The psychiatric treatment for those who are experiencing symptoms, categorized as manic depressive, are mood stabilizers such as lithium and sodium valproate.
Some of the more dangerous effects of the psychiatric drug lithium are:

• Blurred Vision
• Severe shakiness
• Seizures
• Blackout spells
• Irregular heart rhythm
• Fainting
• Vision problems
• Heart rhythm problems that can cause sudden death

Some of the “lesser” symptoms of lithium are”

• Twitching
• Slurred speech
• Dizziness
• Bowel or bladder control difficulties
• Restlessness
• Hair loss
• Dry Mouth

The other common drug used , sodium valproate, has its own list of distressing side effects. One in 100 people will experience the following:

• Liver Damage
• Tremor
• Confusion
• Feeling shaky or dizzy
• Constant tiredness
• Bruising easily

The following are more common side effects from sodium valproate:

• Weight gain
• Gastric Irritation
• Loss of hair
• Nausea

Alternative treatment does exist!
There are possible causes of the symptoms, called manic depression, that were discovered by researchers, and treatable using nutrition. People who are hypoglycemic may experience behavior that mimics mental health symptoms.
Some experts suggest a hypoglycemic diet can be tried for two weeks to see if that helps.
Allergies to mold or other substances might contribute to a manic depressive condition, according to research in this area. There are tests for allergies that can be done.
Even use of caffeine, alcohol and smoking of cigarettes can affect some people adversely, leading to symptoms that may be manic depressive.
One mother helped her son recover from a manic depression by giving him extra B-complex vitamins, including B6.
Some feel that Candida can contribute to manic depression. There are self-treatments for this condition that a person may want to research and try.
Even PMS (premenstrual syndrome) may lead to a manic depressive diagnosis from a psychiatrist anxious to prescribe mood stabilizers to his patient.
A psychiatrist is unlikely to look any further than his prescription pad when it comes to treating manic depressive symptoms.
Putting one’s faith in a supposed expert who has no interest in discovering the true cause of this condition, and who benefits financially by keeping his patients dependant on debilitating drugs is a dangerous proposition.
There is plenty of expert research being done on the nutritional and physical causes of this condition. It is unfortunate that those in the psychiatric profession are not concerned about the health of their patients, and instead prescribe expensive and dangerous drugs to treat symptoms they do not fully understand.
The true expert is the man or woman who continues to search for causes that can be cured without the use of dangerous drugs.
It is encouraging that there are people who care enough about the health of those who are having a difficult time in life, to discover nutritional help for their recovery. This, of course, does not include the psychiatrist and his dangerous solution, pharmaceutical drugs.
http://bipolar-disorder.emedtv.com/lithium/lithium-side-effects.html
http://www.choiceandmedication.org/nsft/questions/288/
 
http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/hypoglycemia.htm