First of all, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry you're having these issues. I've been there myself and I'm still dealing with some issues today. I know how deteriorating to the spirit poor mental health can be. If I may bring some things to your attention. First, you're talking about chemical imbalances as if they were an inherent reality, rather than a model of explaining how the mind works. All of science acts in this way: its just a model, constructed to explain whats going on and attempt to diagnose and treat based on that model. Many in the east and/or third world countries/ancient tribes/native americans would use a completely different model to diagnose and treat, and in many instances in fact treat the problem more effectively. That being said, choosing to treat this problem strictly from the stance of "its a chemical imbalance!" is, in my opinion, negating many other factors that could be contributing to this disease that aren't currently recognized by western science. You say: "But keep in mind, one day we'll have the psychotropic drugs to alleviate even the worst chemical pain, however there IS a fine line between real life existential and other things that gets us down versus a more purely chemical imbalance." My question is, what do you think causes chemical imbalances in the first place? My hypothesis is that its obviously these existential problems and other things that get us down. It would be interested to observe a study where neurotransmitters were measured in response to long term stress. I'm pretty sure there would be a chemical imbalance as a result. You say: "But keep in mind, one day we'll have the psychotropic drugs to alleviate even the worst chemical pain". I beg to differ. Ever heard of karma? The law of cause and effect is as natural as the law of gravity and what goes up must certainly come down. I could be wrong but I'm not aware of any pain medications that in turn do not have a withdrawal period. My point being that a bulletproof medication like you're describing more than likely could not be created. Things are never that cut and dry and there is A TON going on under the surface of things that act upon the body and mind that you have absolutely no idea about. Thats why I gave my original advice, and I urge you consider approaching this whole thing from different angles. I believe that you have much more potential to see results this way. Either way I hope you get well soon. Later
No, I agree with many, if not most cases you're right. In my particular case I had a terrible psychotic break which wreaked havoc on my brain. It has been described as neurotransmitters firing all over the place, and psychosis can be a poison to the brain.
I was fine previously, then during just one week I went from "ok" to couldn't get out of bed and could barely comprehend most anything. Obviously that is a purely chemical problem, and I feel uncomfortable not being able to back up with real science what went and is still going on in my brain, but I can assure you my brain was damaged as a result. In schizoprhenics, for example, some of them lost up to 25% of their gray matter, the stuff responsible for all thought, and this was over a period of like one year. I'm too "apathetic" to look for the article right now, but psychosis can be devastating to the brain. And with me my cognition, mood, energy level, sleep, and overall well being were severely effected.
I guarantee you, with all the trauma of the last 5 years, all the let downs, the times when I could have been having fun, working, or just enjoying anything, if I had a magic pill to fix it all, I would sometimes look back and say shit I wasted so much time, but I'd be so happy I'd be doing everything and appreciating life to its fullest. I've already come a long way, and DO have days when I'm really appreciative, motivated, and feel good enough to have that will. And yes, many people who have gone through what I have, even if totally cured may not be able to get back to normal living, but somehow I just don't feel like I'd be looking back or traumatized for long, if at all.
I am lucky to have a very very supportive family, my mom did pass away and it was terrible, and I am emotionally blunted from feeling, grieving for her, but I was raised to be pro-active and love life, and I have some good friends to help support me as well. But if whenever I DO feel good, and like I said, it does happen, I revel in the moments and go out, even by myself.
But I think for most people who aren't as resilient as I am life can cause just as severe a depression as I have. And I won't lie, if I was feeling a 10 out of a possible 10 and everyone was miserable, (as people often are,) around me, it would bring me down to like a 9
edit: yes humans are very spiritual creatures, but modern science has taught us, shown us so many cases where tweaking a chemical depressed state with a med or supplement has done wonders. The movie Awakenings with Robin Williams and I think Deniro showed a case of a man who was catatonic, (I forget what his illness actually was,) but I think it was LDOPA or some dopamine derivative that literally woke him out of a immobile, catatonic state to normal. That's an extreme example. But spiritually, yes I sometimes feel like I've really taken a beating, and I do talk therapy for that and have done CBT, dialectic therapy, and even tried Electro Convulsive Therapy. But in my case I would take FULL advantage of a good mood state, and if my cognition improved more, (it has substantially,) then I'd be reading books again, as opposed to just online stuff.
Edited by chrono, 05 August 2010 - 12:04 PM.
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