Shr1nx

I think it's a great idea too!!!! As our guest said it would bring more balance to these forums.

Kathy

has anyone heard of a drug named geodon?

hav0k
,

I've heard of geodon. I think it is an anti-psychotic med.

Kathy

This is becoming an interesting discussion.

I often wonder if depression is caused by low serotonin levels or that depression itself casues low serotonin levels. I believe that on the days I just sit around and complain about all the negative stuff in my life and in the world then my serotonin levels go down and I feel depressed. On the other hand, on days like today in which I get out of bed go to the gym have a good workout, and talk to people, I do not feel depressed. When I comment on things in this forum I feel better. If I walk around in the sunlight, I feel better. If I write a gratitude list, I feel better. I think all these activites raise my serotonin levels and probably other chemicals as well to make me feel happy. My negative thoughts can really get me down. These thoughts are things like I have to be perfect or people will not like me. I will never feel any better. Every day gets worse and worse. Why do I have to be so imperfect.

To talk about any antidepressents, one must be aware that at best they are just a little bit better than sugar pills. Tests have shown this fact over and over for many years with all medications. If we think so pill is going to help us, it will. You can also find many studies that show sugar pills to be better.

I agree that drug companies make a lot of money by making people believe that they need pills to be happy. If one is depressed the popular cure seems to be taking pills for the rest of your life. If someone is taking pills forever, the drug companies will be benefiting for many years.

Then one has to be aware that many people waste their entire lives with depression. Any treatment is better than none. For most people in America taking medication is the only treatment that people will do. Regular exercise keeps my moods stablized, but very few people can or will exercise no matter what. Even when their lives depend on getting in shape, they will not keep it up. So, I guess some of us have to live with a pill for every problem. Myself, I like to attempt other methods.
Jim S

This is for you Jims and anyone else interested in the causes of depression.
"There is a tendency afoot today to blame the epidemic sweep of clinical depression in the US on bad genes or screwy brain chemistry. But what if the causes of depression, suicide, or other mental illnesses, do not emanate from the individual?"

"If we lived in a world without wars, poverty, racism and sexism, dramatic disparities in material conditions, political deception and so on, would there be people who suffer from clinical depression, depressive disorders or other "mental disorders." Would over 30,000 people still commit suicide each year? These questions about clinical depression and suicide are psoed by the title of the new movie we don't live under NORMAL CONDITIONS." http://www.aperiofilms.com/wdlunc.html

I see psychiatry as standing in the way of societies need for dramatic change. I see cultural/social/enviromental issues are cause of mental illness the power does not want to address. As soon as it does, it will lose power.

I think things that you mention do play a large part in depression...course depression is many things to many people. for some...depression is something you go through short term while you grieve the loss of a loved one...and everyone grieves in different ways...everyone's ability to grieve is varied too.

I'm not disagreeing w/ you....meerly saying that in my opinion....your piece offered up is only a part of things. If we didn't have sadness or stress of any kind in our society...be it illnesses we watch our loved ones go through, crime on any level, death, break-ups, work stress, ..........you get the idea.....what makes these things easy for some to handle and downright almost impossible for others to handle? Have you noticed that some people seem to have the unspeakable burdens on their plate...and not just once...but seem to have a lifefull of them...and they deal w/ it on their own and almost w/ a grace...they suffer but yet they can carry those burdens and get through them effectively/positively w/out counseling and medication but there are others that even the smallest of burdens...they can't or don't know how to handle?

Angel,
The scenarios you suggest are totally natural reasons for grief. So why the hell does psychopharmacology market and advertise treatment for depression under the guise that it is a caused by faulty brain chemistry?
Drug companies and Psychiatry are making millions on a not non-validated “theory”. The whole Psych industry is corrupt, the survivor movement wants it held accountable.

I'm sorry guest, I simply don't have an answer to your question. I don't see the situation the same as you do, though, either though. I guess it's not a subject I can "debate" on. I can only offer up what I think on it and that is the best I can do. I'm just a person who has been through experiences in life...not so great ones...I know what has worked for me and what hasn't. But it's were my opinions were formed. Still probably not an answer that means much to you or says much, etc. But it's all I have to stand by. Sorry.

I read a lot. Over a thousand books ago, I read information about societies where there was little stress. I had thought that with a positive society and little stress there would be no mental illness. I was surprized to find that mental illness still existed in these low stress cultures. However the amount was less then we have. It seems that mental illness has existed to a certain exent in all cultures in all periods of history.

I think it is partly a matter of biology and random variation. People are not alike. They vary in all ways from the shade of eye color to their energy level. Many, many diseases are accepted to have a genetic basis. I would think that the way our brains function also varies. Some can easily cope with more stress than others. Perhaps some traits are linked to others. There is much evidence for the ability to write poetry to be linked to violent mood swings. Many other links are suggested between famous people and mood swings. I have an article on my web site about famous people who suffered from mental illness. Maybe they are famous in spite of their illness, but maybe deep, creative thought goes along with bipolar or other disorders.

It does seem sometimes that we are trying to not just eliminate depression, but all sadness. I used to try to do this with legal drugs like alcohol, but I tried anything I could get my hands on to reduce the awful feelings in my head. Maybe, science has advanced to provide everyone with reasonably safe drugs to keep everyone happy. Years ago several science fiction books predicted that everyone would take pills to be happy. I think there was even a popular song of the late 60's that promised us happiness in the pill we took this morning. I guess I'm old fashioned for believing in hard work and persistence no matter what.
Jim S

Jims S,

That's an interesting theory, if you will, whether depression is caused by low serotonin levels or does a low serotonin level cause depression? In different people I think either could be true. I am just pulling out of a real nasty slump of depression myself. I tried everything I could think of to pull out of it by myself...I read, got myself interested in some hobbies, journaled, tried to have more people contact, wrote "I am thankful for...." lists. I ate healthy meals, got plenty of exercise, and tried to think positive. Nothing worked and I was falling down deeper and deeper into the chasm of depression until I was eventually suicidal.

I finally went to see my psych doc.....that was the only thing I hadn't done. He just increased one of my meds that raised the serotonin level. Within days it helped....actually 24 hrs later I felt better. I hate to admit it but it's true.

I hate to think of my sanity resting on some pills....it bothers me but I didn't know what else to try.

Kathy