Psychiatrists Support Alternative Treatment For Mental Illness

Sept. 18, 2009 - PRLog -- In a recent Health Professional Guide released by TrueHope, three noted psychiatrists shared their experiences prescribing the vitamin and mineral supplement, EMPowerplus (EMP), to their patients, some of whom had been on the supplement for as many as  8 years

Each specialist was asked to comment on his or her experience with the supplement.  Dr. Lawrence E. Cormier, psychiatrist and integrative holistic health care practitioner in Denver, Colorado, was asked about any initial concerns he had in treating patients with EMP.  “The difficulties reported in patients taking both medication and EMP ... raised safety concerns for me.  Finally, the risks to my standing as a credible licensed physician weighed on me for several years before I started treating patients with EMP in 2005.  Recognizing that these are concerns that many doctors have, I want to share my clinical experience with the product and related medical knowledge.  There is a growing body of bona fide medical evidence published in peer-reviewed journals on the use of EMP to treat mental disorders in adults and in children.  More research projects are currently underway or in planning.  EMP contains vitamins, minerals and nutritional supplements that have been widely used for many years.  Most of these ingredients can be found in lesser amounts in the average diet.  The full dose of EMP is well within safe levels as established by the Institute of Medicine and government regulatory bodies.”

Dr. Scott Shannon, Assistant clinical professor of child psychiatry at the University of Colorado Children’s hospital, Denver, Colorado, commented on the advantages of EMP.  “The advantages are many.  EMP is made up of naturally occurring compounds that occur in most children’s diets, so I have no problem prescribing them.  On the other hand, for almost all of the psychiatric medications, we have little to no long term experience with how they affect the developing brain.  In fact, most of the meds I prescribe to treat bipolar disorder have significant side effects such as weight gain, hyperlipidemia, sedation, lethargy, and Type 2 diabetes.  For kids who are learning and moving through developmental stages, being sedated and out of it is a problem.  This is not so much a problem for adults.
   What I see with EMP is that the kids are much more cognitively clear and don’t have the same side effects at all.  They are not sedated and don’t have issues with weight gain.”

Finally, Dr.Natalie Sadler, holistic psychiatrist in private practice in Carrboro, North Carolina commented on the interaction between psychiatric medications and EMP.  “What I have found is that the vitamins and minerals in EMP potentiate psychiatric medication so that it is effective at smaller doses.  Once this happens, I start to taper the patient off the psychiatric medication.  Some patients can come off their medication in two weeks; others in a month or six weeks.  It depends on the medication and whether or not there is a withdrawal syndrome.  One has to taper down very slowly in these latter cases to limit the withdrawal effects.
   Most patients that I’ve treated with EMP have been able to completely come off medication.  There is a hold-your-breath moment, but it usually works very well.  Once the patient and his or her family sees that there are no more side effects or symptoms, everybody can relax and trust the process.”

As additional studies emerge on the relationship of nutrition to mental illness, it is becoming obvious there is a strong link between mental wellness and the ability of our bodies to absorb and assimilate vitamins and minerals.


For more information and to order EMPowerplus visit:  www.MentalIllnessAssist.com

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Mental Illness Assist is designed to assist those who suffer from mental illness such as ADD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and depression to live normal lives with Truehope vitamin and mineral supplementation rather than with prescription drugs.