Do You Feel More Mentally Healthy After Going gluten-free?

[TotalKnowledge]

I know I for one, after going gluten free have a much easier time regulating my emotions. The wild roller coaster of feelings is gone. My overwhelming anxiety is gone. My depression for the most part is gone. My mania is gone...

Is there anyone that has been diagnosed with depression, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, or some other form of mental illness that found they had a marked improvement on a gluten free diet, if so what are you recovered from? Also are there any problems that have not improved, or have become worse?

[Mskedi]

My anxiety and depression have improved -- I don't know if that's directly related to the gluten or to the fact that off gluten I can actually sleep (insomnia is my primary symptom when glutened and can certainly be a factor in mental health -- the GI stuff is no fun, either, but I'd take that anytime over the days of no sleep).

I got glutened for the first time in a long while on Monday, and today, after two nights with no sleep, I feel the worst mentally/emotionally than I have in a while. Yesterday I was manic -- the world was perfect, I was super excited about every little thing from checking out books at the library to the songs that popped up on my ipod random player. Today I've been having trouble keeping my mind off suicide. That's generally how it went with me -- I'd pay for the manic days with long bouts of depression. I've always functioned, so it's not as bad as some people's, but it can still be pretty rough. Since going gluten-free, I've evened out considerably. Anxiety-wise, I haven't been freaking out about social gatherings where I don't know every single person or driving on the freeway and other totally ridiculous things that make me break into a cold sweat and make my heart beat out of control.

That said, I've got no doctor monitoring these things so I don't quite meet your criteria for a response, but I'm not the only person to have noticed the change in my behavior and mood.

[TotalKnowledge]

I meant to also ask if any undiagnosed problems got better, but to just notate whether or not you were diagnosed. Non of my mental health issues from the past were ever officially diagnosed, they are just my take on how I feel.

[Mac55]

Completely!! My mental state was one of the first things to improve when I went off gluten. It's also one of the first things I notice when I've been glutened. I've never been formally diagnosed with anything other than depression but I've had lots of anxiety, irritability, mood swings, etc. that had just gotten worse until I was diagnosed. I couldn't believe how calm I was in less than 2 days gluten-free. It was like I had a whole new life. I am currently working on my Dad to go gluten-free, as he is much worse than I was and has a lot more health problems. My mom is gluten-free now, as well as my sister, so hopefully he'll see it soon. So glad you're doing better! Isn't it amazing how life-changing it is??

[Brien]

I was told I had wheat allergy in the middle of December 09. I was suffering from wild anxiety for about 9 months and the last 3 were just very uncomfortable. A Holistic Doctor diagnosed my with the wheat allergy and we did an adrenal test as well. It turned out I had/have a moderate case of adreanl exhaustion. I started to feel better fairly quickly( a couple weeks) but wasn't really better until I go off all coffee's and tea. Byt the end of February I was so happy to be back!

I am hypothyroid as well and in February of this year I saw a new endocronologist. I told him what I had gone through and what the Holistic Doctor said. He wanted to make sure it wasn't Celiac and so had me eat wheat for 3 weeks (just ended last week). By the second week of eating wheat the anxiety was back and at times it felt worse than ever. I'm one week off now and still am having bouts of it but feel it waning as they are less in the day and not as intense. I saw my Holistc Doctor as well during this last week and he said because I have a case of adrenal exhaustion in tandem with my hypothyroid that the wheat has thrown everything out of balance again. He told me it might take a few weeks to get back to normal - I'm tired of it already but have to suck it up and make it through. I see my endocronoligist tomorrow (3/30) for my results.

My wheat issues screw with my mind. Its frightening sometimes. For 45 years I was fine and then in just under a year it seems like I became a mess. I feel haunted at times by this but know that I got better and know that I will get back. I surely thought after a week off of it, it would all be gone after only reintroducing it for 3 weeks but according to the doc, the anxiety issue end of it can take longer.

[O.N.]

I meant to also ask if any undiagnosed problems got better, but to just notate whether or not you were diagnosed. Non of my mental health issues from the past were ever officially diagnosed, they are just my take on how I feel.

I am on a gluten-free diet for 3 months. I can't believe that I can feel so calm, confident, secure. Such a difference! I don't remember when I felt so good emotionally last time.

Even my PMS and migraines are gone. Also my irritability is gone. To be gluten-free is a very small price I am happy to pay for my emotional health. But I also take vitamins to correct my vitamin deficiency.

[glutenfreek]

I know I for one, after going gluten free have a much easier time regulating my emotions. The wild roller coaster of feelings is gone. My overwhelming anxiety is gone. My depression for the most part is gone. My mania is gone...

Is there anyone that has been diagnosed with depression, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, or some other form of mental illness that found they had a marked improvement on a gluten free diet, if so what are you recovered from? Also are there any problems that have not improved, or have become worse?

I can't speak for myself but for my better half - my husband was diagnosed ADHD as child and I can say most assuredly that he suffered with bouts of depression and bi-polar although he was never formally diagnosed. He went 100% gluten-free in 2004 and it was the best thing that ever happened!!! I tell people all the time that I got a new husband - same body, new man. He talks freely about this and how he wouldn't trade his mental clarity for anything. We got off the roller coaster and I pray we never get back on! He was diagnosed in 1999 but it was really hard for him to commit 100%, and we all suffered for it b/c his symptoms were almost all psychological and the on again off again routine just about killed us. I am also 100% gluten-free and can attest to the fact that when I accidentally get trace amounts of gluten there is a marked change in my attitude and my patience/rationale is GONE. I think that is at least partly due to the fact that I am in pain. BTW the longer we are gluten-free the more sensitive we seem to become to it and the more severe our reactions become when we accidentally get into it. So, needless to say we work really hard at not having any accidents. I am so glad to hear that you are not suffering anymore and would only like to encourage you to keep it up. There are times I think about the constant pain I used to be in and I don't know how I did it, it was enough to drive anyone insane! LOL

[glutenfreek]

I am on a gluten-free diet for 3 months. I can't believe that I can feel so calm, confident, secure. Such a difference! I don't remember when I felt so good emotionally last time.

Even my PMS and migraines are gone. Also my irritability is gone. To be gluten-free is a very small price I am happy to pay for my emotional health. But I also take vitamins to correct my vitamin deficiency.

Ok, I have to laugh b/c my PMS is gone too! No more cramps, bye bye heavy irregular periods! My migraines are gone too! Isn't it awsome! This alone is enough encouragement to keep me gluten-free the rest of my life! My sister experienced the same thing too. And can you believe before I went gluten-free I had a doctor write me prescription to help my PMDD! I was on it less than 10 days and gained 10 lbs when I told him he needed to rethink what he prescribed to a woman who was complaining about being bloated. Honestly, the last thing you want to add to PMS is 10 lbs! I also take vitamins as I am still border line anemic.

It feels good to be healthy!

[gf-soph]

I was seeing a psychologist for depression during the time that I went gluten free. I'd had plenty of things happen in the past that I coped with fine at the time, nothing bad was happening at that point but I just wasn't able to cope.

Almost exactly 3 months after going gluten free I woke up one day and it was gone. It was a strange feeling, I described it to others like I had settled back into my own body after not being able to control myself properly for several months. Odd I know, but that's how it is.

I did a very short gluten challenge several months later, just to see if I had any reactions to trace gluten. After 1 day of eating low gluten foods, I just burst out crying for no reason - I didn't feel sad, but i was bawling. It took a couple of days to settle down.

Also, my grandmother has recently gone gluten free. She has a history of anxiety (severe to the point of paranoia), depression etc. She has never felt better, and is the happiest I have ever known her, is more pleasant and happy and is enjoying her life more than she has in many years.

There is no doubt in my mind that for some of us, gluten acts on the brain and fundamentally changes how it functions.

[jackay]

I suffered from such severe anxiety, depression and insomnia for the past four years along with lots of physical health issues. When I went gluten free, the anxiety went away immediately. The depression, which wasn't as bad as the anxiety, took longer to go away. The insomnia didn't improve much. I was really surprised that the anxiety went away and that the depression got better without getting more sleep.

I knew I had other food intolerances so went on an elimination diet. At the same time I started candida supplements. That is when my insomnia improved.

Before all this, I tried counseling and medications too numerous to mention for both anxiety and depression plus ECT treatments. One doctor considered me bipolar even though I never had a manic episode.

Nothing helped in the least bit. I wanted to die as I felt that would be the only way out of my physical and mental pain. I figured at my age, I had at least 20 more years to suffer. I didn't know how I could go on. My mind was always on suicide but I felt that was the wrong thing to do.

Now that I feel I am finally FREE TO BE ME! I once again enjoy life.

[buffettbride]

My daughter was a mental case before going gluten-free and she's as stable as stable can be now. She's still slightly more prone to meltdown than others it seems, but getting rid of gluten helped her head BIG TIME. One of her major symptoms when she is glutened is a week's worth of uberPMS.

[jackay]

My daughter was a mental case before going gluten-free and she's as stable as stable can be now. She's still slightly more prone to meltdown than others it seems, but getting rid of gluten helped her head BIG TIME. One of her major symptoms when she is glutened is a week's worth of uberPMS.

This is awesome!

[eastvangal]

Meeee toooo

I felt so much better right away and didn't trust it for months, just couldn't believe gluten had been the problem for all these years (decades).

The most difficult thing for me right now is tapering off the antidepressant - was at 250mg a year ago (for 17 years), and now on 87.5mg, and slowly tapering to nothing. The withdrawal (or rebound) going off the zoloft mimics the symptoms of being glutened I have discovered. Hopefully by Christmas I'll be done with it.

I appreciate hearing all your stories so much.

[Skylark]

I was bipolar, on meds and having all sorts of problems. Off gluten, I am stable, off meds, years-long insomnia problems gone, and my psychiatrist declared me "in remission" over four years ago. I do require fish oil and a really good multivitamin to feel really well.

[Coinkey]

I am definitely more centered since going gluten free. The tensed up monster living inside me relaxed and rejoined me. I feel whole. PMS gone

daily headaches gone

anxiety gone

my hatred of other people and crowded spaces gone

my weight going down

depression gone

over reactions to little things gone

rational thought back

ability to play pool remarkable (I can see the angles needed to make a shot now rather than just guessing)

feeling that I'm so clever feeling- which disappeared around puberty- which when thinking about it was about the time the red cheeks appeared too (just realized this as typing)

I am not diagnosed for any of my symptoms nor celiacs (still have to talk to a doctor about it).

[goldfinger]

Hello all,

I am new here. I have not been diagnosed with celiacs, but I have been suffering with mild depression, severe obesity and hypothyroidism and now at 47 I am pretty sure (according to hubby) I am menopausal. I have heard for many years about wheat allergys and gluten free diets. However, recently I have a friend who put her two year old on modified/free gluten diet. He has also been recently diagenosed with mild Autism. Since this I have been investigating a gluten free diet I came upon this site via searches and felt this would be a great support system. Some of the other symptoms is fatigue, severe moodiness, increased depression, foggy mind, more flighty than usual. Does anyone think a gluten free way of life may help me?

Thanks

[Skylark]

Hi there. You can have depression from gluten intolerance/celiac. If your doctor has your thyroid stable and has ruled out any other major medical problems, it's perfectly reasonable to try the diet and see if it helps. It took my mental symptoms much longer than my GI trouble to resolve. I'd say you would need to try for 4-6 months to be sure.

Other things that might help you are S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) or 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). SAMe is used widely in Europe for depression. Be aware that 5-HTP is not safe with some antidepressants so ask your doctor if you go that route. My naturopath psychiatrist friend also puts everyone who sets foot into her office onto a good probiotic for two months and has them take a high-quality, mercury free fish oil concentrate.

[OptimisticMom42]

I've posted this info here before but for those who are new..... My now 19 yr old son was diagnosed as bi-polar and celiac after attemping to end his life by crashing his car. He has gone back and forth from eating gluten and hearing voices to being gluten free and totally down to earth and peaceful. Lots of meds have been tried. The ones that work for him are basically benedryl and a mood stabalizer mixed together. He is currently med free after a period of weening down. He has to report to the prison nurse twice a day, the psychologist once a week and the psychiatrist once a month. He keeps benedryl in his cell to help regulate his reations. He is not able to be completely gluten free as being on a special diet makes an inmate a target for unwanted attention. He does what he can with what is served in the chow hall and what he can buy from the prison store. This was his first and only offense, committed when he was 17, his sentence is 29 months to 10 years. He has served 13 months.

He will be fine, we are dealing with it. I am sharing this information because it's important to know how serious the consequences of untreated celiacs and the resulting mental illness can be.

Take care, RA

[goldfinger]

I have a question for all of you who posted in this forum. Are any of you celiacs or did you do this on your own.. or was it suggested? I am not celiacs but looking for info for a friend who was trying this for her son. However, when I stumbled on this forum it made me sit up and take notice. I have been diagnosed with depression 9 years ago, taking celexa which helps but I also have hypothyroid issues... I was a year old when the diagnosed me and now am 47. I have noticed recently I am more mooody and have brief mild episodes of anxiety, which I have not told anybody about and have been able to hide. I am thinking I am having menapausal issues but I REFUSE to take HRT. After reading this forum and other info I decided I would try gluten-free and see if this changes anything... this is day #2

[OptimisticMom42]

I have a question for all of you who posted in this forum. Are any of you celiacs or did you do this on your own.. or was it suggested?

Our journey started with a fellow celiac noticing the itchy bumps on my elbows.

I was diagnosed by my immunologist. He said the reactions were so obvious he didn't need to test me.

My son's blood work came back negative, three times, because we didn't know his meds have an antihistamine property. Now we know. He was diagnosed by two doctors even with the negative blood test and no biopsy because the rest of his symptoms were so obvious.

My daughter has not been tested and is not interested in testing or getting the migrains that come with eating gluten.

My younger son's girlfriend was diagnosed by a specialist her Mom took her to for repeated urinary tract and bladder inflammation.

The girls are not having mental health issues beyond normal teenage PMS.

[Becksabec]

I have a long history of depression, but I've been able to manage it the last couple of years. I still struggle from small bouts of it, and also low self-esteem. After going gluten-free, my friends have actually made comments about how my mood and general outlook has improved. In fact, that's usually the first way to tell that I've been glutened - my mood changes dramatically.

[Skylark]

I worked it out on my own. I got sick of stomach aches and diarrhea and went on an elimination diet to figure out if I had food allergies. I was not expecting to be gluten intolerant so I didn't even talk to a doctor until I'd been off gluten for a few months and couldn't be tested.

I had help from a naturopathic psychiatrist getting over the bipolar illness. My story is in my profile and it's late, so I'll ask you to read it there instead of retyping. Basically I believe the gluten made me depressed, and antidepressants I was treated with made me bipolar.

Optimistic Mom, I am sorry to hear your son got into such a rough time. I don't often directly recommend EMPowerPlus here as it is expensive stuff and a bit controversial; however, it changed my life and it might help your son. It is a vitamin/mineral/micronutrient supplement designed to treat bipolar illness. The place you get it is Open Original Shared Link I don't know about him using it in prison, but if he needs something to help once he's out and doesn't want meds, I find it tremendously helpful.

[O.N.]

I am definitely more centered since going gluten free. The tensed up monster living inside me relaxed and rejoined me. I feel whole. PMS gone

daily headaches gone

anxiety gone

my hatred of other people and crowded spaces gone

my weight going down

depression gone

over reactions to little things gone

rational thought back

ability to play pool remarkable (I can see the angles needed to make a shot now rather than just guessing)

feeling that I'm so clever feeling- which disappeared around puberty- which when thinking about it was about the time the red cheeks appeared too (just realized this as typing)

I am not diagnosed for any of my symptoms nor celiacs (still have to talk to a doctor about it).

You don't need to be officially diagnosed to know how you feel without gluten. Listen to your gut! I am happy for you that gluten-free diet helps you!

[cap6]

years ago I was diagnosed as bi-polar/depression and have been on meds since the early 90's. Was diagnosed Celiac in March 2010. I am so hopeful that I will at some point be able to go off of my meds - or at the very least cut back. I have felt so much better health wise since going gluten free (except for the chronic constipation grrrr!) Over all I just feel happier. Not sure if this is because I don't hurt all of the time or because emotionally I am getting well. I had thought to give this a few more months and then start to cut back on my meds and see what happens........

[sherrylynn]

I am definitely more centered since going gluten free. The tensed up monster living inside me relaxed and rejoined me. I feel whole. PMS gone

daily headaches gone

anxiety gone

my hatred of other people and crowded spaces gone

my weight going down

depression gone

over reactions to little things gone

rational thought back

ability to play pool remarkable (I can see the angles needed to make a shot now rather than just guessing)

feeling that I'm so clever feeling- which disappeared around puberty- which when thinking about it was about the time the red cheeks appeared too (just realized this as typing)

I am not diagnosed for any of my symptoms nor celiacs (still have to talk to a doctor about it).

You had red cheeks? you mean like rosacea? did it clear up after going gluten free? I have very red cheeks and nose. I hope they clear up after I go gluten free.