I am crazy -depression, dysphoria

[djgcorporation]

Well, i just back from the doctors and apparently i am depressed with uderlying dysphoria. I sorta agree, which is even more depressing. It's been said i should go to a psychologist or psychiatrist because of my craziness.

Anyone have any experience and know what's best to treat my fragile mind?

[Cassa]

Yay join the club, I have dysthymia.

Get more sunlight. It really does help. Books and music (of the non depressive variety) can help too

[StygiaN]

You should go see a psychologist or psychiatrist. Have you made an appointment? If a doctor tells me to do something (or advises it) I go do it. Except for the back problems caused by my large penis, he wanted to cut it off. NO WAY ;)

Hope all gets better for you mate!

[BtrFly]

what is dysthymia?

all i know about myself is i am an obsessive compulsive, with a mild insanity...

good luck with getting through things. take up some new hobbies, and remember zgeekers are generally here to help

[SamBo]

You should go see a psychologist or psychiatrist. Have you made an appointment? If a doctor tells me to do something (or advises it) I go do it. Except for the back problems caused by my large penis, he wanted to cut it off. NO WAY ;)

Hope all gets better for you mate!
the doctor wanted to cut your back off???? that's pretty extreme dude!

[Cassa]

Dysthymia is like a mild form of bipolar, with more emphasis on the depressive side. It's not a barrel of laughs I can tell you.

[Afta Image]

Well, for what I can recommend, walk every day for 30 minutes minimum. Not only is it good for your health but can help with mild depression....

Hell, even if you dont suffer from depression but don't feel the best, I would recommend walking regularly....

Also, I wish you all the best DJ.....

[BtrFly]

geez that doesnt sound like much fun. but i can see where that comes from... :(

i continually suspect that my mother may be bi polar. but i think she may just be depressed.

good luck djgcorp....

[Afro88]

I know this sounds boring, but a part of the way you feel comes down to what you eat and how often you exercise. Depression is partly caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, and if you're eating correctly and exercising then your body functions alot better and your brain has what it needs to right itself. Geeks tend not to be very active people, and consume alot of junk food. Try and eat healthy, and exercise a few times a week (running, cycling, weights, whatever takes your fancy), and I guarantee you'll feel alot better in a months time. It won't cure your depression, but will go a long way in starting a positive cycle, instead of the self destructive negative cycle that is often associated with depression.

Seriously man, it sounds textbook-y and lame, but it's an easy thing to do that goes a long way. I've been depressed for quite a while now, but I'm much better now than I used to be, and I think that's mainly because I've been exercising regularly and eating as well as I can. It's that little bit of control over myself that's let me see things from a better angle and think about why I'm depressed, and what I can do about it. My moodswings have been alot more controllable too, and get much better every week.

But yeah, in the meantime, try and get some time off work, go to the beach/mountains with some mates and enjoy yourself for a few days. Or do it the zgeek way and get drunk by yourself and post random ramblings at midnight, wake up the next morning and have a laugh when you realise how much crap you posted the night before :D

Anyways, all the best mate.

[Benwah]

get a dog.

[Directed]

Well, i just back from the doctors and apparently i am depressed with uderlying dysphoria. I sorta agree, which is even more depressing. It's been said i should go to a psychologist or psychiatrist because of my craziness.

Anyone have any experience and know what's best to treat my fragile mind?

Seriously you are asking ZGEEK to help your fragile mind? We're all socially inadept lunatics around here. Except for Pirate who is extremely well-adjusted and needs to give me some rep.

Can someone help me? I have pink flying monkeys attacking my computer!

[Cassa]

Peanut butter and bananas. No seriously. They're both feel-good foods because they stimulate serotonin.

Also, try thinking of this diagnosis as proof that you're NOT crazy. I try to do that when I get into a bad place (though it's hard sometimes) - I know the reason that I'm there is because of messed-up chemicals, not because I really am a bad person/everyone hates/wish I was dead etc etc. It helps sometimes..

[Directed]

Cassa, I'll put a little peanut butter on my banana. I assure you if you lick it off something will be stimulated.

[RedMaN]

This is some interesting advice... from all parties... except directed :p
His advice is :fag:

[Willcow]

Peanut butter and bananas. No seriously. They're both feel-good foods because they stimulate serotonin..

I can think of little pills that do the same thing :p

[Cassa]

I'm very firmly anti-medication unless it's absolutely necessary

[Cordis]

Depression runs in my family, my best suggestion to you is to keep yourself busy and fit. Afta Image's suggestion of walking is an excellent idea or even swimming if you can as it is a low impact exercise. Walking is great as it clears your mind, I do it at least 30 minutes a day.

However having experience is this area I know this is easier said then down, as lack of motivation usually goes hand in hand with depression. My only suggestion is to start off with small goals and to slowly work your way there. So try to find yourself a good support groups such as friends, family and zgeekers. :)

[Munchkin]

I agree with Cassa on the medication front. I'd much prefer to not take anti=depressants or anything unless I feel its absolutely necessary. Im on antidepressants at the moment and I do feel they help somewhat, but I've got to work with it too because medication can only do so much. ( They make me sleepy, so I've taken to doing more exercise to wake me up in the mornings, so from a 'bad' side effect, comes something good ( getting fitter!).

As for your 'craziness' , unless it's something so extreme it inteferes with normal life, just think of it as a little quirk of your personality. I imagine nearly everyone has 'their own little thing' that makes them just 'them' :).

(Though I wouldnt discount talking to a counsellor or something similar if there are things you want to get off your chest, or have trouble dealing with. I saw one the first time I was diagnosed with depression and she absolutely rocked... she gave me several pointers, whih boosted some self esteem issues I had/have, which I still use now :)

My mood definately improves when the weather is good, the sunshine cheers me where as cold rainy days tend to do so less ( although sometimes it's great to be out in the rain :) ).

[Bostonmess]

Make yourself laugh, make yourself smile, watch some comedy and force yourself to laugh at it. Maybe your own forced laughter will become infectious to yourself and you'll start laughing at yourself for being so daft?

Whatever you do, try not to dwell on your depression. Like the song that gets stuck going round and around in your head, it's not easy to get rid of though is it? All you can do is try.

On the night of the prom, a boy's girlfriend is changing upstairs. The boyfriend is waiting in the living room with the girlfriend's granpa and her dog Rover.

As the girlfriend is getting ready the boyfriend says to himself, ''Man I really gotta fart, I think I will let a little out.'' So he does and the granpa yells ''ROVER!''

The boy thinks to himself, ''All right, now he thinks it's the dog. I think I will let a little more out.'' So he does and the granpa yells again, ''ROVER!''

The boyfriend says to himself, ''All right, now he really thinks it's the dog. I think I will let the rest out.''

So he lets it rip and the granpa yells, ''Rover, get over here before that guy shits on you!''

[Bostonmess]

Instrument treats depression

Scientists have conducted a successful trial of a "brain pacemaker" that can make depressed people happy again by electronically stimulating the brain.

The experiment is thought to be the first true demonstration of electronic mood control. Those behind it emphasize more trials are needed but hope it could offer a drug-free therapy for millions suffering long-lasting clinical depression.

In the study, carried out in Toronto, people who had suffered years of untreatable clinical depression had electrodes planted deep in their brains to stimulate one of the areas involved in mood control.

Before the treatment the patients had led the miserable existence typical of the deeply depressed, lacking motivation, refusing to get out of bed for days and often feeling suicidal.

They had not responded to conventional therapies such as drugs, electroconvulsive therapy or psychotherapy. Afterwards, some of the test cases started going to the gym and established new businesses.

One was a woman struggling to cope with her children. She told researchers: "I want to hold my children and actually feel them." After undergoing the operation she is back in control of her life and has become active in her local parent-teacher association.

In the procedure surgeons adopted a treatment previously used for severe cases of Parkinson's disease by drilling into the skull and inserting electrodes into the brain.

With Parkinson's disease the aim is to neutralize the brain impulses that cause patients to suffer constant tremors. For patients with clinical depression the surgeons had a different target: the subgenual cingulate region or Cg25. This is located in the frontal lobes and plays a critical role in modulating sadness.

Six people, all severely depressed, volunteered for the electrode implant treatment. Each underwent local anaesthetic before doctors drilled two small holes in their skulls.

Using magnetic resonance imaging to guide them, they inserted two thin electrode-tipped wires into the Cg25 area. The other ends of the wire were threaded under the scalp down to the lower neck area.

Next the patients underwent a general anaesthetic to have a pulse generator implant - the pacemaker - sewn under the skin in their chest.

The wires were hooked up to this to provide constant brain stimulation.

The results, to be unveiled this week in the American neuroscience journal Neuron, have been described by those involved as "like a miracle."

One severely depressed woman in her forties who previously suffered such mental lethargy she would not answer the telephone has started a business dealing in antiques. A former competitive cyclist has got married and returned to the gym to get himself in shape. Another woman, a former veterinary technician, has revived a previous ambition to open a kennel.

All six volunteers reported acute effects once the current was switched on. These included a sudden brightening of the room and a feeling of connectedness.

Dr. Helen Mayberg, a neurologist now based at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Ga., who led the research, said: "These people weren't just having a bad day. They were beyond suicidal; they were too apathetic and disengaged to be bothered. They described their state as dead and deader."

She added: "I see depression as a brain disease not as a chemical inbalance like most psychiatrists.

Some circuits were not working for these people. Once we turned on the stimulator the changes were astounding."

Two out of the six, both men, lapsed back into depression within six months. But the scientists believe that fine tuning of the implant treatment could eventually cure most cases of severe depression.

http://www.halifaxherald.com/stories/2005/02/27/f124.raw.html :borg: :D

[Afro88]

Instrument treats depression

[i]Scientists have conducted a successful trial of a "brain pacemaker" that can make depressed people happy again by electronically stimulating the brain.

etc.

That's some crazy shit. It really sounds quite promising. I wonder if there are any side effects though...

[Glompbot]

I'm very firmly anti-medication unless it's absolutely necessary

Medication is not a solution, its an aid to help you learn to deal with it...
However, I think people should always try it without medication first.

i have known too many people take the antidepressant medication and it has changed who they are into an ugly person...
i've seen placid people become agro
i've seen nice guys who respected women people become male sluts... and treat women like shit



I'm pretty sure i suffer from some form of depression... its pms related... i become unable to function in day to day tasks...
The (contraceptive) pill i'm on seems to help stabalise my moods so I think its changes in my hormones that cause it... funnily enough before taking it... i never realised anything was actually wrong with me.

[deevil]

Definitely watch out for the medications... most anti-depressants can have irritating side effects. They can be quite effective, but they mask the underlying problem. One interesting thing to consider... is a chemical imbalance causing the depression or is the depression causing the chemical imbalance? Wouldn't it be better to work through your problems (with the help of a psychologist/psychiatrist if you need it) than to medicate the symptoms of that problem? You'll have to deal with the problems eventually. Now, its all good to say this, and hopefully I'll do it myself one day :)

My wife was diagnosed as bipolar years ago, spent 7 or 8 years on lithium... awful stuff, makes you dull to anything you ever had as a creative output. I think it helps some people, but she took a good year and a half working on her issues and has been off of medication for 4 years now. She's normal. She has highs and lows... they're normal everyday highs and lows, but once you've been labelled as depressive or bipolar, watch out, anyone who knows you've had that label will forever wonder, "are they having an episode? do they need medication?" etc. Its really shitty to get yourself labelled like that. I firmly believe that a LOT of people are misdiagnosed and really just need some guidance and help with their personal issues.

[polite]

Roald Amundsen was bipolar apparently.










* sorry it just came out...

[HAL]

That's it Afro you pussy. Your coming to the coast and eating 6 dried grams of the good shit. We'll sort this shit out, to mars and back!!!! hehehe :)

[JiMi]

I'm pretty sure i suffer from some form of depression... its pms related... i become unable to function in day to day tasks...
The (contraceptive) pill i'm on seems to help stabalise my moods so I think its changes in my hormones that cause it... funnily enough before taking it... i never realised anything was actually wrong with me.

had a gf that was opposite... she was put on the pill to try and correct irregular periods... got em regular but made her moody and fuck, and have 0 sex drive... once she came off to try and solve the problem she went back to normal...

as for me i think i drift in and out of a depressive state... i have good days and bad... i am aware of it and if i feel it getting wourse i will go see someone.. untill then... i'm just fighting it on a daily front :)

J

[Afro88]

That's it Afro you pussy. Your coming to the coast and eating 6 dried grams of the good shit. We'll sort this shit out, to mars and back!!!! hehehe :)

Hahaha, shit man, even thinking about that much gives me a headache! Although I have been known to have that kind of dose before, but that was a while ago now.

Actually, I was thinking it might nearly be time for a bit of spring cleaning hey... Give me a few months and I may take you up on that offer HAL ;)

[HAL]

Hahaha, shit man, even thinking about that much gives me a headache! Although I have been known to have that kind of dose before, but that was a while ago now.

Actually, I was thinking it might nearly be time for a bit of spring cleaning hey... Give me a few months and I may take you up on that offer HAL ;)
:cool:

[djgcorporation]

Hey kids. I went to the doc man and he's given me a drug called Lexapro, which is apparently a 4th generation Prozac. Does anyone have experience with the drug goods?

[dwarfthrower]

Medication is not a solution, its an aid to help you learn to deal with it...
However, I think people should always try it without medication first.

That is such horseshit... a psychiatrist only studies their craft for eleven years or so, what the hell would they know about treating mental illnesses? Far better to trust the homespun wisdom of some self-diagnosing prat on the internet. :rolleyes:

[Cassa]

A psychiatrist trains for 11 years on how to diagnose mental illness and what drugs to prescribe for it.

I'm not saying that drugs just shouldn't be used at all. When I say necessary I'm talking about things like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder - stuff that you *can't* just manage with therapy. But it's my opinion (and you're free to disagree) that medication is way, way, way overprescribed for things like depression. When I was diagnosed, I wasn't even asked or informed about treatment options, just would I like the prescription now?

[Tigress]

That is such horseshit... a psychiatrist only studies their craft for eleven years or so, what the hell would they know about treating mental illnesses? Far better to trust the homespun wisdom of some self-diagnosing prat on the internet. :rolleyes:

Actually, it all depends which school of thought you are from. I have a degree in psychology and there is a big difference between psychiatrists and psychologists.

1. Psychiatrists can prescribe medication as they are doctors.

2. The main difference - psychiatrists tend to prescribe medication and then go back to the past to talk about the problem (thereby putting you right back in the situation that started the problem in the first place, kinda like a 'jumping in the deep end to confront it head on' solution), whereas psychologists tend to try to work out why the hell it's still affecting the individual today (they will talk about the original problem, but also try to see why the issue is affecting them 20 years later), but medication is rarely used.

Wouldn't it be more beneficial to talk through a problem in a clear state of mind (the state of mind you are in when the problem affects you), rather than on the medication?

I'm not saying one is right and the other is wrong - just that there are different ways to treat the same condition and it all depends on what works for you. At the very least, the different options should be presented so that you can choose which option to take...

My thoughts are with you DJ...

[Chocoholic]

Depends what state of mind that is……..

[Afro88]

I haven't personally taken Lexapro, but I did a quick google and this came up:

http://www.prozactruth.com/lexapro.htm

Lists all harmful side effects and many first hand testimonials. It may freak you out, but keep in mind that these sites only show the downside and ignore any positive responses to the drug. The side effects listed are all known side effects, that is one person may have experienced slight dizziness and insomnia whilst another might have experienced drowsiness and loss of hair or something. You won't experience all side effects listed, they are there to show what could happen. More than likely you'll experience about a quater of the side effects to varying degrees.

Lexapro is relatively new, and only recently lawsuits and real world experiences have been cropping up. With most new drugs it takes at least a few years for the truth about the drug to surface, whether it really works or not. For Lexapro, things aren't looking too good, but you may be one of the lucky ones that work well with anti-depressants. Definately read up on the web, read some real world testimonials from regular people on forums and such and make sure you know what you're getting into. Aparently it only takes 2-3 weeks for Lexapro to stabilise, so if you feel worse after that than when you started definitely ask your doctor how to stop taking it and get off it ASAP.

Good luck dude.

[dwarfthrower]

Wouldn't it be more beneficial to talk through a problem in a clear state of mind (the state of mind you are in when the problem affects you), rather than on the medication?

Therein lies the problem... If you have something that can be treated by simply talking it through, then you don't have a mental illness... you're just unable to handle the sort of issues life throws at you without a bit of guidance.

But it's my opinion (and you're free to disagree) that medication is way, way, way overprescribed for things like depression.
Have you ever known me to agree with anyone on anything ;)
In fact I do agree... but only because "depression" is the "must-have" disease of the moment (see previous entries "RSI", "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome", "Carpal Tunnel" etc)... People seem to be turning up to their doctor's office _wanting_ to be diagnosed with depression or bi-polar or whatever the current trend happens to be. Prescribing medication for someone who is simply feeling depressed, as opposed to being in a depressive state is definately not the best way of handling them.

[Cassa]

That's been a big gripe of mine in the past actually dwarfie and I completely agree with you there! I think in the current societal environment, people expect things to be fast and easy, to be able to get everything you want and that being happy is somehow an inalieable birthright. Of course, this doesn't happen and life gets put in the 'too hard' basket by a lot of people. I'm not saying that the 'pain' felt by these people isn't real but we've somehow lost our coping skills from too many years of being buffered against things.

As you know I used to work for a neuropsych research company and one of the big projects we had going on there was efficacy of certain medications on ADHD. All it was was finding out what drugs to feed to which children - nothing about therapy, intervention, special needs or even the fact that some of these kids just need a good smack across the head (right after their parents).

[Asmodeus]

yeah, you mostly have it there.

people want a nice easy catch all disease to blame all their problems on. beofre it was all 'oh, my dad hit me or looked at me funnt when I was a child, everything I do after that isn't my fault'.

yeah, some people are genuinely clinically depressed, but with a lot of them and others out there (stress disorder bordering on shell shock, and post traumatic stress disorder) bi polar, obsessive compulsive disorders, ADHD, etc.. I think with all the information out there and commercials etc, I think a lot of people talk themselves into it as another way of deluding themselves out of responsibility. see my various posts all over the board about responsibility, escapism and drug use.

RSI i can understand to a point. I have a touch of it. and by tha ti mean, ive been on a keyboard and guitar mostly constantly for the past 15 years. after a particularily hard run of 3 or more days and if im tired, i can get some shaky hands when they're bearing weight, but i've never seen anything like what these people are talking about with crippling pain and such. i really wonder what some people pain tolerance is at times. is mine very high ( actually, ues, it is) or are some people just way too low. they stub their toe and think they severed a limb. what do some people do to themselves to get in teh condition they do? i have no idea.

[StAUG]

get a dog.

Nahnana, nananahh nahnah!