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To Kathy and Kellie - Depression as I see it

Posted by JohnL on May 29, 2000, at 7:20:53

Hi Kathy and Kellie,
I address this to you Kathy because I relate personally to your despair. And to Kellie, because in another thread you expressed interest in learning more. I am a veteran of the despair of depression. I can tell you with absolute certainty that the saying "These things shall come to pass" is true. As my mother always told me, "The pendulum swings".

Kathy I would like to make a suggestion for something you can do right now, today. First, go to Wal*Mart and spend $20 on a box of NatureMade SAMe found in the pharmacy section. I've been in your shoes, and I know that even just doing that is going to be a major feat for the day. But do it. Take one dose in midmorning on any empty stomach, with water, and another in midafternoon the same way. The next day, dose 2 pills at a time instead of one. Why? SAMe in my experience and in clinical trials possesses the power--for whatever unknown reason--to lift us out of the deepest depths of depression very fast. In my experience it can work in anywhere from one day to three. It may or may not be a cure, but it will very likely lift you out of the hole enough to gather strength. And it will provide what you need the most right now....HOPE. If you are under medication or anticipating medication, no problem. Please believe me, it's worth trying. There's hardly anything as safe as SAMe, as fast, and as likely to lift you out of the deepest part of the hole. SAMe is definitely a source of HOPE that is as close as your nearest Wal*Mart.

I would suggest to both of you reading a book called "The Successfull Treatment of Brain Chemical Imbalance". I have found that the better I understand my own unique situation, my own unique chemistry, the more hope I have. Getting to know the beast is the best way to figure out how to kill it. This book is easy reading and will provide lots of hope in addition to a thorough understanding of what's going on and how to treat it. The goal is to rid ourselves of depression as quickly as possible, and this book gives a lot of good methods to accomplish that.

I believe depression is primarily a chemical imbalance caused by either a traumatic event or a biological malfunction, or both. The intertwining of the biological and the psychological is complex. But more often than not, treating the biological side of it allows us the strength and clarity of mind to deal with the psychological trauma part of it. Very often we discover that when brain chemistry has been normalized, all those traumatic life events that we thought were so troublesome don't seem so overwhelming anymore. Depression has a way of turning molehills into mountains, and mountains into volcanoes. Fix the bilogical depression, and those volcanoes are tamed to molehills. It's then that counseling can be very helpful. But unless the bilogical end of it is treated, counseling will likely be frustrating and unrewarding.

In quick review of the book I mentioned, what are some of the chemical causes of depression?
Low serotonin--treated with serotonin antidepressants
Low norepinephrine--treated with NE antidepressants
Low dopamine--treated with dopamine enhancers (some antidepressants and some antipsychotics)
Elevated norepinephrine--treated with antihypertensives
Elevated dopamine--treated with antipsychotics
Unstable chemistry--treated with Lithium or anticonvulsants
Unstable electricity--treated with Lithium or anticonvulsants
Dopamine/NE failure--treated with stimulants

These chemical imbalances may be results of life event situations or bioligical setups or both. Through personal trial and comparison of different medications we can gather clues as to which chemistry is at fault. What we are looking for is quick response with few side effects. That's because it indicates a medication that is normalizing the chemistry directly and our body likes the medication molecule.

Since it's hit and miss when choosing a medication, we often don't hit a bullseye. The medication can still work, but through a trickle down effect that takes time. In tough cases an MAO inhibitor (prevents the self destruction of neurotransmitters) or ECT is needed. But this is hardly ever the case if drugs from different medication classes have been compared. I think it is very wrong to assume that because we have depression an antidepressant is the way to fix it. Not so in my experience. It's 50/50. A different medication may be the one to target the chemistry directly, versus the antidepressants indirect route. It all depends on our own unique chemistry.

Anyway, I'm rambling. I just wanted to say, Kathy, go to Wal*Mart, and then order the book I mentioned. And Kellie, buy the book. I think you'll both be pleased.
JohnL


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poster:JohnL thread:35075
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