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Lamotrigine Alternatives

This entry was posted in Antipsychotic and tagged on by .
Medically Reviewed Fact Checked

Last Updated on July 11, 2022 by Carol Gillette

Alternative to Meds Editorial Team
Medically Reviewed by Dr Samuel Lee MD

Alternative to Meds Center has developed a wide range of lamotrigine alternatives designed to help people regain their joy in living without remaining trapped in struggling with a lifetime on antipsychotic medication.

Medication such as lamotrigine (brand name Lamictal) may have played a vital role during a desperate time of crisis. But frequently, that does not serve well as a permanent solution, and alternatives may serve a person better in numerous other ways.

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successful lamotrigine alternatives
For 15 years, Alternative to Meds has been the only licensed center helping people find alternatives to antipsychotic medications. We have published evidence regarding our long-term success. While each case is different, such things as blood sugar issues, genetic factors, diet, allergic reactions, and even quality or lack of sleep may have played a significant role in a prior crisis. But generally, these things are not looked into and a prescription is given as an “answer” that doesn’t bring a person’s joy and vibrancy back into play.
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Reasons to Consider Lamotrigine Alternatives

Despite their usefulness in certain critical situations, antipsychotic medications like lamotrigine (Lamictal® ) are fraught with negative consequences, especially when they are taken for a very long time.5 It is possible, however, to avoid these adverse consequences by implementing lamotrigine alternatives, that can free a person from these negatives. Alternative to Meds has discovered practical options that mean better strategies than having to endure the oppressive side effects of lamotrigine. Of note is the inconvenient fact that over time medication becomes ineffective. Although antipsychotics can provide temporary relief, many people find these drugs untenable as a long-term solution. They tend to suck the joy out of life. For these reasons, it is recommended to consider alternatives to lamotrigine.

stabilize brain chemistryChoosing an alternative to lamotrigine opens the possibility of successfully discontinuing this medication. Crucial to the process is having qualified medical care professionals who are familiar with the nuances needed for the best outcome in treatment.

Alternative to Meds Center is a specialty rehab that has been designed for authentic results using holistic therapies at its core. Our staff has dedicated years of earnest research and discovery so that we can offer a workable pathway to antipsychotic discontinuation that is both safe and comfortable. We are a fully licensed facility, having met and surpassed the standards of treatment for our clients.

Schizophrenia, Psychosis, and Dopamine

Although the cause of schizophrenia has never been fully understood, the general medical consensus is that symptoms of the disorder are at least in part, related to the dysregulation of dopamine. Antipsychotic medications are designed to restrict dopamine expression to manage the symptoms. This is the dampening effect of antipsychotic medication.6

After stopping an antipsychotic medication, and in fact, during the process of tapering, neurochemistry attempts to rebalance once again. We know that many human hormones, dopamine levels, glutamate, aspartate, etc., begin to revert back, and eventually normalize. While a person is on antipsychotic medication, the body begins building or activating more receptor sites due to the restriction of available dopamine. But now when the drug is reduced, and dopamine expression is freed up again, this overabundance of receptor sites can exacerbate a recurrence of mania, psychosis, overstimulation, and other unwanted responses.7 This is a common problem and is why one should not stop antipsychotic medication quickly, even though it may feel quite liberating to do so. One wants to avoid the cascading “out of control” reactions to stopping medication like lamotrigine. The lamotrigine alternatives used at Alternative to Meds are designed to minimize these reactions using slow tapering, and natural support therapies, making withdrawal from lamotrigine calm, and happily, quite uneventful.

Natural Solutions

lamotrigine alternativesIntroducing alternatives to lamotrigine plays an important role before, during, and after completing a tapering process. Keeping an even keel is a good description.

Programs must be designed differently and precisely for each person, as a cookie-cutter approach just cannot be effective.

Alternative to Meds Center uses protocols designed to help stabilize neurochemistry in safe, drug-free ways, and to discover any other areas that were not addressed that could well have contributed to the person’s original symptoms or psychosis.

Top Lamotrigine Alternatives:
  • Neurotoxin removal, such as mercury, lead, and other heavy metals, pesticides, chemicals, and countless others that tend to accumulate in fatty tissues.8,9
  • Remove neurotoxic products from the home, such as personal hygiene products, chemical cleaners, solvents, sprays, deodorizers, etc.* 1,2,3
  • Clear the pantry of foods with preservatives, additives, MSG, gluten, Aspartame10,22
  • Improve the diet, such as Mediterranean style diet, and targeted supplementation for deficiencies, notably vitamin B9 (folate), B12, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids 11
  • Avoid sugars, caffeine, and alcohol, and avoid recreational drug use including cannabis 12-14
  • CBT, other genres of personal and psycho-social counseling 15
  • Practice mindfulness meditation, yoga, and other traditional Chinese medicine 16,17
  • Fresh air, sunshine, bright light therapy 18-20
  • Exercise shows promise for the treatment of psychiatric symptoms of schizophrenia 20

*Studies have shown a direct correlation between toxic exposures and psychiatric symptoms.1-3,8,9

Discovering and Addressing Root Causes for Initial Symptoms is Key

Mankind has always, it seemed, been blessed with the desire “to know.” Certainly, the field of medicine started out with a keen eye focused on finding the reasons behind mysterious illnesses and health issues. Over the centuries we have been blessed with discoveries of pathogens, bacteria, and an ever-increasing wealth of knowledge about the internal workings of the human body, functions of organs, hormones, etc. The quest has been to find the answers, whether we are searching for cures for a skin rash, or cancer, or even the common cold. Some outstanding success has been realized in some of these endeavors. The field of health and medicine has been gifted by a host of compassionate geniuses who did their best to solve these mysteries.

dr abram hofferHowever, in the field of mental health, it seems that investigating root causes has somewhat been put to bed early with the popularization of drugs for mental health treatment. Despite this trend, great strides were seen in Dr. Linus Pauling’s work, and that of Dr. Abram Hoffer, and others. But these efforts have not been further pursued with the fervor that they perhaps should have. Certainly, they have been largely ignored, or slow to receive attention in the mainstream circles of medicine. Some might even suggest these avenues have been purposefully blocked. Nonetheless, the quick-fix approach of popping a pill for this, that and the other symptom took center stage, fueled by multi-million-dollar ad campaigns from the pharma industry.

Now, research is waking up again to the wondrous world of investigating why certain disorders or lingering, puzzling symptoms seem to arise “out of nowhere.” Without the knowledge of how and why certain mental health conditions come about, some of which are ruinous, the desperate need for answers capitulated, in many cases, to accepting false and fast solutions in the form of prescription drugs. We can now say these drug-free alternatives to lamotrigine and other drugs are seeing more light of day. This type of medicine sometimes called alternative medicine, and sometimes called by other names, is the key to successfully regaining natural mental health and is the foundation of lamotrigine alternatives at the center.4 We no longer have to rely on the long-term use of antipsychotic medications.5

A vitamin deficiency is never going to be cured by a dose of anything except what the deficiency actually comprises. A mind-numbing antipsychotic medication will never fix the torturous stress of examinations in college or an untenable work situation, or unfulfilled life aspirations. Delusions from drug abuse perhaps combined with lack of sleep due to allergies to mold in the walls or basement of one’s home won’t be fixed by a pill. But, with proper investigative testing, these factors can be isolated and then addressed, in logical, effective, health-restoring ways.

Toxic Exposures and Symptoms

Lab-testing can provide a pathway forward because we know the adverse reactions that can occur after toxic exposures — and the relief of symptoms after these are cleared, through biotransformational sauna cleanse, chelation, colon hydrotherapy, and targeted nutritional therapies.

lamotrigine heavy metal toxicityDrugs don’t “fix” bad nutrition or toxic exposures to mercury or lead.2,3

The research of Mason et al, as published in the Journal of Psychiatric Clinicians of North America has reviewed the existing literature on symptoms of toxic exposures and given guidelines on diagnosis and treatment. Common reactions after toxic exposures to heavy metals, organophosphates used in agriculture, industrial chemicals, and others, include increased anxiety, psychosis, irritability, depression, and impulsiveness.8

Such reactions are often misdiagnosed as psychiatric disorders mainly due to physicians who have not been trained to recognize them for what they actually are.9

For More Information About Alternatives to Lamotrigine at Alternative to Meds Center

natural alternatives to lamotrigineWhile each person receives a program designed to their customized needs, some commonly utilized treatments will likely include sauna therapy, IV therapy, amino acid therapy, other forms of nutritional therapy,5 cleansing neurotoxic accumulations from the body, colon hydrotherapy, CBT, group and other personal counseling, exercise, acupuncture, art therapy, soothing mineral baths, Equine-Assisted therapy, yoga, therapeutic massage, peer support, targeted nutritional supplementation, IV and NAD therapy, and much more.

The success of our clients is really what inspires us at Alternative to Meds Center. We have graduations where persons who have spent years of suffering relate their experience of becoming free of these oppressive chains and are now looking forward to a joy-filled and satisfying life. Our pristine and comfortable facility provides a nurturing, caring environment for recovery. Please call us for more information about our world-class program of lamotrigine alternatives for yourself or your loved one.


1. Yoon J H, Ahn YS, “The association between blood lead level and clinical mental disorders in fifty thousand lead-exposed male workers.” Pub Med ID 26480210 [Internet] 2015 Sep 25 [cited 2022 June 27]

2. Brown, J S “Psychiatric issues in toxic exposures.” Pub Med ID 17938048 [Internet] 2007 [cited 2022 June 27]

3. Brown JS “Introduction: An Update on Psychiatric Effects of Toxic Exposures” Psychiatric Times [Internet] 2007 Sep 30 [cited 2022 June 27]

4. Raju MS, ” Medical nutrition in mental health and disorders.” Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 2017 Apr-Jun, Pub Med ID 28827859 [Internet] [cited 2022 June 27]

5. Correll C, Rubio JM, Kane JM, “What is the risk-benefit ratio of long-term antipsychotic treatment?” World Psychiatry Journal 2018 Jun [Internet] Pub Med ID 29856543 [cited 2022 June 27]

6. Tsai SJ. Dopamine receptor downregulation: an alternative strategy for schizophrenia treatment. Med Hypotheses. 2004;63(6):1047-50. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2004.04.012. PMID: 15504573. [cited 2022 June 27]

7. Strange PG. Antipsychotic drugs: importance of dopamine receptors for mechanisms of therapeutic actions and side effects. Pharmacol Rev. 2001 Mar;53(1):119-33. PMID: 11171942. [cited 2022 June 27]

8. Mason LH, Mathews MJ, Han DY. Neuropsychiatric symptom assessments in toxic exposure. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2013 Jun;36(2):201-8. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2013.02.001. Epub 2013 Apr 15. PMID: 23688687. [cited 2022 June 27]

9. Barry JD, Wills BK. Neurotoxic emergencies. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2013 Jun;36(2):219-44. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2013.02.003. Epub 2013 Apr 11. PMID: 23688689. [cited 2022 June 27]

10. Choudhary AK, Lee YY. Neurophysiological symptoms and aspartame: What is the connection? Nutr Neurosci. 2018 Jun;21(5):306-316. doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2017.1288340. Epub 2017 Feb 15. PMID: 28198207. [cited 2022 June 27]

11. Lachance L, Ramsey D. Food, mood, and brain health: implications for the modern clinicianMo Med. 2015;112(2):111-115. [cited 2022 June 27]

12. Hasan A, von Keller R, Friemel CM, Hall W, Schneider M, Koethe D, Leweke FM, Strube W, Hoch E. Cannabis use and psychosis: a review of reviews. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2020 Jun;270(4):403-412. doi: 10.1007/s00406-019-01068-z. Epub 2019 Sep 28. PMID: 31563981. [cited 2022 June 27]

13. Hedges DW, Woon FL, Hoopes SP. Caffeine-induced psychosis. CNS Spectr. 2009 Mar;14(3):127-9. doi: 10.1017/s1092852900020101. PMID: 19407709. [cited 2022 June 27]

14. Reis DJ, Ilardi SS, Namekata MS, Wing EK, Fowler CH. The depressogenic potential of added dietary sugars. Med Hypotheses. 2020 Jan;134:109421. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2019.109421. Epub 2019 Oct 10. PMID: 31634771.[cited 2022 June 27]

15. Nakao M, Shirotsuki K, Sugaya N. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for management of mental health and stress-related disorders: Recent advances in techniques and technologies. Biopsychosoc Med. 2021 Oct 3;15(1):16. doi: 10.1186/s13030-021-00219-w. PMID: 34602086; PMCID: PMC8489050. [cited 2022 June 27]

16. Keng SL, Smoski MJ, Robins CJ. Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: a review of empirical studies. Clin Psychol Rev. 2011;31(6):1041-1056. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2011.04.006 [cited 2022 June 27]

17. Aung SK, Fay H, Hobbs RF 3rd. Traditional Chinese Medicine as a Basis for Treating Psychiatric Disorders: A Review of Theory with Illustrative CasesMed Acupunct. 2013;25(6):398-406. doi:10.1089/acu.2013.1007 [cited 2022 June 27]

18. Kent ST, McClure LA, Crosson WL, Arnett DK, Wadley VG, Sathiakumar N. Effect of sunlight exposure on cognitive function among depressed and non-depressed participants: a REGARDS cross-sectional study. Environ Health. 2009;8:34. Published 2009 Jul 28. doi:10.1186/1476-069X-8-34 [cited 2022 June 27]

19. Mikkelsen K, Stojanovska L, Polenakovic M, Bosevski M, Apostolopoulos V. Exercise and mental health. Maturitas. 2017 Dec;106:48-56. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2017.09.003. Epub 2017 Sep 7. PMID: 29150166. [cited 2022 June 27]

20. Heim M. Bright-Light-Therapie bei schizophrenen Erkrankungen [Bright light therapy in schizophrenic diseases]. Psychiatr Neurol Med Psychol (Leipz). 1990 Mar;42(3):146-50. German. PMID: 1972581. [cited 2022 June 27]

21. Girdler SJ, Confino JE, Woesner ME. Exercise as a Treatment for Schizophrenia: A ReviewPsychopharmacol Bull. 2019;49(1):56-69. [cited 2022 June 27]

22. Ergün C, Urhan M, Ayer A. A review on the relationship between gluten and schizophrenia: Is gluten the cause? Nutr Neurosci. 2018 Sep;21(7):455-466. doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2017.1313569. Epub 2017 Apr 9. PMID: 28393621. [cited 2022 June 27]


Originally Published Oct 30, 2018 by Diane Ridaeus


This content has been reviewed and approved by a licensed physician.

Dr. Samuel Lee

Dr. Samuel Lee is a board-certified psychiatrist, specializing in a spiritually-based mental health discipline and integrative approaches. He graduated with an MD at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and did a residency in psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. He has also been an inpatient adult psychiatrist at Kaweah Delta Mental Health Hospital and the primary attending geriatric psychiatrist at the Auerbach Inpatient Psychiatric Jewish Home Hospital. In addition, he served as the general adult outpatient psychiatrist at Kaiser Permanente.  He is board-certified in psychiatry and neurology and has a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in Religion from Pacific Union College. His specialty is in natural healing techniques that promote the body’s innate ability to heal itself.

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Lamotrigine Alternatives
Medical Disclaimer:
Nothing on this Website is intended to be taken as medical advice. The information provided on the website is intended to encourage, not replace, direct patient-health professional relationships. Always consult with your doctor before altering your medications. Adding nutritional supplements may alter the effect of medication. Any medication changes should be done only after proper evaluation and under medical supervision.

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