your post reads 'depression' but the content is 'manic-depression/bi-polar disorder; is it perhaps possible that you need to do a little more research?
Working as a nurse, I've had a little bit of experience in the mental health field (not enough I'll admit). There is also bi-polar disorder on both sides of my family.
While lithium is classified as a drug/medicine/pharmacological etc etc, it is just a mineral, it occurs in nature and is usually found within our bodies. here's a little bit about it:
http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/l/lithium.asp
here's a little about its history as a medicine:
http://www.fortunecity.com/campus/psychology/781/lithium.htm
There used to be a website, where you put in your weight and it would tell you how much lithium you normally have in your body.
Under normal circumstances, running water such as from rivers. lakes and stream have lithium in it. Well water adn most city water does not contain lithium. Someone noticed years ago that when a community changed over from private water to municipally treated water, violence, mental illness and domestic violence rose sharply. They figured out it was the lithium that the residents were no longer getting.
Tho it is not classified as a nutrient, it looks as though it should be. It also looks as tho NOT having lithium in correct amounts at a young age (just as having a diet poor in ANY nutrient) can affect that person's metabolic development all through life. That seems to be why some people need lithium supplements all through their adult life, just as some people who have had allergies at a young age seem to do better on large amounts of the B and C vitamins, amounts above the norm.
People with the symptoms of bi-polar disorder do not seem to do well without lithium supplements, just as persons who catch colds and flus easily do not seem to do well with extra vitamin C and B.
Bi-polar symptoms are so commonly diagnosed in our society these days, there has been a movement within the medical field to make lithium available over-the-counter. This would cut our heatlth care costs tremendously. Even so, the stigma of having a 'mental illnes'would still discourage the people who need it most from using it unfortunately.
By the way, viral assaults such as cold and flu have been known to bring on the relapses or exacerbation of symptoms (of depression, bi-polar AND schizophrenia). At the mental health facilites, when they are aware of a flu epidemic through the city, they brace for an increase in admissions. They always go together. GET THAT FLU SHOT!!!
I'm sure this is more info thatn you wanted...I wish you the best DandC.
