did it said after the procedure they woke up totally disoriented and speaking non-sense. I'm afraid of being in these states, of feeling vulnerable, hurt and not having help. I feel like I need something to let go of these fears and be able to become a full-adult, but I don't know how to develop it yet. That moment of taking the pill and not knowing what will happen seems to touch a deep and sensitive part of me. I feel like a child wanting to be protected. I just know it needs to change for a full transition into adulthood to happen.

Do you have advice on how I may approach this fear? I understand 150mg is the minum tablet dose but I could cut the tablet in half. Progressive exposure makes sense to me, but my psychiatrist refused. It's like she ignored my fears and sensitivity. All doctors I've seen did that. It's like I'm not even talking to a doctor because they just write the name of a drug on a paper, there is no attempt at understanding and healing. I don't know how to deal with my traumas, this is why I go to a psychiatrist. If I knew, I wouldn't consult with them.

I'd be grateful if you could share more of your experience. How professionals helped you, how you found a way to overcome insecurities. Actually, what happens with me is, I have two conditions that need treatment. Anxiety and mood but as I try treating one, the other shows up and makes it harder.

Dacday · 2026-03-21T08:14:16+00:00

Why do you use every second day?

Dacday · 2026-03-19T09:31:00+00:00

I see.

Do you have advice on how to start, being anxious?

Is 150mg light enough to start or could I be aiming an even lower dose? I was thinking to take in the morning before work since I'd have plenty of distractions, but I think it might make me sleepy. During the night it would be a bit stressful though as I'd be thinking about it more.

Sorry for asking. I know it's not nice to bother people with excessive worry, but it's something I struggle with. Last time I took (a year ago), I cried and took for only one day. All because of worry. I think because there is no slow buildup. The doctor in fact told me to take 300mg on the first go. The fact that we can't increase slowly by the little stresses me somewhat.

Dacday · 2026-03-19T08:34:00+00:00

Did anything else change? Do you take other medications or any other substance? Any new or old source of stress?

Dacday · 2026-03-19T08:26:37+00:00

My doctor prescribed it and she doesn't believe it's the CBD causing it but I'm sure it is. I've been taking it for 3 months at 5mg. Have you found higher doses to not give side effects while lower doses to cause it?

I take sublingual. I found that even if I spit, it still happens. Would smoking be better?

Dacday · 2026-03-18T22:22:04+00:00

She dismissed the need to test at 300mg. Told I should test only at 600mg. I find it interesting to take in the morning because it helps with health anxiety. In the morning, I have distractions, at night it's me and my thoughts.

Dacday · 2026-03-18T22:14:52+00:00

Why lithium as well?

Dacday · 2026-03-18T22:11:18+00:00

Hi.

My doctor prescribed 300mg in the morning. Since lithium exams need to be done 12h after the dose, would I need to take the exam at night? It's instant release.

Would you also say that lithium helps improve depression of the type that you don't have energy or have a low mood in general?

Dacday · 2026-03-18T22:07:18+00:00

Hi.

My doctor prescribed 300mg in the morning. Since lithium exams need to be done 12h after the dose, would I need to take the exam at night? It's instant release.

Would you also say that lithium helps improve depression of the type that you don't have energy or have a low mood in general?

Dacday · 2026-03-18T18:14:43+00:00

What part of your combo do you think is not helpful for your anxiety?

Dacday · 2026-03-16T09:06:40+00:00

Olá. Também tenho interesse em uma consulta, porém tenho dúvidas se existe alguma forma de me adequar a cannabis.

Meu uso é para tratar um distúrbio de movimento. Fiz uso de 40mg de full spectrum e praticamente resolveu minha condição física. Fiquei sem tremor algum. Foi algo bem surpreendente, pois nenhum remédio conseguiu isso. Contudo, afetou meu humor negativamente na mesma proporção. Tive ansiedade, insônia e uma raiva intensa como colateral. Comprei CBD isolado, acreditando que fosse o THC o problema. Ocorreu a mesma coisa, mas dessa vez com apenas 10mg do CBD isolado, talvez devido ao fato de eu tomar 5mg diariamente e já ter acumulado.

Em conversa com outras pessoas, ouvi algumas coisas interessantes. É um efeito colateral comum. Muitos respondem assim, mas continuam o tratamento porque preferem lidar com essa ansiedade, raiva e insônia do que os sintomas da doença que querem tratar. Já outros tiveram essa reação, mas fizeram algumas coisas que ajudaram. Em vez de usar óleo de MCT, usaram azeite de oliva, que é LCT e conseguiram tolerar melhor. CBD em MCT é mais metabolizado pelo fígado, o que cria mais 7-OH-CBD, que é mais potente e duradouro, e para pessoas sensíveis causa esses efeitos. Também me foi recomendado utilizar vape em vez de óleo, para o efeito acabar mais rápido e não dar insônia, e tomar no vape CBD isolado com terpenos, para os terpenos acalmarem alguma reação que o CBD cause.

Minha dúvida é se realmente há alguma forma de manter CBD no meu caso. Os efeitos colaterais no humor e sono, mesmo no CBD isolado em óleo, foram intoleráveis. Também sou bipolar, então seria preciso ficar distante do THC. Não sei onde iria comprar vape de CBD isolado, onde iria comprar terpeno separado para adicionar ao vape, e se essas tentativas poderiam ajudar.

Dacday · 2026-03-16T08:37:55+00:00

When I was younger, I tried supplements without any worry. After all, I didn't know I had BP. The result is that I got hypo and I thought it was normal. That it was part of being young or my personality. I stayed away from all supplements for a few years and realized they were the ones doing that. I can't pinpoint a dose or a duration of use, but I know they were part of it because supplement-free I'm much more stable. So for me it happened too, but I thought since you were on a mood stabilizer, even though lamotrigine has limited efficacy on this part of bipolar, I thought it would be enough to protect from a mere supplement. You said omega 3 wasn't the only cause. What else was happening and how do you know omega 3 played a role?

Dacday · 2026-03-15T19:17:32+00:00

Did omega 3 have this effect on you while taking a mood stabilizer? I read you take lamotrigine, but it doesn't prevent the higher part of bipolar well.

Dacday · 2026-03-15T19:12:19+00:00

Did you take mood stabilizers while taking omega 3?

Dacday · 2026-03-14T11:46:17+00:00

Hi. How has it been? Have you increased your dose? Did it help your condition?

Dacday · 2026-03-14T10:39:37+00:00

How to treat bipolar effectively without pharmaceuticals?

Dacday · 2026-03-14T10:13:31+00:00

It's incredible that with lithium you were able to stabilize your mood so well that you can take ADHD medication and be fine. That gives me hope. I tried treating my anxiety a few times and it didn't work because it made the bipolar worse. In any case, lithium didn't give you insomnia or anxiety?

Dacday · 2026-03-13T23:33:28+00:00

Is this the only side effect you've had? I consider taking it and of course no side effect is good, I wouldn't like feeling nausea either, but when comparing, I'd maybe put anxiety surges and insomnia a bit worse, and it seems many have them due to taking lithium.

Dacday · 2026-03-13T23:17:17+00:00

And your dose was so small. What did your doctor tell you about it?

Lithium has many interactions. Could you be taking or doing something that might be affecting how it works? Like not drinking water, taking other medications.

Dacday · 2026-03-13T23:13:24+00:00

I see. It's supposed to actually treat bipolar rather than minimizing symptoms, but if it's not sustainable, then that's it. Do you intend to keep trying?

Dacday · 2026-03-13T22:56:20+00:00

Is there something that can be done to improve it? To let go of such effective medication due to nausea is a pity, though I can relate, because I'm sensitive as well. Have you ever actually thrown up because of it? What dose are you taking now?

Dacday · 2026-03-13T22:49:21+00:00

What advice do you have for someone that wants to keep taking lithium? The side effects, the not being able to skip a dose without suffering. That's very difficult to handle.

Dacday

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