Robert Asks... Do you think a combination of different herbs can cure any form of bipolar disorder and if so what are those herbs? Dr. Fink Answers... In Chapter 9 of Bipolar Disorder For Dummies, we discuss a host of alternative treatments for bipolar disorder, including ECT (electroconvulsive therapy), light therapy, vitamins & minerals, and herbs, used alone and in conjunction with traditional forms of medicines and therapies. For example, some people claim that St. John's Wort is useful for treating the depressive pole in bipolar disorder. (Of course, unfortunately, like most other antidepressants, St. John's Wort also increases the risk of triggering mania, especially in someone who has bipolar disorder.)

Mood stabilizers are usually effective in treating acute mania. Treating bipolar depression, however, is often more challenging for two reasons:

Syndicated from the Bipolar Blog with a couple minor changes The standard approach to treating bipolar disorder calls for a combination of medication and psychotherapy – a mood stabilizer for the mania, an anti-depressant to treat the depressive side, and psychotherapy to deal with the stressors and triggers that often push the disorder through the protective barrier of medications.