Posted by Lao Tzu on May 9, 2009, at 18:00:33
I developed psychosis when I was 33, but I had been sick for many years prior. Before the psychosis I presented with depression, mood problems, and social anxiety. I was treated mainly for depression and anxiety. After the psychosis, I was treated for everything. The medications are important for preventing a relapse of symptoms, but I know that vitamins are actually very helpful for mood, anxiety, and depression. I wouldn't be without them. The thing that is quite tricky is to determine the exact vitamins you need and the dosages of each one. I have spent two years figuring this out. These are the vitamins that helped me:
Fish oil
Borage oil
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B3
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
zinc picolinate
calciumThese are primarily the only vitamins I really need for good mental health in addition to my medications. Dosages are important. For instance, I can only tolerate so much fish and borage oils, but when you discover the right dosages of these two, they really do help with depression. The B-vitamins really do help as well. For instance, I need 200mg of Vitamin B1 everyday. I can only tolerate 100mg of B6 per day. With B12, I initially took 750 mcg per day for six months, then afterwards I only needed about 125mcg per day. Niacin or B3 is important as well. I load up on the Niacin at bedtime. You really have to adjust your dosage of this vitamin until you find a dosage you can tolerate. I take 1,000mg of B3 at bedtime because that's all I can tolerate. Zinc picolinate is important for some people with depression. I only take 33mg per day. Calcium is very helpful for my depression at 300mg per day, but I have had some insomnia because of it if I take it for an extended period of time.
Vitamin E and C are highly necessary for schizophrenia. Dosages of these two can vary from person to person. For example, I can only tolerate 500mg of Vitamin C per day, but with vitamin E I can take up to 400IU during the daytime and 400IU at bedtime. With Vitamin E, you may have to slowly increase your dosage over time. You can start with 100IU, then 200IU, then 300IU, and finally, 400IU per day. That's how I did it.Magnesium may also help some people with schizophrenia. I have had some success with this mineral in the past, but today I rather dislike its effect on me.
Also, folic acid may benefit some people with schizophrenia. Personally, I did not have good experiences with folic acid. Instead, I do much better with Vitamin B12.
poster:Lao Tzu
thread:894916
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20090410/msgs/894916.html