Posted by mist on June 22, 2002, at 23:14:21
I don't understand the neurology vs. psychology debate. Why do some people think they're mutually exclusive? For example, I'm depressed. Depression is a neurological condition in that it affects the nervous system. But what if I say my symptoms are much worse, or the depression is more incapacitating, on the weekends? (Which is often the case for me.) That's due to psychological factors, which theoretically can be helped through therapy . This is just one example. (Although I understand the frustration I've heard some express about therapists/psychologists. It can be very hard to find the right therapy, a good --and affordable-- therapist, and one that's right for you.)
I've been depressed pretty consistently since childhood. But when I was in high school I went to stay for a while in another city, with another family, under totally different circumstances, and my depression lifted. It came back when I returned to my family. So how can anyone say there is nothing to environment/psychology when it comes to depression? I have had severe, incapacitating depression that has ruined my life but it's responsive to changes in my life. The problem is that these changes are hard to make because some are results of factors beyond my control and others are things I can't do because of being depressed. (And one of the things that's very hard for me to do is formulate a plan for getting support and treatment and following through with it—this is also because I have some ADD traits.)
I'm not anti-med. I would take ADs if they had less side effects—I'm very sensitive to them. And I believe bipolar is much more likely to be purely biological in origin (I always assume it is in fact) than that all unipolar depressions are.
It's also clear when you look at blood pressure that psychological and environmental factors cause physiological changes. Stress can cause high blood pressure. Stress can be a result both of one's environment, circumstances, events, and the way one deals with them.
Just some thoughts on "the war."
poster:mist
thread:25602
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020616/msgs/25602.html