Posted by g_g_g_unit on September 26, 2009, at 22:30:48
In reply to Re: depression + executive function, posted by linkadge on September 26, 2009, at 12:04:00
> Dopamine isn't the magic pleasure chemical. Pleasure is regulated by a balance of all sorts of chemicals in the neucleus accumbens - dopamine, serotonin, norpinephrine, PEA, opiates etc. Too much dopamine in the neucleus accumbens can actually produce depression. Stress can elevate dopamine in the prefrontal cortex and limbic system, making things feel more serious and more real. SSRI's may work by resetting the balance of dopamine/serotonin in these regions.
>
> When SSRI's make people apathetic, sometimes the answer is less SSRI not dopaminergic augmentation.
>
> Too much dopamine can cause apathy too.
>
> Linkadge
>for what it's worth, i'm not searching for pleasure; just a return to baseline functioning.
at the moment, like i say, i get the worst ADD-like symptoms - i can barely drive without looking at everything that catches my attention; when watching movies my attention seems to shut out every 5 seconds so i have to direct it back to the movie constantly and can barely follow plots; i have no self-control over addictive behaviours (browsing doctor bob, for example) or tics. most of this stuff began to appear after a really bad experience on REmeron, so either the drug triggered depression via the intense stress it caused (worsened OCD), or had some withdrawal i should've waited out. i remember complaining about brain fog after coming off the drug, which low dose prozac fixed instantly, but i couldn't sleep on prozac.
nothing seems to help now - SSRI's make me more withdrawn and ruin sleep; Nardil helped the depression but made me hypomanic and seemed to worsen OCD; the insomnia on Parnate is becoming unbearable, and i just feel more dysphoric and anxious. CBT helps me cope with the symptoms, but no amount of inner will power can help them.
the only thing that helped attention and social issues was a low dose Memantine, when it acted as a stimulant, but that worsened compulsive behaviours. i'm really at a loss about what to do now.
poster:g_g_g_unit
thread:918139
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090921/msgs/918656.html