Replies to 'Bipolar Disorder'

My sister has had bipolar disorder since she was a teenager, for over 30 years.  For all of that time, her doctors have had an extremely hard time coming up with the right combination of medications to help her.  (Lithium and other common meds have not helped her.)  As a result, she is depressed most of the time.  She is not suicidal, but it's hard to get her to do anything.  She has other health issues that complicate things further.  She has also had adverse reactions to medications.  On several occasions, anti-depressants have made her manic and psychotic.  Once she went into respiratory failure and was in intensive care for over a week. 

I am convinced that medications alone are not enough for her.  I think she needs to modify her diet.  (I think she has a number of food allergies, sensitivities, and addictions to certain foods that contribute to her symptoms.  This is the case with other family members, including me.)  I also strongly believe that she needs Cognitive Behavior Therapy.  The problem is that she resists these alternatives.  She has had bad experiences with "talk therapy" in the past and gets angry at me when I even bring up the subject of modifying her diet, even when I tell her it's not about losing weight but about feeling better. 

I just want to help my sister.  I think she thinks that I'm judging her, that I think I'm better than her because I haven't suffered as much as she has.  It's even harder for me to provide her with support because I live thousands of miles away from her.  Is there anything that I can say or do to help her?   Or should I just give up, and accept that the quality of her life will never get better? 

My sister has had bipolar disorder since she was a teenager, for over 30 years.  For all of that time, her doctors have had an extremely hard time coming up with the right combination of medications to help her.  (Lithium and other common meds have not helped her.)  As a result, she is depressed most of the time.  She is not suicidal, but it's hard to get her to do anything.  She has other health issues that complicate things further.  She has also had adverse reactions to medications.  On several occasions, anti-depressants have made her manic and psychotic.  Once she went into respiratory failure and was in intensive care for over a week. 

I am convinced that medications alone are not enough for her.  I think she needs to modify her diet.  (I think she has a number of food allergies, sensitivities, and addictions to certain foods that contribute to her symptoms.  This is the case with other family members, including me.)  I also strongly believe that she needs Cognitive Behavior Therapy.  The problem is that she resists these alternatives.  She has had bad experiences with "talk therapy" in the past and gets angry at me when I even bring up the subject of modifying her diet, even when I tell her it's not about losing weight but about feeling better. 

I just want to help my sister.  I think she thinks that I'm judging her, that I think I'm better than her because I haven't suffered as much as she has.  It's even harder for me to provide her with support because I live thousands of miles away from her.  Is there anything that I can say or do to help her?   Or should I just give up, and accept that the quality of her life will never get better? 

My sister has had bipolar disorder since she was a teenager, for over 30 years.  For all of that time, her doctors have had an extremely hard time coming up with the right combination of medications to help her.  (Lithium and other common meds have not helped her.)  As a result, she is depressed most of the time.  She is not suicidal, but it's hard to get her to do anything.  She has other health issues that complicate things further.  She has also had adverse reactions to medications.  On several occasions, anti-depressants have made her manic and psychotic.  Once she went into respiratory failure and was in intensive care for over a week. 

I am convinced that medications alone are not enough for her.  I think she needs to modify her diet.  (I think she has a number of food allergies, sensitivities, and addictions to certain foods that contribute to her symptoms.  This is the case with other family members, including me.)  I also strongly believe that she needs Cognitive Behavior Therapy.  The problem is that she resists these alternatives.  She has had bad experiences with "talk therapy" in the past and gets angry at me when I even bring up the subject of modifying her diet, even when I tell her it's not about losing weight but about feeling better. 

I just want to help my sister.  I think she thinks that I'm judging her, that I think I'm better than her because I haven't suffered as much as she has.  It's even harder for me to provide her with support because I live thousands of miles away from her.  Is there anything that I can say or do to help her?   Or should I just give up, and accept that the quality of her life will never get better?