Mental illness refers to a wide range of disorders that affect mood, thinking and behavior. The most common conditions include depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and addictive behaviors. Everyone deals with mood changes, but when symptoms affect a person’s ability to function normally, some type of treatment is often necessary.
The causes of mental illness include inherited traits, environmental exposures before birth and altered brain chemistry. Risk factors include stressful life situations, chronic medical conditions, traumatic experiences, use of drugs and alcohol, and having other family members who suffer with mental illness.
Proper management of mental illness is crucial. It’s important to be aware of things that may trigger symptoms and learn how to manage them. Regular follow-up with a health care provider is necessary so that a referral can be made to a psychotherapist or psychiatrist, if needed. Getting enough sleep, eating healthy and exercising regularly can also help.
A psychotherapist can offer insights and provide knowledge about a person’s condition and teach them how to cope and manage symptoms. Medications for treating mental illness include antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, mood-stabilizing medications and antipsychotics.
adding low dose naltrexone (LDN)... can intensify the relief of symptoms, especially in those people whose condition is related to an endorphin deficiency.
It has recently been discovered that adding low dose naltrexone (LDN) to these medications can intensify the relief of symptoms, especially in those people whose condition is related to an endorphin deficiency.
To learn how LDN raised endorphin levels, click here.
Research on the use of low dose naltrexone in treating mental illness is ongoing.
Several groundbreaking studies have already been published:
Depression and Bipolar Disorder Helped by LDN
In a retrospective study performed by the Department of Psychiatry at the UCLA Kern Medical Center in California, the efficacy of LDN for the treatment of co-morbid depression and collagen disease was investigated. Five patients received at least one month of LDN 4.5 mg daily. At week 4, 80% of patients experienced a certain degree of improvement with LDN. Two had a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, two had Bipolar Type II and one had Bipolar Type I. Read more here.
Symptoms Improved with the Addition of LDN to Standard Antidepressant Therapy
Harvard Medical School researchers performed a study with 12 adults with recurrent major depressive disorder who were taking various antidepressants including stimulants, dopamine agonists, bupropion, aripiprazole or sertraline. LDN 1 mg twice daily for 3 weeks was given to 6 subjects while the other 6 received placebo. Scores on five different depression rating scales showed more improvement with the addition of LDN when compared to placebo. Read more here.
Dissociative Disorder Improved With LDN
In 2015, a German research group studied patients with severe trauma-related and dissociative disorders who were treated with LDN at doses ranging from 2 - 6 mg daily. Eleven of 15 subjects reported immediate positive effects and 7 described a lasting helpful effect. The majority of patients who felt positive effects reported a clearer perception of both their surroundings, their bodies and their lives. Read more here.
Find more research about LDN here: https://www.ldnscience.org/research
Illinois Psychiatrist Reports Positive Results with LDN
Dr. Mark Shukhman
Mark Shukhman, M.D. is a psychiatrist in Illinois who has experience in treating patients with LDN since 2011. His treatment approach usually includes a combination of medications with nutrient-repletion and sometimes hormonal correction. For the last few years, he has been presenting his findings at international LDN conferences and wrote a book chapter on uses of LDN in psychiatry.
Because of Dr. Shukhman’s positive experiences with LDN he uses it to treat certain types of depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, sleep problems, sexual problems, appetite control, addictions to sex, gambling, the internet, alcohol and drugs.
He believes that depression is an overall term which includes many diverse conditions with common symptoms. The types that come with fatigue, disinterest, lack of motivation and enthusiasm, slowed movements and thinking and decreased appetite are more likely to respond to LDN. These types of depression seem to be triggered by inflammation, seasonal changes, pregnancy or are related to a deficiency of dopamine or endorphins.
Dr. Shukhman finds that some patients have “spectacular” results when LDN is added to their other psychiatric medications.
Dr. Shukhman finds that some patients have “spectacular” results when LDN is added to their other psychiatric medications. He has also had very good results with people who complain of post-coital dysphoria or “post-sex blues”. This phenomenon is related to a sudden drop in dopamine levels from the high level reached after orgasm.
To read LDNscience’s interview with Dr. Shukhman, visit: https://www.ldnscience.org/resources/interviews/interview-mark-shukhman
Jane Dawson Gets Her Life Back with LDN
Jane Dawson from Arizona, USA is a woman who has successfully used LDN for her Hashimoto's Encephalopathy which caused mood swings, intrusive thoughts, self injurious behaviors, crushing depression and anxiety. Every day for Jane was difficult and painful. Her son with autism had recently been prescribed LDN for chronic allergies by a naturopath. He had such an improvement that Jane pleaded to be started on it as well. Jane told LDNscience that LDN literally saved her life. LDN controlled her disease and she was able to continue working and caring for her children.
To read Jane’s full story plus many others, visit: https://www.ldnscience.org/patients/patients-stories
LDN is a “Game-changer” for Sufferer of Bipolar Disorder
Lisa Nilsen
Lisa Nilsen suffered with bipolar disorder for many years and was prescribed multiple medications, ultimately leading to substance abuse. She had severe mood swings and often thought of suicide. She tried to stop all her medications, but at her lowest point, Lisa went to her physician out of desperation to try one more medication. He recommended LDN. After just one dose, she woke up the next morning thinking “Wow, I really feel different”. Within a week, Lisa felt better than she had for many years. She no longer had suicidal thoughts, she had more energy, and she was far less reactive. Lisa says that LDN has been a game-changer.
“Within a week, I could see that I felt more differently than anything I’d ever felt before. The goal that all the doctors and medications had in mind - for me to be level and calm inside - I was finally experiencing that for the very first time.”
Read Lisa’s full interview here.
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