“Marcus” came to me one year ago stating that he understood why people kill themselves because in his current state he just wanted “it to be over.” He wasn’t planning on harming himself but he wanted to die. His anxiety was “too much,” he wasn’t sleeping and had regular angry outbursts. He was on 10 different medications, many for mental health but also meds for allergies, sleep, and other issues. He knew he was difficult to be around at home so he usually hid in his bedroom after work and on the weekends. He had recently blown an interview for a promotion he was nearly guaranteed.
Marcus has a mental health diagnosis that needs managing and can be hard to regulate - Bipolar Disorder. He had been working with a psychiatrist for many years and, as often is the case, when one med doesn’t yield enough results another med is added to the protocol. He didn’t know what was or wasn’t working any longer but he knew that he couldn’t go on feeling the way he was.
I referred Marcus to a new prescribing practitioner to handle the medications -to help determine what was needed and to taper off of what was not. My part was to find the correct supplements to complement the meds and to find any other root causes that were contributing to his overall depression, anxiety, sleeplessness and irritability.
On my assessment questionnaire there were two glaring sections with a high score: Food Intolerance and Blood sugar instability. While the new clinician worked on changing the meds, I ran a food intolerance test and coached Marcus on diet changes to stabilize his blood sugar. He started taking nutrients he was deficient in. He was having bloating and lots of indigestion - clear signs of gut issues and/or food intolerances. His test revealed very high intolerances to dairy and to eggs (two common intolerances). Once we eliminated those food items from his diet, the bloating and indigestion disappeared.
Within a couple months, Marcus told me that his mood was better and that he was sad that for “So many years I lived like a zombie and I didn’t need to.” When I asked him what he was feeling he said “Happy..just present and happy. I’m not angry all the time.” He was also more productive and had begun exercising regularly.
Our appointment a couple months later brought news of Marcus sleeping well and not waking up with anxiety. He was engaged once again in family life and productive at work.
Just recently we had an appointment to check in. Marcus reported “no anxiety, no depression, and no irritability.”
I hope his story gives you hope if you are suffering. If you are a clinician, I hope this story shows a new path to wholeness.