UK Mental Health charities and B12 deficiency

[Sleepybunny]

Hi All,

I mentioned on a thread recently that I felt it would be great if some of the mental health charities in UK published articles on B12 deficiency.

Maybe people who have the time and energy could contact one of the charities and ask them to put something about B12 deficiency on their website.

Some UK mental health charities

(please add more to the thread)

SANE

sane.org.uk/

MIND

mind.org.uk/

Anxiety UK

anxietyuk.org.uk/

I also think it might be helpful for UK suicide prevention charities to mention B12 deficiency on their websites.

Articles on B12 deficiency and mental health

b12deficiency.info/mental-h...

stichtingb12tekort.nl/engli...

[wedgewood]

Absolutley ! How right you are Sleepybunny . We all know the mental problems that arise from B12 deficiency . what a great idea you have . If loads of us wrote to mental health charities , they might take note . I’m on holiday at the moment , but when I get home , I intend to find out email-addresses and geographical addresses of such institutions. Now , should it be an old -world letter or an email ?

The links you provide will help with ammunition.

Thank you Sleepybunny

[Sleepybunny in reply to wedgewood]

If they show some interest, might be worth sending them a link to lists of mental health symptoms caused by B12 deficiency.

See symptoms lists below.

Symptoms of B12 Deficiency (folate deficiency also mentioned)

pernicious-anaemia-society....

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

b12-institute.nl/en/symptom... (from B12 Institute Netherlands)

It troubles me deeply that suicide ideation is a symptom of B12 deficiency yet I suspect in many cases of mental health difficulties, B12 deficiency is not tested for and even if it is, there is probably limited awareness that deficiency symptoms can occur with normal range serum B12.

There is a parliamentary under secretary of state with responsibility for suicide prevention. I would love to know if she had any awareness of B12 deficiency.

gov.uk/government/ministers...

[wedgewood in reply to Sleepybunny]

You are an ENORMOUS help Sleepybunny .Thank you !

[Sunshine1932]

I think this is an amazing idea. I have a b12 deficiency as well as Bipolar as well as autism. Both only got diagnosed last year and I'm 42 years of age.

I think it's a great idea to bring awareness if nothing else.

If you or anyone else ends up sending a generic email I'm more than happy to share with my local charities. Redrose recovery are now helping the NHS with people who are suffering with poor mental health in my area as they cannot cope with the amount of poorly people.

[Bellabab in reply to Sunshine1932]

I have confirmed PA - this was misdiagnosed as severe depression and didn't respond to medication so was then diagnosed as bipolar disorder type 2 and lithium was prescribed - still no improvement. Then EOD B12 injected and within a few months no more mental heath problems. I hope your mental health diagnosis will respond in a similar pattern to mine.

[Sunshine1932 in reply to Bellabab]

That is very interesting. I have been on lamotrigine for 7 weeks now and it's the most sane I have felt in years. It has given me balance in life if that makes sense. I also have severe complex PTSD so it's hard to know which angle I'm coning from at times. I have been self injecting once a week but I have decided to go to every other day for a while to see how I get on. I have never had a PA diagnosis but I was given leaflets for PA when I got told I was B12 deficient. I was also once a heavy drinker so I imagine I have depleted my stores completely.

Do you know if its worth having an intrinsic factor test or wouldn't it work now im taking b12?

[Sleepybunny]

Blog posts that discuss mental health symptoms associated with B12 deficiency

Warning...these posts contain upsetting details.

martynhooper.com/2016/08/19...

martynhooper.com/2017/01/22...

b12deficiency.info/pigeonho...

[Wwwdot]

Sleepybunny

Simple idea that can only improve matters. First time in my life that I have felt low and I have been through a lot but always had an optimistic bias - I think B12D erodes that - more research is needed and support that’s for sure.

As Seren said a generic letter that can be personalised could speed up the rollout of this fabulous idea. I am happy to kick this off with a draft for us to fine tune with references etc that tell the story and of course a link to the PA society and this forum.

Not such a sleepy bunny after all !!! 🤗🤗