A Lack of Sleep Can Cause Depression

My Personal Care Physician gave me a referral to Behavioral Health for Stress Reduction Workshops, because I was having a difficult time sleeping due to a stressful merger at work. When I arrived at Behavior Health the psychiatrists diagnosed me with Bipolar and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. They argued that depression and mania can cause a sleep disturbance. They however overlooked the opposite but equally valid argument that sleep deprivation can cause depression, anxiety and manic like symptoms, which does not necessarily make you Manic Depressive or Bipolar. Sleep deprivation can be caused my many other things, such as stress, poor sleep hygiene or in my case allergies and Restless Leg Syndrome. American are getting far less sleep than needed, this may contribute to the rise in “mental illness” diagnosis. I did an overnight sleep study and it was determined that I had Restless Leg Syndrome, a distant cousin to Parkinson disease; the doctors also noted that I had 15 allergy symptoms such as swelling, hives and gasping for air. After I was properly treated for my allergies the swelling and other symptoms went away. The Parkinson’s like tremors from the Restless Leg Syndrome also disappeared when the pressure on the nerves in my legs was relieved. I now sleep like a baby without medication and all of my “mental illness” symptoms disappeared.

I was never mentally ill and should not have been treated with psychotropic drugs. Complaints have been filed on my behalf by the Citizens Commission on Human Rights International. After doing my own research I discovered that my situation is not an isolated incident. I am calling on all other psych patients and their loved ones to question their diagnosis and seek medical treatment looking for a real reason for their depression and anxiety. I made the error in believing because these psychiatrists were also MD’s and DO’s that meant that they were practicing medicine. This is WRONG, psychiatrists do not practice medicine they practice psychiatry. Ask to see test results that prove you are mentally ill. Ask for, NO DEMAND, a medical exam! Your life and your livelihood may depend on it.

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