Alleviating Schizophrenia, Bipolar, and/or Other Psychotic Conditions
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Greetings from Agartha!
Here, I wish to document my findings in my treatment of my schizophrenia. I've been diagnosed with it since I was 17 but I've been bouncing around diagnosises of various psychotic conditions since I was 14, after my first mental break and following short-term institutionalization.
First, I ought to explain my view on what schizophrenia actually is. The literal, etymological meaning of the word proves to be the best description: splitmindness. Essentially, schizophrenia is a remnant of the bicameral mind where the right communicates with the left through hallucination. Schizophrenia, therefore, is not an illness by itself but a condition. However, it does make the afflicted more vulnerable to mental illness as the brain is more harshly affected by disregulation.
Symptoms of schizophrenia + disregulation of the brain are psychosis and an increase in harmful hallucinations; such as psychosis, command hallucinations to take hard drugs, hallucinations that make social life difficult, increased likelihood for self-harm, paranoia, etc.
The main way the brain is deregulated is through lack of γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), the prime inhibitory neurotransmitter. Ray Peat has talked about the GABA system and its importance to neurological health in his newletter.
One of the main ways the GABA system is attacked in modern society is through gluten. In "Bread and Other Edible Agents of Mental Disease" by Paola Bressan and Peter Kramer, it is noted that "Antibodies against gluten have been found much more often in schizophrenia...than in the general population or in controls." Noncircumstancial evidence includes the fact that "Patients on a grain-and-milk-free diet were either discharged or transferred from a locked to an open ward sooner than patients on a grain-rich diet."
Eliminating gluten has done wonders for my mental state. Paranoia is gone, desire to take part in self-destructive behavior are severely reduced, anxiety is gone, no more bipolar emotional state, etc. Well, mostly.
While not harming the GABA is a major step in improvement, greater gains can be achieved through supplementing GABA production. Taking thyroid helps regulate the GABA system and I highly recommend you supplement it, especially due it having a multitude of other benefits. I once read an article by Ray that mentions a man treating schizophrenia with vitamin b3 so I added it to my stack. I cannot comment on whether or not it actually has had an effect.
Supplementing straight GABA has had positive effects on me. However, it does not absorb into the body well. If you want to stick to normal supplements, I recommend you cycle 500mg of the Now Foods GABA. If you are more adventurous, cycling 50mg picamilon has had wonderous effects.
NOTE:
I have learned that Ray Peat has an article about schizophrenia. I have yet to have read it as of writing this post but I will link it nonetheless. You can click here to access it. I am not sure how closely his theory matches mine but I am sure it is interesting regardless.
