Trying to understand depression?
Question:
I keep reading and hearing that depression is caused due to a chemical imbalance in the brain. Having experience it myself, I feel it has more to just do with your state of mind. I believe a person can come out of depression over time by turning to positive thoughts (along with being more social, talking to people etc).
I strongly feel that medications only give a false sense of hope that the person who is taking them will get "cured." And subconsciously he or she may not realize that the false sense of hope is what is curing them rather than the medication itself.
im sorry if I lost you there but hopefully you will get what im trying to say. i just want to read other ppls take on it so please chime in. you might end up helping me as well..
Answers:
You're right. It IS more than just a state of mind. True clinical depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, and taking medication to correct the imbalance is not giving someone a false sense of hope. You wouldn't tell a diabetic that taking insulin was only giving them a false sense of hope. Not everyone who is prescribed an antidepressant has to take it for the rest of their life. Some do, but not everyone. I do think that a person who needs an antidepressant should also seek counseling too. And I don't think your question would, or should, offend anyone.
You are absolutely right in your thinking about the positive thoughts and becoming more social (even if you don't feel like it at first).
Also...good physical excercise kicks in Endorphins...and make sure the sun hits your eyes for no less than 20 minutes a day.
There is considerable research comparing treatment with placebo versus an active drug, showing that the active drug is more effective (but placebos do help some people.) There are studies on rats showing that psychiatric drugs are effective. Rats do not worry about whether or not they are given an effective pill or not. There are PET scans (a brain imaging machine) showing that people who are depressed really are different in the brain than other people.
The chemicals/neural structure of your brain is where your feelings come from. The human brain is the most sophisticated computer in the world. It is an organic machine. The feelings and thoughts you have are the marvelous products of this intricate machine. You brain machine is formed thru genetic information, developmental information from your mother and whatever she was exposed to, and external environmental insults, like brain injury, toxins (mercury for example) and all experiences, including extremely negative experiences (abuse, concentration camp, attempted murder). All these things change the structure and chemical relationships in your brain.
I know it is just plain weird to think that a chemical imbalance, or a brain injury or the like can make a person think or feel so very differently, but that is so well proven, there isn't any debate on it in scientific circles anymore, any more than they debate over whether the earth goes around the sun.
Being social is one of the best ways to treat mild to moderate depression in my opinion. But if you do lots of things to make your life better, and several months down the road, you still aren't better, then you may need chemical intervention. Excercise is another big help, and getting lots of bright light.
i agree. i absolutely agree.and medications aren't that good for you either because there's side effects and some people who are given pills for depression just use them so they can overdose and kill themselves.and pills can be really harmful especially in the wrong hands. pills aren't good. tons of people overdose on medications even over the counter ones...
If it doesn't sound right you must ask the question. The upper brains when they erase expectations for love and life release a chemical into the spinal fluid and it goes to the lower or auto brain. If it is strong enough the lower brain will slow the heart the breathing the breeding and the balance etc. Because it is the first brain that the mammal developed.
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