It was also me, 2-3 years ago.<p>Then, your manic episode was me, 20 months ago (the having a &quot;Kundalini awakening&quot; and believing I was raising the vibrational frequency of the universe part - not the hospital admission or lithium prescription part, I managed to chill out without much need for professional  intervention).<p>Your point of view now was me, 18 months ago, believing all my problems had stemmed from purely materialist&#x2F;biochemical causes, and rejecting all the spriritual stuff as dangerous woo.<p>Since then, I&#x27;ve found a balance that seems, as objectively as one can be about one&#x27;s self, to have me in a much better place.<p>My quality of life, as reflected in my work&#x2F;career, my friendships&#x2F;relationships and my sense of contentment and happiness, is good and has been steadily improving for many months.<p>I take no psychiatric or any other medication (I had been on benzo&#x27;s then SSRI&#x27;s years ago). I eat healthily (not obsessively), drink only moderately and socially, I sleep well, and I do regular conventional exercise with increasing ease.<p>I also practice holotropic breathwork [1], occasional kundalini yoga, nutritional supplementation (mostly amino acids and minerals like calcium and magnesium), near infrared light therapy [2], kinesiology and self-muscle-testing [3].<p>I don&#x27;t make any specific claims about the efficacy of any particular practice, but overall the system seems to be working.<p>I don&#x27;t believe I have any magical powers or access to secret wisdom about the true nature of the universe.<p>I find merit and value in the philosophies of public figures across the spectrum of thought on these matters; Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, Rupert Sheldrake, Bruce Lipton, Lissa Rankin, Bernardo Kastrup, Rudy Tanzi, Sir Roger Penrose, and the late Wayne Dyer.<p>I don&#x27;t believe any of these people are 100% right, but neither do I think any is 100% wrong, and each has been very valuable to me and many others in developing an optimal approach to life.<p>And this is the most important point.<p>It&#x27;s unhealthy to adopt either materialism or spirituality with extreme conviction, just as it&#x27;s unhealthy to reject either of them with extreme prejudice.<p>Extreme anything is unhealthy.<p>Balance, restraint, modesty and tolerance is healthy.<p>I understand why you need to adopt a staunch anti-woo position right now given what you&#x27;ve been through.<p>Just be careful not to be too contemptuous and dogmatic against philosophies and practices that others find beneficial in more healthy and balanced ways than has so far been possible for you.<p>But thank you for sharing your journey and insights so candidly. More people need to be made to feel comfortable talking about this stuff, and it helps the world when you lead the way.<p>[1] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.holotropic.com&#x2F;about.shtml" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.holotropic.com&#x2F;about.shtml</a><p>[2] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;nutritionalbalancing.org&#x2F;center&#x2F;htma&#x2F;supportive&#x2F;articles&#x2F;sauna.php" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;nutritionalbalancing.org&#x2F;center&#x2F;htma&#x2F;supportive&#x2F;artic...</a><p>[3] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.livestrong.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;325815-techniques-for-self-muscle-testing&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.livestrong.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;325815-techniques-for-self...</a>