Natasha Tracy's Blog, page 7

I Was Harmed by Truehope, EMPowerplus – My Story

In February 2022, I decided I wanted to go off my antidepressants. This is what led me to find the company Truehope and their supplement EMPowerplus. I wish I never had. The direction from the staff at Truehope has damaged my health more than I ever thought possible. I have depression and have been greatly injured by Truehope. This is my story.

Memory and Cognitive Problems in Bipolar Disorder Plus Coping Skills

Memory problems are common in bipolar disorder, as is cognitive impairment. It makes sense, really. If our brains misfire when it comes to mood and its related symptoms, why wouldn't they misfire in other ways as well? People don't like to talk about this, though. People enjoy the narrative that those with bipolar disorder are more intelligent than others (which is not true), whereas the reality, which is that people with bipolar are additionally impaired, is something people like to glass over. But people with bipolar have memory and cognitive problems.

Truehope EMPowerplus Evidence Claims — Bipolar Disorder

Last time, I discussed the evidence Truehope presented for using its EMPowerplus in depression. You can check out that review here. (I also discussed the Truehope EMPowerplus formulations, their disclaimer, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules around supplements.) Today, I am going to delve into the claims Truehope makes about using EMPowerplus micronutrient formula in bipolar disorder and why the claims made by this company are so dangerous.

Review of EMPowerplus and Truehope Evidence in Treating Depression

Years ago, out of extreme desperation, I tried EMPowerplus by Truehope. While I don't necessarily consider this a mistake, it certainly wasn't worth my while -- it had no benefit whatsoever. Regardless, Truehope itself disgusted me as a company. Recently, again, someone asked me about it, so I decided to take another look at their website and see how one of my least favorite companies is doing. As it turns out, nothing has changed. Here, I review the research provided by Truehope that their product(s) (mostly a micronutrient formula called EMPowerplus) work on depression.

Severe Depression and Pain — What Is Allodynia?

I know when my depression is severe because of the pain, because of the pain that is allodynia. Allodynia involves physical pain where the pain wouldn't normally be present. And while I don't need any additional reminders that my depression is severe, allodynia provides one all the same. Read on for information on physical pain and allodynia in depression, including how to treat this type of pain.

What Do You Do When You’re Suicidal?

I've been unfortunate enough to need to know what to do when I'm suicidal. I know I'm not alone. I know there are many people out there thinking about the same thing. Because, let's face it, while there's lots of advice out there on what to do when you're "down" or anxious or hypo/manic, there's very little advice on what to do when you're suicidal. I think this is because people don't want to think about it. I don't want to think about it, either. But, unfortunately, life insists that I do. So, here are some thoughts on what to do when you're feeling suicidal.

How to Start Writing a Book About Your Mental Illness

I get asked about how I wrote a book about my mental illness all the time. My book is Lost Marbles: Insights into My Life with Depression & Bipolar, and I published it in 2016. It has done very well for me, and I don't regret writing the book for a moment. That said, writing a book about mental illness is not for the faint of heart. It's harder than you think, and many people find it less rewarding than they think. If you carefully think ahead, though, you can avoid some of the pitfalls.

Separating My Emotions from Bipolar Emotions — How Do I Know Which Is Which?

Bipolar emotions and my genuine emotions are two different things, even though they come from one brain. In fact, they can be two opposite things. It's quite complicated to separate a bipolar emotion from my legitimate, organic emotion. What I often find is that the bipolar emotions are so overwhelming that my genuine emotions get drowned out. I feel like I'm trying to separate s specific drop of water from the ocean.

Redefining Success: Thriving with Bipolar Disorder

People with bipolar disorder can be successful. In fact, people with bipolar disorder can be very successful. You can, indeed, thrive with bipolar disorder. That being said, thriving and success may look different for a person with bipolar disorder than they look for others. Redefining success is something you have to do if you want to thrive with bipolar disorder. Constantly reaching for goals that your bipolar will prevent you from achieving just isn't a way to thrive with bipolar disorder.

‘Yellowjackets’ Shows ECT and Harms the Mentally Ill

If you're hooked on the show Yellowjackets, like me, then you'll know that in season two, episode two, Yellowjackets showed an electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) scene (I believe it may be called "electroshock" in the show). In the scene, one character, Lottie, is forced onto a bed, an injection is given in her arm, a bite block is placed in her mouth, and she is shocked by electrodes on either side of her head. She violently convulses, clearly in nightmarish pain. Let's talk about how the Yellowjackets' depiction of ECT is inaccurate and harms the mentally ill.