Posted by Lao Tzu on May 28, 2008, at 18:08:15
I don't necessarily think that taking potassium supplements improves mental fatigue/mental apathy. I do think potassium, along with zinc, magnesium, and calcium are important for mental health. However, if you start supplementing with one, but you have a deficiency of the others, the brain is not going to run smoothly. For some people, like myself, taking zinc without magnesium is like putting on one shoe. Some people don't do well by supplementing with magnesium and calcium because they have too much in their soft tissues, while others have a deficiency of calcium and magnesium and supplementing helps their depression. Some people have to take a lot of zinc to feel better, whereas people like myself do just fine on a minimal dose of zinc. Some people require more calcium because they are undermethylated, which means low neurotransmitters. When it comes to magnesium and zinc, these two can be very helpful to take if you have a lot of anxiety, as I experience every winter. However, no mineral can take away all of my anxiety, and I've come to accept this. The brain sees anxiety as a natural part of life, and it adapts and deals with it using millions of years of evolution. I think we may be so concerned about alleviating even the mildest anxiety that we may forget everything else that is important in life. I am guilty of this to a certain degree, even to this day. The meds and the supplements are very important indeed for us to cope with anxiety and depression, but to also become stronger because of it. If our lives are causing us to feel so anxious and depressed, then maybe it means certain relationships or activities aren't healthy for us. Sometimes, I think it is good to say goodbye to certain situations and certain people in our lives and to take up new activities and meet new people that help us to thrive in life. I'm not suggesting that we "run away" from every challenge that presents itself and seems difficult in the beginning. On the contrary, I've learned that putting yourself in situations that increase anxiety and challenge you, or being around people who make you slightly anxious and at the same time challenge you mentally (And I'm not referring to people who abuse you emotionally in any way. There is a difference. You should not accept abuse as a means to getting better) can actually decrease anxiety over time, what is called Exposure Therapy. But I only think that you should do this under the strict guidance of a therapist. Anyway, take your meds. Take your supplements. Find something in life, no matter how trivial it may seem to others, something that makes you lose yourself in the moment, something that brings out even an ounce of passion within you, and something that stimulates you or calms you down, even for an hour or two a day. Our brains need us to be happy some of the time.
poster:Lao Tzu
thread:831719
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20080326/msgs/831719.html