A question about the BRAIN

[rickboone1]

There's a lot of debate about everything with the brain and mind.

How many here think CHEMICAL IMBALANCE is real? Or, is it due to something else? There's a lot of debate on this issue in recent years.

The odd thing is most of both parties do agree SSRI's work to combat the issue, yet can't really state WHY. At least, this has been the result of my own limited studies.

Personally, I don't buy into the Chemical Imbalance theory. Never have. If someone is feeling XXXX (depressed, anxious, fearful, etc.) sure there may be chemicals in their brain that are in a different sequence than when they are elated and happy. However, would taking a pill a day bring that up to its proper levels? How would you know which levels, chemically, to take it to? There's no way to measure that. But, many people do subscribe to that theory and accept it.

It's an odd topic, I know. I mean, we're all "wired" differently. Our genes, life experiences and so much contribute to who we are.

http://www.google.com/search?q=chem...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

 

[dpm802]

Chemical imbalances in the brain are very real, and the effects that they have on a persons mental state, mood(s) and general well-being are also rooted in fact.

What is a myth is that these imbalances can be cured(?) or controlled by taking prescription pills.

Think about it this way ... where do those brain chemicals come from in the first place? They come from the food that you eat, and the way that your body metabolizes that food.

If you want to have a balanced brain chemistry, then eat a balanced diet, and get a fair amount of excercize. Its as simple as that.

 

[SalvadorMontenegro]

I can't really answer this. I don't know whether I believe it or not.

I suffer from depression. There is depression on both sides of my family. My depression waxes and wanes given... I'm not sure what. A chemical imbalance? Situational factors? I certainly don't think it's my diet, as I always eat healthy.

My therapist wants me to go on some sort of antidepressant and thus far, I have resisted. Both of my parents are on medication and they both think that it has helped them. Whether it actually has, or whether they just think it's helping, I don't know. I have taken medications in the past and my experiences have not been positive. Both my psychiatrist and psychologist think that I just haven't found the right one, yet. Maybe that is true. I'm still considering it.

My main opposition is that I intensely dislike the idea of having my moods modulated. I want my emotions to flow, rising and falling without them being fixed or corrected or whatever. That said, there are days when I feel like [expletive] and think that giving medication another try is worth a chance.

 

[dpm802]

I have taken medications in the past and my experiences have not been positive.

I had the same experience. I went through twenty years of depression and mood swings, and ten years of assorted medications. While the medicines made me feel better, at least for short periods of time, they certainly didn't make me feel GOOD. With some of the meds I was taking, the cure(?) was worse than the disease.

Both my psychiatrist and psychologist think that I just haven't found the right one, yet. Maybe that is true. I'm still considering it.

That sounds so familiar. I started with Lithium Carbonate (aka Psych-Meds 101) and my psychiatrist had no qualms about having me spend thousands of dollars (without insurance) on blood-tests and checking my lithium levels on an almost daily basis. Every time I went to see her, she changed my dosage, and thought "maybe that will help." While the lithium did help me to no longer feel depressed, it also caused me to feel nothing at all. No pain, no joy, no humor, no anxiety ... I was a walking zombie, but at least I wasn't depressed.

I could go on and on, describing what was wrong with the other meds, and combo of meds that I took. The bottom line is that none of them put me where I wanted to be.

My main opposition is that I intensely dislike the idea of having my moods modulated. I want my emotions to flow, rising and falling without them being fixed or corrected or whatever. That said, there are days when I feel like [expletive] and think that giving medication another try is worth a chance.

I think that regulating my moods is a good idea, I'm just opposed to doing it via prescription pills. I've gotten much better results in the last decade by eating properly (a diet of my own design) than I ever got from the ten years of taking half a dozen different medications under the guidance of at least ten different doctors, none of whom agreed with any of the others except to say "Here, this will make you feel better ... Oh? It didn't work? Let's change the dosage ... Oh? It still doesn't work? Let's try a different pill ..."

 

[HokieGeek]

The voices in my head keep telling me that there's no such thing as chemical imbalance, so it must be so! They've never been wrong yet!

 

[Swampfox]

I'm not sure about drug remedies, but I spend 8+ hours everyday near someone who can go from cheerful to evil. ...think Sybil. And it ain't my wife, either, jokers.

 

[ouch]

I get all of my psychiatric advice from Dr. Tom Cruise.

 

[Obsessed]

Some people feel that Lilac Vegetal is the result of a chemical imbalance.

 

[AdrianR]

Questions abut The Brain? Better ask Pinky...

 

[ackvil]

My ex-wife suffered from a chemical imbalance in which she had amazing mood swings. She was OK as long as she was on meds. But, she did not like what they were doing to her (excessive sleeping, weight gain, etc.) and so she would go off of them.

After a period of time she got worse - so such an extent that I feared for my life (she came after me with a long knife, threw bottles at me, among other things.)

 

[C Reed]

Can cretin chemicals in the brain be linked to cretin moods or "feelings"? Yes, this has been proven.

Therefore the presence of these chemicals in different ratios can cause different moods or "feelings" at different times.

Are some people more prone to some ratios of cretin chemicals then others? Yes this has been proven.

Therefore some people are predisposed to cretin moods or "feelings".

Is a predisposition a serious threat to the health of the individual or society in most cases? No, only in extreme cases.

Therefore most cases of slight predisposition should not be treated with potentially harmful drug therapies.

Do people want to hear form their doctors "your feeling bad? this pill will make you feel better"? Yes.

Do doctors want to make money? Yes.

Therefore doctors will continue to prescribe mostly unneeded drugs with high profit margins to people who are predisposed to feel bad.

Sorry if I missed something.

 

[Slash McCoy]

The voices in my head keep telling me that there's no such thing as chemical imbalance, so it must be so! They've never been wrong yet!

I was beginning to think nobody else heard them!
My site:
www.thevoicestoldme.com

 

[KarthVader]

Questions abut The Brain? Better ask Pinky...

 

[KarthVader]

There's a lot of debate about everything with the brain and mind.

How many here think CHEMICAL IMBALANCE is real? Or, is it due to something else? There's a lot of debate on this issue in recent years.

The odd thing is most of both parties do agree SSRI's work to combat the issue, yet can't really state WHY. At least, this has been the result of my own limited studies.

Personally, I don't buy into the Chemical Imbalance theory. Never have. If someone is feeling XXXX (depressed, anxious, fearful, etc.) sure there may be chemicals in their brain that are in a different sequence than when they are elated and happy. However, would taking a pill a day bring that up to its proper levels? How would you know which levels, chemically, to take it to? There's no way to measure that. But, many people do subscribe to that theory and accept it.

It's an odd topic, I know. I mean, we're all "wired" differently. Our genes, life experiences and so much contribute to who we are.

http://www.google.com/search?q=chem...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

It seems like you are arguing against the use of SSRI or their effectiveness.

 

[proxymoron]

Can cretin chemicals in the brain be linked to cretin moods or "feelings"? Yes, this has been proven.

Of course, some cretins are just jack-asses because.

 

[PanchoVilla]

Whatever happened to Lobotomies?

 

[tg16]

Whatever happened to Lobotomies?

I would rather have a bottle in front of me than a pre-frontal lobotomy.

 

[BladeRunner001]

As a scientist, I do believe in the "chemical imbalance" theory...but, there is a very fine line in the distinctions that define it. And it is in the definition of this thing that I have a problem with...this is also where drug marketeers make a killing

Consider the following:

There are those that are predisposed to such imbalances more than others. Is this genetic/hereditary? environmental? No one really knows for sure...the brain is an extremely complex machine (as we all know)...millions of chemical reactions are occurring almost simultaneously to make us do the things that we do and feel. What causes common disorders such as anxiety, depression and ADHD, which many believe that some form of chemical imbalance?

But there's also the other camp. Those of us that are not predisposed to have this...All of us, at some point or another, experience chemical imbalance...loss of a loved one, depression (short periods), sad or happy events in our life. This is normal. If I were to be diagnosed at the time of any such episode, I would surely be put on 1 or 2 meds to alleviate the issue (SSRI or MAOI). Not necessary in most circumstances, IMO.

Things other than drugs can influence brain chemistry. Exercise releases endorphins. Even our own thoughts change our brain chemistry. The complex sets of chemicals in the brain are designed to process incoming information and create a response. All of these processes happen extremely quickly in the brain. And, though the effects of chemical imbalance may lead to undue stress, nervousness and worry, they are an important part of being human. Without an ‘imbalance’ of chemicals in the brain, we would never know laughter, sadness, worry, nervousness or love. Chemical imbalances, or fluctuations, cannot be avoided because we are supposed to interpret and react to situations, whether they are stressful or joyful; this is simply human nature. This, IMO, is where definition of "chemical imbalance" and treatment fail...

The underlying question that still remains to be answered definitively is: "What’s causing the chemical imbalance to begin with?"

Cheers,
Robert

 

[ouch]

i would rather have a free bottle in front of me than a pre-frontal lobotomy.

fify.

 

[BCatl]

Yes, there is science behind so-called "chemical imbalances" playing a role in mental health.

However, people ask a whole lot more of the current drugs than they can deliver, and some doctors don't do a good job of explaining this.

For instance, they gave amphetamines (speed) in the 1950's for depression. They worked great, people felt like a million bucks. However, they often ended up frazzled and worn out after a period of time, and potentially even more depressed. They "came down hard" in street parlence.

So the drugs today are supposed to make you feel better, but not necessarily feel euphoric if you are depressed (so you won't get hooked on them), or so as not to trigger mania.

Of course, low dose amphetimine is still handed out for some conditions, and it does work.