Psycho-Babble Medication | about biological treatments | Framed
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serial obsessors » Skeeter

Posted by Elizabeth on May 30, 2001, at 15:15:19

In reply to Re: me too..., posted by Skeeter on May 30, 2001, at 12:19:46

< description snipped >

> Is this a physical or mental condition? I would stongly like to be helped, but am not willing to be medicated. Is there any other options you are aware of????

I have found that it's not useful to think of mental disorders as being something other than physical: the "mind" is a function of the brain, not some supernatural entity. < g >

As you've discovered, you're not the only "serial obsessor" on the planet. There's no question in my mind that there is a neurological commonality among people with this trait. Unfortunately, we don't have much information about the neural substrates of temperamental traits at this time. My hope is that in my lifetime there will be significant progress in our understanding of the biology of temperament.

Anyway...in searching for treatments, I would look at medications that are known to be effective for ADHD, OCD, and impulsivity. This gives you a wide range of options: SSRIs, MAOIs, buspirone, bupropion, amphetamines, lithium, anticonvulsants, neuroleptics, opioid agonists and antagonists, ...

One other thought...I believe that ADHD is not strictly a bad thing: it's a temperament (i.e., it's part of the way that some people are born) that can be adaptive as well as maladaptive. A lot of people who have ADHD are unusually smart, creative, and sensitive, for example. This serial obsessing behaviour seems to be another such trait: it is a strength in some ways, not just a weakness. You might want to consider ways that you can reap the benefits of your temperament, while at the same time minimising the harm that results from it. This does not preclude using medication to make life more manageable, but you should be aware of the possibility that what you want to "treat" has its advantages as well as disadvantages.

-elizabeth


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poster:Elizabeth thread:33993
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010530/msgs/64766.html