Theory on treating Mental Illnesses

Weekend of Week 4 on my new custom made food program.

Hi my name is James R. Childers and I am a film producer in Los Angles, CA. I have spent the last three years producing video content focusing on changing the sensibilities on those marginalized by stigmas through the aesthetics of film making. In addition I have been testing information from several books such as Outliers, Blink, The Tipping Point, by Malcom Gladwell and most recently So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport. With a goal of achieving acceptance, support, and success despite my disability and then share this information with the larger mental illness community.

Although, my original intention was to find a cure for bipolar disorder, through conversations with loved ones I have changed my position on how to tackle this very serious illness. My new approach is to find a better way to cope with bipolar disorder. At this point in what we like to call "The Healing Journey," I truly believe I have found several things that are highly effective at improving the behavior of ones diagnosis of bipolar through trail and error on myself. Being that I was diagnosed with bipolar three years ago. The interesting thing with this diagnosis is that, unlike cancer, the day you are diagnosed is not when the illness materialized. Apparently, this is an illness the medical community claim is hereditary.

Although this makes complete sense, through self analysis of myself and others around me, I am leaning on the side that the symptoms of mental illness seems like the flu of the mind. What I have noticed is successful normal brain types experience, unique in their own way, the near same symptoms of a diagnosed bipolar person but are not necessarily crippled by it, more accepted socially and/or recover faster.

So, I made a video post about mental illness being the flu of the mind and a friend of mine, Caitlin Thompson, who has her neuroscience degree, said this "Mental illness really is the result of an immune response in most people, driven by inflammation and dysregulation of neurotransmitter systems as a result. So you're right, it really is sorta like the flue of the mind. Just like when we break our ankle, it becomes inflamed and hurts, telling us not to use it. Bipolar disorder and depression are no different."  The conversation can be found by clicking this link here: Facebook Video and Conversation

I am starting to come to the conclusion that eating a plant based diet is the foundation of great health.  Healing the majority of the public from several different illnesses all at once allowing our socially funded health care system to focus more time on attention to those who need it most.  People who are the most sick usually get the most attention regardless.  The squeaky wheel gets oiled first if you will.  With this being said there is a social element involved with people who are suffering form mental illnesses.  Walking the streets of Los Angeles has taught me that once a person is so completely lost mentally they are incapable os doing anything other than accepting food and money from strangers.  Not even the ability to ask for it.  Furthermore, drugs are NOT the sole reason for their mental disability.  I would argue the lack of nutritious plant based foods are.  Being involved with counter culture I have all types of people consume far more drugs (legal and illegal) in one setting than any impoverished homeless person could dream of incidentally in their lifetime.  

Which leads me to my other point financial inequality.  The male population of America being emasculated since the financial crisis.  Causing a rise in mental instability of amongst a majority of males in America.  The super extreme competitiveness of American culture which trickles into business creates massive financial inequality.  There is a great TED talk by Thomas Insel pointing out a correlation between financial inequality and mental illness.  Leading me to believe that when I man can NOT provide for himself he becomes lonely and isolated from his community and will increase likelihood of drug addiction.  Since the majority of Americans are somewhat still puritans in the sense at least when it comes to the consumption of illegal drugs.  The pharmaceutical companies prey on these individuals through subconscious program.

However, the pharmaceutical industry simple operates like McDonalds.  McDonalds claims to sell you food when in reality to the brain it is reacting to the food as if it is a drug.  Such as pharmaceutical pills are sold as medicine when it operates as a drug in the brain.  Which opens up the debate whose fault is it.  The person who ordered and paid for it?  In the case of the mentally ill, who the majority are financial insecure, YOU the tax payer are the one paying for it our healthcare.

This just inspired me to make a video until next time!

James!