No worries Michael. As your borderline there are a number of measures you
can take to keep the beast at bay. You're lucky in that research into
depression has broadened very much over the last few years. Also, this news
release just today is another reason why I don't like the idea of
antidepressants being handed out like candy. And believe me, here in
Australia that happens all too often. A good therapist may be able help to
help you with stress management strategies.
Child warning on anti-depressants
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3306327.stm
"Michael S." <m.sabino at comcast.net> wrote in message
news:ueyBb.73010$_M.368038 at attbi_s54...
> Thanks... this advice is very useful since I'd like to avoid prescription
> medication. The last psychiatrist that I visited said that antidepressants
> were something to consider, but since I was just on the boundary of
fitting
> the depression criteria (according to a questionaire), they weren't very
> strongly recommended. This is good since I fear that medication will cause
> immunity to be built up and more significant dosages/more dangerous
> medications to be prescribed.
> Many of my aunts and uncles on my dad's side also had problems with
> depression, and out of all those people I don't think there's a single one
> of them who wound up taking less medication in the end.
>> -- Michael S.
> "John H." <johnh at faraway.com.au> wrote in message
> news:3fd68123 at dnews.tpgi.com.au...> > Michael,
> >
> > 1. Melatonin reduces the very brain chemical believed to be deficient in
> > ADD: dopamine. Melatonin will not cure depression, it increases one
aspect
> > of the immune system implicated in depression. Don't take it, it needs
> great
> > care and in your case may create more problems than it solves as it can
> make
> > you very drowsy. Seasonal Affective Disorder relates to loss of sunlight
> in
> > vulnerable individuals. Loss of sunlight increases melatonin and
decreases
> > serotonin. You need to increase serotonin, not melatonin. Sleep problems
> are
> > very common in depression and in part probably drive depression.
> >
> > 2. ADD is associated with other problems, depression being one of these.
> > Your case is not that unusual and not surprising given that your mother
> also
> > experiences depression because there is a genetic component in
depression.
> >
> > 3. The conversations in your head are another part of depression, it
might
> > pay to compare these with what people actually say to you and how they
> treat
> > you. I suspect you'll find that comparison interesting. Write it down in
> two
> > columns.
> >
> > 4. Social isolation itself can drive depression and is a key marker for
> > depression. Try to spend time with people you can trust. Whatever you
do,
> > don't let yourself slip into total social isolation as this will
probably
> > deepen the depression.
> >
> > 4. You should be seeing a medical professional but as that appears not
> > possible I suggest:
> >
> > Sleep:
> >
> > Regular exercise but not within 3-4 hours of bedtime as sleep will be
more
> > difficult then. Exercise can help in depression, at the last Annual
> Society
> > for Neuroscience Meetings there were some presentations on this and it
has
> > been documented in the literature before. Exercise helps slow down
> cortisol
> > output, cortisol is a key stress hormone implicated in depression.
> Exercise
> > will also help to stabilise your immune system, which also plays a role
in
> > depression. Exercise is very good for stabilising sleep patterns.
> >
> > Exposure to bright sunlight in the early morning is important, will help
> > stabilise your sleep cycles and increase serotonin levels.
> >
> > Boost your intake of vitamins B and E, either through vitamin pills but
> > preferably through diet. Eating fruit and vegetables is a damn good
idea.
> >
> > Learn to relax one hour before going to bed.
> >
> > You need to increase foods in your diet that are rich in tryptophan, the
> > amino acid that is essential for serotonin production. Fish is good
> because
> > it also contains high levels of omega 3's which have been shown
beneficial
> > for depression.
> >
> > Get on your Dad's case, you should be seeing a doctor about this. If
that
> > isn't possible there are a number of excellent web sites relating to
> > depression. A warning however, there are also some bloody idiots out
there
> > so choose those sites that clearly are maintained by medical
> professionals.
> > No, I'm not one of those and I'm no particular fan of the general
approach
> > to depression by the professional community but they are far better than
> so
> > many quacks out there promising miracle cures.
> >
> > Put this post up at sci.med.psychobiology. There are some excellent
> > psychiatrists who visit that ng. who specialise in depression and they
may
>> > offer some advice. Understand though that quite rightly they cannot
> diagnose
> > or prescribe remedies over the internet. As suicide is already an issue
> you
> > need to find professional help. If at your age your already interested
in
> > general relativity then it would be a great loss. You strike me as a
> rather
> > intelligent chap, there are ADD cases that demonstrate strong intellects
> and
> > creativity, you could well be one of those cases. Before you can realise
> > your full potential however you must find a way to deal with this
> depression
> > issue.
> >
> > PS: I was the same at school: hated the schoolwork but read every book I
> > could get my hands about things that interested me. Over time that tends
> to
> > change and you should be able to attend to school and university work
more
> > easily. It's a bloody hard struggle but typically ADD symptoms decline
as
> we
> > move into adulthood though residual symptoms remain. So remember this:
> "The
> > essential thing in heaven and on earth is that there should be a long
> > obedience in the same direction, there thereby results, and has always
> > resulted in the long run, something which makes life worth living."
> > Nietzsche, Beyond Good & Evil.
> >
> >
> > "Michael S." <m.sabino at comcast.net> wrote in message
> > news:NKbBb.469203$HS4.3663427 at attbi_s01...> > > Hello,
> > >
> > > When I was 5 years old, I was diagnosed with ADD (without
> hyperactivity).
> > > This is ususual since I'm a male, and most of those who exhibit
symptoms
> > of
> > > ADD without hyperactivity are female.
> > > There are a few reasons why I think this may be the case. But I think
> > there
> > > is an early-childhood origin in rearing that led to these symptoms in
> me.
> > > Mostly, I was educated from my parents in areas that differed from the
> > > material tought in school. As an example... when I was 5 in preschool,
> my
> > > dad would teach me about electric circuitry at home, while at school
the
> > > teachers would watch in amazement as I'd drift offtopic while they
were
> > > teaching something as commonplace knowledge in that agegroup as the
> > letters
> > > of the alphabet.
> > > I also notice that this parallel exists when females are tought less
> > > education-orientated topics than males from their family, so I wonder
if
> > > that's the reason why females more often develop the add without
> > > hyperactivity than males. Does encouraging distraction by barbie dolls
> > allow
> > > the brain to be deficient in long-term thought processes (such as
those
> > that
> > > occur in the prefrontal cortex)?
> > > Anyway, I digress. There were many family troubles that gave me
problems
> > > with what I perceived as depression at an age as young as 10. I would
> > easily
> > > be distracted from the task at hand, or become anxious due to the
> negative
> > > thought patterns that enveloped the task that I should've been
> completing.
> > > My mom suffered from depression, and I'm concerned that I may be
> > developing
> > > this same condition.
> > > There's even a more significant parallel between my mom and I than
that
> of
> > > general depression. I've become really concerned with what others are
> > > saying, and have been completing conversations in my head without
being
> > > completely sure of what's going on. These conversations that I believe
> I'm
> > > overhearing are almost always about bad things about me. This may stem
> > from
> > > my fear of actually becoming involved in the conversation, since I'm
> > afraid
> > > to be around people (somewhat because of acne).
> > > I get so nervous at school sometimes that the whole world seems to
tune
> > out.
> > > Sometimes I've considered suicide, and sometimes I've feared that will
> be
> > > how I'll meet fate.
> > > Right now I'm 16 and having difficulty focusing on schoolwork because
of
> > > this anxiety, and my dad keeps stalling about seeing a counselor or a
> > doctor
> > > since he doesn't like their advice. The counsoulers apparently give me
> > > advice that's too much towards my own aims, and not much towards his,
> > while
> > > the doctors always prescribe medication. I don't believe this to be
> true,
> > > but if he does, there's nothing that I can do.
> > > My last counsoler was "too intellectual". Perhaps my dad would be more
> > > satisfied by the cajun women downtown who can give me some all-natural
> > fruit
> > > juice to remedy my problems. Then again, that would be too easy,
> wouldn't
> > > it?
> > > I get very distracted by things outside of school, and it's constantly
> > been
> > > driving me away from schoolwork... I'd much rather read about general
> > > relativity than about how to draw stupid conceptual models in junior
> > > chemistry.
> > > These problems don't exist during the summer regardless of whether I'm
> > > waking up at 6am for summer school or not (though summer school lasts
4
> > > hours, compared with the usual 7hrs of school). Does melatonin have
> > > something to do with this? (I think I read somewhere that melatonin
> > > concentrations are higher during the summer due to a reaction
involving
> > > sunlight)
> > > Would pure melatonin pass the blood brain barrier? do you know of any
> > sites
> > > that provide a list of chemicals that cross the blood brain barrier
and
> > are
> > > synthesized into a particular neurotransmitter?
> > >
> > > After searching on google I can across: "Some people become more
> depressed
> > > in the winter months when days are shorter and darker. The sun and
> bright
> > > light seem to trigger a response to a brain hormone known as melatonin
> > > (produced by the pineal gland), which is, in part, responsible for
> > > preventing the "blues." Stay in brightly-lit rooms on dark days.
> Research
> > > reveals that two hours of morning sun is very effective in lifting
> > > depression. The evening light had comparatively little results."
> > > What drugs can I take to make me feel this way during the winter?
> > >
> > >
> > > Thanks.
> > >
> > > Michael S.
> > >
> > > I stayed home today to complete my homework and I didn't really get
any
> > done
> > > :(
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>>