So many people come onto this blog and say, “the answer to curing bipolar disorder is . . ..” Their answers range from magnesium to religion to talk therapy.

And all of them tick me off (as I ranted in Stop Telling Me How to Cure my Bipolar Disorder).

Because your answer to curing bipolar disorder is nonsense.

My Bipolar Disorder Is Cured

Okay, I get it, you were diagnosed with bipolar disorder, you did something, and now you think you’re cured. Goody for you. But here’s what science says. Science says that people with bipolar disorder are never cured. Symptoms can absolutely be managed, bipolar can go into remission and you might never have a bipolar episode again (lucky you) but that’s not the same thing as being “cured.” Honestly, if you’re lucky enough to go into remission for a long period of time it might just be that – luck. And I can’t tell you the number of people who have claimed to be “cured” only to find themselves back in the hospital in a month, a year, or even five years down the road. Because that is bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is episodic.

Some people come online and claim to have a cure for bipolar disorder but I have to say, your answer to curing bipolar disorder is nonsense.Cures for Bipolar Disorder

And these people who claim magic cures are often weeded off this blog. If it sounds like a treatment plan or a sales pitch to me the comment often isn’t approved because I don’t want crap like that cluttering up real conversations from real people. You want bad information? There are lots of places to get that. I try to make sure you don’t get a whole lot of it here.

Bipolar Disorder Is Rarely the Same

Have you ever taken a poll of people with bipolar disorder and asked what medications they are on? No, you likely don’t know enough people with bipolar disorder to ask that question, but myself and Dr. Prakash Masand did in a survey and more than half of all people with bipolar were on three or more medications and more than 13% were on five or more medications with less than 15% taking only one medication. (See, Results From an Online Survey of Patient and Caregiver Perspectives on Unmet Needs in the Treatment of Bipolar Disorder.)

That is a lot of cocktails and a lot of unique treatments not to mention all the psychotherapies and other techniques used within the population.

Your Cure for Bipolar Disorder Is Nonsense

All of this is a long way of saying: your bipolar disorder treatment may work for you, I don’t know, but what I do know is that you are unique and prescribing that “treatment” for other people without scientific backing is ignorant and possibly harmful. Please take your nonsense cure and post it elsewhere. Start your own blog and get your own audience because you won’t be poisoning mine.

(Quick addendum, I do let people talk about their own experiences, to a certain degree. A person comes on and says, “I tried X and it worked for me,” is not what the above is referring to. Also, I’m not picking on homeopathy here. Luckily, those guys don’t even seem to show up here.)