KA>JK> Bipolar disease is inherited.  There are five genetic codes found in
KA>JK> European research associated with this disease.  And three of those 
five
KA>JK> have also, in European research, been associated with alcoholism.
KA>How interesting. My mother has been treated for bipolar disorder, although
KA>she is not currently. Myself and my sisters believe that the
diagnosis was KA>correct KA>for her, but we're only laypeople. She is
also an alcoholic, as are all three >of her brothers. One of my
sisters is a drug addict. All are in KA>recovery. Affective disorders
run on her side of the family, although not as KA>strongly as they run
on my father's side, which also has been touched by KA>alcoholism, not
unsurprisingly given the indian genetics.
There is one classification of alcoholism called the "Zeta" alcoholic
which is the typical "fighting drunk", someone who gets very belligerant
under the influence.  I have always wondered if this Jellinek
classification could be confused with bipolar disorder.  There didn't
used to be any physical tests which could measure such.
KA>I am definitely not bipolar and have no alcohol or drug problems, but
I can KA>see how, between the mixed signals from my ADHD, my family
history, my KA>personal history, and my garden-variety depression, a
mental health KA>practitioner might think it something to look into. It
should never have been diagnosed or treated, though, and the doctor
who did so never did an evaluation beyond (literally) reading me a
few questions off a checklist in a pamphlet.
Where I sit, this kind of thing is lousy medicine.  Blood testing for
low lithium levels should have been done before a diagnosis of bipolar
was made and these tests have been around longer than some of the
doctors today are alive!
The use of lithium is also been accepted for some time now.
KA>JK> Strange. That is how chemical dependency counselors, the better
ones, KA>JK> work.
KA>Not particularly strange. Ritalin requires monitoring and useful 
echniques
KA>for treatment often cross fields.
Would to heaven some of the more useful techniques from the chemical
dependency field cross over into that of so called "mental health" They
have crossed over into the neurobiological model of psychiatry.
KA>JK> Complete history including that of physical disease, food
allergies, and KA>JK> mental and emotional problems in the family.
Family health for at least KA>JK> three generations.
These are done by those who know about brain and body chemistry.  Right
now I am working with a bunch who are doing a new form of therapy in
this state and convincing them to spend the time nececcary to do that
kind of diagnostic workup is the hardest thing I have ever had to do.
 KA>If the doctor who diagnosed me bipolar had done this, I would have
 been far KA>less surprised.
If the doctor who diagnosed you as bipolar had done a complete 3
generational hisotry he would have been a lot less surprised and might
have actually gotten a lithium level.
KA>JK> Otherwise, how in hades can a diagnosis be made except by P.E.T.
scan or KA>JK> some other physical test?
KA>I've had a PET. Nasty thing. For a different reason, of course, but the
KA>results are still useful.
And I hope that someone competent read it.  Where was that, incidently?
I am convinced, from doing intake assessments on hundreds of alcoholics,
that there is a high incidence of food allergies among them (20-25%)
when tested with the IMED test designed by Dr. Charles Bates, and also
that mild neurological problems such as ADD or ADHD are the result of
generations of alcohol and other drug use instead of proper diet and
excercise.  And that the biggest culprit is our love of junk food and
sweets.
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 þ SLMR 2.1a þ hAS ANYONE SEEN MY cAPSLOCK KEY?
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