Derek S. mania and depression

[Guest]

This question was submitted via our Ask a TMS Therapist program. To submit your question, click here.

Question

Four times over the last 20 years I had to reread Dr. Sarno's book to relieve chronic back pain. It has always worked.
Due to some recent back pain I decided to reread his books again. But this time I read The Great Pain Deception and realized that I have a lot of other TMS symptoms that I have been mitigating with a low fat low protein plant based diet. In other words as long as I am on the diet I am fine. But when I start eating heavier foods I begin to get stomach aches, irritable bowel syndrome, fevers and sore throats.
I have also been hospitalized a number of times for bi-polar mania. During a manic episode I am able to eat heavier foods and do not have any of the symptoms mentioned above. But after I recover from the mania I am forced to go back on the diet or suffer the symptoms.
The question is do you think I should eat heavier foods just to aggravate my symptoms so I can learn to get over them through awareness of TMS. Also do you think I can learn to get over the mania and depression itself. I am concerned that eating a wider range of heavier foods might trigger the mania since my subconscious associates the change of diet with mania.

 

[Derek Sapico MFT]

Answer

Hi there.

I can't really comment on the mania and depression as that is an issue that would be best handled with your psychiatrist or treating therapist.

Regarding the food sensitivities, often foods can act as the stimulus in a conditioned response. It is curious that your food sensitivities disappear when you are having a manic episode. If you had a food allergy or intolerance, it would make sense that the symptoms would still occur during a manic episode. Conditioned responses can be de-conditioned, which is something that we often help our patients to accomplish in TMS therapy.

-Derek

---

Any advice or information provided here does not and is not intended to be and should not be taken to constitute specific professional or psychological advice given to any group or individual. This general advice is provided with the guidance that any person who believes that they may be suffering from any medical, psychological, or mindbody condition should seek professional advice from a qualified, registered/licensed physician and/or psychotherapist who has the opportunity to meet with the patient, take a history, possibly examine the patient, review medical and/or mental health records, and provide specific advice and/or treatment based on their experience diagnosing and treating that condition or range of conditions. No general advice provided here should be taken to replace or in any way contradict advice provided by a qualified, registered/licensed physician and/or psychotherapist who has the opportunity to meet with the patient, take a history, possibly examine the patient, review medical and/or mental health records, and provide specific advice and/or treatment based on their experience diagnosing and treating that condition or range of conditions.

The general advice and information provided in this format is for informational purposes only and cannot serve as a way to screen for, identify, or diagnose depression, anxiety, or other psychological conditions. If you feel you may be suffering from any of these conditions please contact a licensed mental health practitioner for an in-person consultation.

Questions may be edited for brevity and/or readability.