October 13, 2005

• I'd participate, but after my upcoming disappearance under mysterious circumstances, followups are going to be tricky.
• Conversely, I'm just depressed enough to lack the energy for a dramatic caper. /whistlingindark Best of luck to them; that must be traumatizing for the families they leave behind.
• Depression? Anxiety? AWOL? I'm all of the above. The cops know what's up, but they're the only ones whose business it is. They're quite reasonable about these things; they'll inform those who make inquiries only that you are alive and absolutely nothing more. I believe that legally they must respect your right to privacy when there are no criminal aspects of your coop-flying. Sometimes the asshole family members that caused your anxiety and depression deserve nothing more than seeing your back then not a damn thing else for the rest of their sorry lives. If you don't like the reapin', knock off the sowin'.
• I know, I know, I'm just trying to atone for the assholish wisecrack I made. I can't win; time to hide in a dark corner and listen to Morrissey. :/
• Heh? I missed the assholish wisecrack bit, and wasn't directing anything at you, forilla. God knows Morrissey would have to live at my house and belt it out 24 hours a day to make any leeway with my jerkdom :)
• Just seven more points and it's time for me to visit the Good-Humour guys.
• I'm no MD or anything, but I'm pretty sure that depression and anxiety can't be caused by another person. They're neurological disorders. "You made me this way" is not only mean-spirited, it's simply false. Unless you're just using "depressed" as a synonym for "grumpy." Which, while fine and all, can be confusing.
• No, Jeff, you sure aren't. Psychological Consequences The immediate emotional effects of abuse and neglect—isolation, fear, and an inability to trust—can translate into lifelong consequences including low self-esteem, depression, and relationship difficulties. Researchers have identified links between child abuse and neglect and the following: # Poor mental and emotional health. In one long-term study, as many as 80 percent of young adults who had been abused met the diagnostic criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder at age 21. These young adults exhibited many problems, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and suicide attempts (Silverman, Reinherz, & Giaconia, 1996). Other psychological and emotional conditions associated with abuse and neglect include panic disorder, dissociative disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and reactive attachment disorder (Teicher, 2000). # Cognitive difficulties. The National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being recently found children placed in out-of-home care due to abuse or neglect tended to score lower than the general population on measures of cognitive capacity, language development, and academic achievement (2003). # Social difficulties. Children who are abused and neglected by caretakers often do not form secure attachments to them. These early attachment difficulties can lead to later difficulties in relationships with other adults as well as with peers (Morrison, Frank, Holland, & Kates, 1999). You might try Googling for five seconds next time before shooting your mouth off like a patronizing fuckwit about stuff you state you know jack about.
• You make an excellent point, moneyjane. Clearly a person is inflenced by their environment and circumstances. Some (but not all) people who feel depressed are clinically depressed. I think that Jeff's comment is based on the more recent method of diagnosis (promoted by big pharmaceutical corps./FDA) in which everything is a disease. This viewpoint seems to be a cop-out to me. Nowadays, someone who eats a steady diet of Doritos, pizza, soda, etc... and has chest pains is diagnosed as having acid reflux disease, then prescribed drugs as a solution. I'd call it heartburn and say change your diet, forget the drugs and see how that works. Some people do have clinical heartburn/acid reflux, for which a change in diet won't help. Many otherwise healthy people are simply affected in a negative way by their diet, and don't need medical treatment. I think that this simple analogy can be transferred to the issue of anxiety/depression. If one is not clinically depressed, a change in environment/circumstance can be an effective cure. The issue can't be fully explained in such simple terms, but I tried.
• Some people suffer from anxiety and/or depression regardless of their external circumstances. In other words, for some people it IS strictly a medical/biochemical problem. Other times, anxiety and/or depression are the result of abuse, neglect, and other such terribleness. I have very close friends in both camps. Anxiety and depression are difficult burdens to bear, no matter which "flavor" you suffer from.
• Sorry, should have been "For other people" instead of "Other times." Oopsie.
• "Here's another truth: For the past several weeks, I've spent a good chunk of each day crying. Like a little baby, shameless and helpless and red-faced and snotty. I am not proud of this, but I can't quite bring myself to be especially ashamed of it, either. It's just how things are." maybe you're just "grumpy"
• Scientology can change that. And vitamins.
• In one long-term study, as many as 80 percent of young adults who had been abused met the diagnostic criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder at age 21. I'm sure 80 percent of everybody meets the diagnostic criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder. Several, in fact, because the criteria as listed in the DSM IV overlap significantly. Somebody suffering from post-traumatic stress, which is a psychological condition, can easily be misdiagnosed as having major depressive disorder, which is a psychiatric condition with a totally different pathophysiology. But misdiagnosis aside, according to what we know now, no, depression and anxiety disorders are not caused by other people, at least not directly. The norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake pathways are modestly well understood by medical science, and it's fairly safe to say based on what we know right now that nobody can reach into your head and alter your neurotransmitter metabolism. Ditto with those little structures in the amygdala that regulate the body's fear response. As Disposable Planet observed, there's a world of difference between "I feel depressed" and "I have the psychiatric condition doctors call 'major depressive disorder.'" The conversation can get confused really quickly when the distinction between symptoms and syndromes is blurred. I said I'm not an MD, because I'm not. That didn't mean that I'm just making this stuff up, you know. That's just something you might want to think about.
• Jeff, do you suffer from depression?
• nobody can reach into your head and alter your neurotransmitter metabolism. That may be true, Jeff, but does that necessarily mean that outside stimulus cannot affect the your brain works at all?
• ...nobody can reach into your head and alter your neurotransmitter metabolism. Ditto with those little structures in the amygdala that regulate the body's fear response. Actually they can, and do. Complex PTSD Developmental research is revealing that many brain and hormonal changes may occur as a result of early, prolonged trauma, and contribute to difficulties with memory, learning, and regulating impulses and emotions. Combined with a disruptive, abusive home environment that does not foster healthy interaction, these brain and hormonal changes may contribute to severe behavioral difficulties (such as impulsivity, aggression, sexual acting out, eating disorders, alcohol/drug abuse, and self-destructive actions), emotional regulation difficulties (such as intense rage, depression, or panic) and mental difficulties (such as extremely scattered thoughts, dissociation, and amnesia). As adults, these individuals often are diagnosed with depressive disorders, personality disorders or dissociative disorders. Depression Research suggests that traumatic life experiences may cause permanent functional and structural damage to the brain...Depression is the result of abnormalities of brain chemistry. There is a shortage of certain neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine) in the brain. Neurotransmitter activity Serotonin is probably the most important neurotransmitter in criminology. As stated previously, antisocial people have lower levels of serotonin. This may be either genetic or environmental, because neurotransmitter balances are constantly changing as memories are stored in the brain. Every new memory permanently changes the neural pathway structure, thus creating the opportunities for neurotransmitter imbalances. People who are genetically endowed with lower serotonin levels ("born antisocials") may therefore "grow out of it", and likewise, someone who is born with normal serotonin levels may develop an antisocial personality (what is called "reduced serotonergic activity" or a "serotonin uptake problem") I've had overlapping/multiple diagnoses of Chronic Depression, Chronic PTSD, and BPD, and dealing with their effects for over thirty years. Given your interest in the topic, I'm curious...do you deal with any of these yourself?
• It's hard to say if any psychological thing is "caused directly" by something, as the causes are quite complex. But parents can be the major cause of depression and anxiety. I think the problem is in how you're thinking about it Jeff. People can be born with certain brain characteristics or whatever, but if they have a good childhood they'll be 'introspective' and 'quick thinking' rather than 'depressed' and 'anxious' if they have problems.
• I was under the impression that there are still many schools of thought on the topic of what causes depression (and many other mental illnesses), and that, in addition, individual cases varied widely. Sometimes I don't know what to say but to state the obvious. Because it seems to be lost.
• nobody can reach into your head and alter your neurotransmitter metabolism. Ditto with those little structures in the amygdala that regulate the body's fear response. The brain's internals are affected by externals. I've got a fear of water. I wasn't born with it. Instead a stupid swimming instructor threw me into deep water when i was eight years old. Amygdalan pathways were created which i have to consciously fight every time I go into the pool.
• Get over it, pussy.
• /joke (of course)
• I'm coming to get you now, HWingo, even if I have to swim. *dips toe in water* Uh, okay. *shakes fist instead*