[Albion Wilde]

Bless you both. What an ordeal.

The best thing you can do going forward is to optimize her physical health and fitness. Her diet should be mostly fresh or steamed vegetables, fruits and lean meat without cheese or sauces. Cut out pasta and bread, especially high gluten products, junk food, and sugar, as well as artificial sweeteners like aspartame, nutrasweet, and especially high fructose corn syrup, which are found in most processed foods (read all labels).

Fish oil capsules do wonders, as does regular exercise, like a walking or yoga program that meets at least twice a week, and if possible four or five times. Cut out any smoking, drinking, any drugs that aren’t medically necessary (even aspirin can upset some people) and make sure she gets her thyroid and Vitamin D levels checked thoroughly and frequently.

If she is presently off-kilter in any of these areas, even small improvements can help, and getting into normal range can be miraculous.

[steve86]

I hope no one reading your comment with a family member experiencing psychosis is going with those suggestions rather than seeking proper treatment. Sure, take a walk around the block, do yoga and eat all the vegetables you want -- after a professional assesses and stabilizes the situation.

[Seizethecarp]

As a retired RN, when she is stable she can eat and live healthy. Bipolars can self-medicate with alcohol and overdo it if they are not careful, and it has been a struggle for her to cut back at times, but now she is doing great and having only her medically approved daily/weekly intake.

A couple of her meds give her more appetite that she is comfortable with and because she is very conscious of keeping her weight down (she is all of 125 lbs at 5'2”) she has been complaining of being a bit hungry, but nothing serious so far. Thank goodness she doesn't struggle with weight.