If someone you love is being affected by copper toxicity, it can be an extremely difficult time not only for them in understanding what they’re experiencing, but also for you as you watch them struggle with it.  They've changed, you see it and feel it.  You want to help, or at least understand.  Likewise, it's your support and understanding that they need most. This article is to help you, as their partner or loved one, gain a better understanding of what they’re going through, and to help increase the emotional support you’re able to provide to them.  This information is particularly important (and primarily written) for partners of women on copper IUDs, since women are so commonly led to believe (and “reassured” by their doctors) that the IUD can’t affect emotions or mental health since the device is non-hormonal.  Of course, we know different.

The copper IUD is marketed as a “safe”, non-hormonal option for those who’d prefer to avoid hormonal contraception.  Of course it’s widely accepted that hormones can (and do) affect mood and emotions, and so if something is marketed as “non-hormonal”, then the underlying message is that mood/emotions won’t be affected.  Yet, there is a glaring blind spot with that messaging, and that is this:  minerals influence hormones!  Copper, especially, has an intimate connection with estrogen.  As copper builds up, that can increase estrogen and throw off the body’s natural estrogen/progesterone balance.  Equally important to understand is that minerals also interact with each other (in other words, they don’t just act alone).  Excess copper accumulation doesn’t just affect copper itself, but can throw off levels of calcium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, B6 and other nutrients... each of those other imbalances also have their own impacts on mental health!

Now, the deeper specifics of these various resulting imbalances and their effects on emotions and mental health are explained in much more detail within The Complete Copper Toxicity Handbook, also in part on the leading advocacy and support website www.coppertoxic.com, plus taught in further depth within the ultimate mineral-based health education program www.mineralmastery.com which, to a large extent, serves as a pioneering educational bridge between the fields of nutrition and psychology.  In the interest of keeping things simple for this article however, consider that copper affects the very nutrients that support GABA.  GABA is our main, calming, neurotransmitter (in other words, it helps keep us calm and plays an important role in keeping anxiety at bay).   If there’s an issue with GABA, then there’s a higher risk for anxiety.  It is not surprising, therefore, that most people with copper toxicity experience increased anxiety. 

Anxiety, depression, apathy, relationship withdrawal, paranoia, racing mind and negative thoughts... these are all quite commonly seen with copper toxicity.  

It's not only GABA however.  Far from it.  If the body isn’t able to efficiently metabolize and regulate its copper level, then the excess copper ends up getting stored in tissue.  Under certain conditions such as high stress, exercise, or even overly aggressive detox approaches, copper leaks out of storage and enters the bloodstream.  As that copper enters blood, it needs to be bound to a carrier protein, primarily one called ceruloplasmin.  If copper is unbound (not attached to a carrier protein), it can wreak further havoc on the emotions, including promoting an adrenaline response likely to further increase anxiety and panic reactions. 

There is also something known as the ‘calcium shell’.  This is one of the effects of copper toxicity – a high build up of tissue calcium.  The calcium shell can act as a protective response against overwhelming stress, however it does this by numbing down the emotions, even potentially a person’s awareness.  The person might appear, or even express themselves as, dead emotionally.  This can take a devastating toll on romantic relationships where the love and warmth that once existed seems to have completely and inexplicably vanished.  I provide further education on the Calcium Shell within each of the 3 links mentioned above (the Handbook, Coppertoxic.com, and Mineral Mastery). 
 

Again, the connections to mood and emotions are numerous, far too many to address in this article. The above connections are just a few, to highlight the main point here that yes, indeed, copper can most definitely influence emotions.  I would highly encourage anyone struggling with copper toxicity (and/or their partner(s)) to get a copy of The Complete Copper Toxicity Handbook as it explains these connections and many more in much more detail and clarity, along with cases and stories.

Most of those affected by copper toxicity are struggling with various emotional symptoms (anxiety, depression, apathy, withdrawal, panic, even varying degrees of psychosis at more extreme levels), and yet far too often in relationships, the affected partner is written off as just “being crazy”.  Copper toxicity can end up being a major cause of relationship issues and breakups. 

Relationships are so often at the receiving end of copper toxicity. Sometimes it’s the copper toxic woman who breaks the relationship because she “no longer feels anything”, or negative ruminating thoughts about the relationship creep into her mind, certainly to the degree of "Relationship OCD", and sometimes to the degree of real paranoia.  The suspicion and doubt, combined with a calcium shell, can easily lead one to break up with their partner...

... Just as often however, it’s the partner that ends up leaving because the relationship becomes too difficult, or they’re not able to handle the crazy behavior they're seeing.  They don't understand it (and thus the importance of this letter). This lack of understanding is compounded when society and the medical world deny that copper (or a copper IUD) can affect emotions.   Countless times a woman has gone to her doctor complaining of all the bizarre emotional things she’s feeling after getting her copper IUD inserted, begging to have it removed, and yet the common response from so many doctors is a mix of “there’s no such thing as copper toxicity… the IUD is non-hormonal, there’s no connection between your IUD and what you’re experiencing… it’s all in your head..etc etc..”.   Such blatant ignorance is truly disgraceful and has contributed to so much needless suffering and patients being left in the dark as to what’s causing their symptoms.  Though we've stopped counting many years ago, the Cases and Stories page here provides just a glimpse of the emotional and physical toll that the medical denial of copper toxicity has taken. 

I often hear women, aware of how their emotions have changed since getting the copper IUD, being afraid of losing their partner who simply doesn’t understand what’s happening.  I would suggest that this is an important test to see how much your partner truly cares for you, and how committed they are to the relationship.  Let me share a quick personal story… 

Most people are not aware that the vast majority of support and educational resources available today for copper toxicity stem from a love story and the personal experience of this author.  My partner fell into copper toxicity a few months into her copper IUD, and the resulting adrenal burnout, calcium shell, "voices", and paranoia utterly destroyed our otherwise deeply loving, timeless relationship, and tore apart the beautiful family we were raising at the time.  With indescribable and enduring agony, I “lost” her for 7 long years, and yet, never once did I give up on her.  Instead of walking away, I chose to go deep into research and advocacy work, over the years helping to improve global education on copper toxicity and accessibility to support resources.   That was my one and only way of "being there" for her.  Those years of research and dedication led to the creation of the world's leading copper toxicity support and education website www.coppertoxic.com, and then subsequently working with thousands of copper toxic clients in clinical practice, developing the MineralMastery course to provide the most in-depth education on copper toxicity available, going on to mentor and instruct thousands of practitioners in the field today so they can now offer copper toxicity support, being asked to provide expertise for international research projects and institutes, authoring The Complete Copper Toxicity Handbook, plus developing all the other support options at www.coppertoxic.com/fullsupport.  It was an exhausting journey, but in the end it led to my love and I reuniting in good health years later, with millions supported globally in the process.  

So, if you’re reading this as the one dealing with copper toxicity and your partner simply gives up because they can’t be bothered to learn more or support you through a rough patch, that’s ultimately a measure of their dedication, and you deserve more than someone who’d rather walk away than offer you support and understanding when you need it most.  Likewise, if your partner is there sticking by you, learning this information so they can support you, you've got a good one!😉

Healing does happen, though it’s not an overnight journey. It often does takes months, or sometimes years.  Given the continued denial of copper toxicity in the mainstream, you reading this article and exploring the various educational resources that have been developed over the years can often be the most important thing you can do for the person you care about.  As mentioned at the outset of this letter, it’s often your support they need most.  And this is, in part, because…

…With copper toxicity, brain fog is extremely common.  This underscores all the more that they may need to rely on you to provide them the education and guidance.  Reading research articles can be extremely difficult for the copper toxic individual struggling with mental focus and computer screens.  Equally important is helping them navigate an ever-growing plethora of misinformation online, including within a couple of the largest copper toxicity "support" groups on social media.  Learning the complex nuances of copper toxicity (and the history behind its suppression) can help avoid falling victim to so many of the erroneous messages and suggestions that flood such groups and have many times led people further astray in their healing.  It therefore may be up to you, their partner or caregiver, to help them discern fact and science from all the landmines of misinformation that exist.