False Haircolor, False Joy

Great Debates
21

You don’t honestly think THAT’S the real you, do you?

As intangible as it may seem, understand that anti-depressants aren’t mood-altering drugs in the sense Ecstasy or pot are. They correct faulty chemical production in your body. (That’s a simple description, granted.)

Let me use a really good comparison; in my early 20’s I started getting horrible, splitting migraines. Actually, it was really just one migraine, because it never stopped. Never; I awoke in pain, lived in pain, went to bed in pain. Sometimes it just hurt, sometimes it was agony. No medical solution could be found. Finally, they did find a solution, and the problem was solved. My attitude and behaviour changed abruptly and radically for the better; I was happier, more active, and far less depressed. Would you say that’s the real me? Or was it the real me when I was in pain all the time?

Well, that’s you, too; just in your case it’s not a vascular problem, it’s a hormonal problem. When the problem is fixed, you will be closer to your true self, insofar as that can be measured. Your parents’ reaction is understandable becaus they still remember the real you. They see you lying around worrying about the sun blowing up, and they think it’s a stupid thing to worry about, and they’re right - it IS a stupid thing to worry about. What they cannot understand, partly because they cannot be inside your head and party because there is a social stigma attached to these conditions, is that your problem is a medical one.

Whether or not you understand the biological details or what’s wrong with you is irrelevant. Do you understand everything there is to understand about how the strep throat bacteria infects your cells and causes a given set of symptoms? Neither do I. But when we get strep throat, we don’t sit around wondering if the healthier, happier jarbabyj/RickJay will be less of a real person than the miserable, strep-infected versions, do we? No; we just march into a doctor’s office and say, “Sawbones, prescribe me some penicillin.” The drug is taken, the problem is fixed, and life goes on. Your body will break down, and all you have to do is go about getting the experts to help you fix it.

You’ll get better. And if you don’t, I’ll have to get Kerry Wood to send you some autographed photos.

BTW: Your husband is absolutely, positively, 100% right.

22

Pldennison already said it, but Citalopram Hydrobromide (celexa) shouldn’t do anything to alter who you are, it is designed to allow you to function normally not induce abnormal bliss (that is what tequila is for). It regulates the re-uptake of serotonin which apparently someone in the know has already surmised is out of balance. Granted, this regulation is in the nervous system, so it’s not the best example, but perhaps it helps to equate the function to that of sulfonylurea drugs in type 2 diabetes where the insulin production of the pancreas needs to be regulated. Both correct imbalances. It’s still wise to go over the side effects and ask the doctor your questions.

BTW Auburns are the most fun.
Feel better, W.

23

*jarbabyj * – I should expect the anti-depressants to help you, as they have helped my wife, my daughters and myself. One reassuring thing is that the pills have to be proved safe and effective before they can be sold.

Based on my family’s experience, I tend to be much more concerned with effectiveness and side effects than the philosophical problem you raised. We have found the pills to be definitely helpful, although not always perfect. In particular, my older daughter has been helped a lot by prozac, but she has days when her depression keeps her from going to work. A couple of years ago the prozac stopped working entirely, and she fell into deep depression. (One shrink called this “prozac poop-out.”) Eventually she experimented with various changes in medication and it started working for her again.

Thinking back on that episode, her shrink was a moron. If you’re going to a shrink, there are lots of very good ones and lots of truly awful ones. I won’t fo into the details of the damage done to me by an eminent Freudian Analyst

The pills often reduce libido. My impression is that this side effect is very common indeed. This problem might be ameliorated by reducing the dose. At least, that was the experience of a friend of mine and myself, both taking celexa.

Good luck. You have lots of company.

24

Ah, but what isn’t? Life is a series of changes. Here there’s a chance to choose some more pleasant ones. From my own brushes with clinical depression–several bouts of which I undoubtedly should have sought assistance with, I understand stubbornness and “tough it out” stoicism all too well–the pain of it is pretty durn tangible.

You don’t take aspirin on your own volition?

Now, I’m pretty sure I know how you’re using the term–as meaning, something entirely from yourself, without outside assistance. I just think there’s no such thing as that. Your brain chemistry is currently being problematic; taking pills is a volitional act to correct for it. With the headache example, physiology’s likewise being problematic, in ways minor (the run-of-the-mill sort) to extreme (full-on migraines)–taking pain relief is a volitional act to correct for it.

25

(slight hijack)

Gamma Ray Bursts happen once a day or so and give off a lot of energy, sure (well, more than a lot, but something like that of a supernova). They also happen to be pretty far away. Even if one went off in our own Galaxy, it would have to be pointed just so to get us. Again, if it happened often enough to worry about we’d see more evidence of it affecting the Earth.

26

jarbabyj wrote, in the OP:

Well, yeah, but if it increases your chances of getting laid…

27

The Bad Astronomer wrote:

And just to allay your fears a little further:

Even when the sun does start to expand into a Red Giant, the whole process will take quite a long time. (The last I heard, the fastest a star could expand from a main-sequence star into a Red Giant was about 20,000 years.) If we humans are still on Earth 4-5 billion years from now, when the sun starts to expand, we will have plenty of advance warning before it becomes a problem for us.

28

Simply put, Dpression is a sign your brain isn’t functioning correctly, a chemical inbalance changes the way you think - psychologists draw two different diagrams to help illustrate this.

The first is a circle, how the brain normally functions for thought, even under stress. When presented with a source of anxiety, the pattern of thought can go into despair, anxiety, stress, sadness, but given enough time the pattern follows the circle and returns to the initial state before the anxiety was introduced.

The second is a spiral, how thought is affected by a chemical inbalance causing Depression. When presented with a source of anxiety, the thought pattern follows the spiral down, stress turns to anxiety to despair to pain, and each step back out of the spiral becomes more and more impossible. Unlike the circle, no matter how much time you give it, the depressed mind simply can’t return to its starting point without some kind of intervention.

One school of anti-depressants help to correct the chemical inbalance to a level where the sufferer is more able to stop the spiral down. They do not make you feel good, they do not stop the pain. They give you a step up is all, a starting point to push off from. From there you can learn techniques to prevent yourself from allowing the spiral to drag you right into it. One little pill will not make you better per se, but it gives most people the extra help they need to get better themselves.

Don’t expect too much of yourself. Lethargy and a loss of libido are also common symptoms of Depression so celexa or no celexa, give yourself time to see how you feel. Make yourself your own priority as it’s best for the people around you as well as yourself. Be selfish, be demanding with both your friends, family and doctor - depressed people are hard to be around anyway so as long as they can see that you are being proactive about getting better, you should get all the support you need. But above all recognise that your brain is just wrong, (no offence, mine is too!) and it isn’t any lack in your personality or person that makes you less able to cope.

Get well soon.

29

jarbabyj, let me share with you my own experience with antidepressants. I’ve long struggled with depression, dysthymia (chronic low-grade depression) with superimposed episodes of major depression. In my first semester at Smith, I got into a horrible rut with it and finally decided to try medication because therapy by itself wasn’t enough at that point. I went on Wellbutrin, and after a few weeks, I had a whole range of emotions, I felt happy, I felt sad, I felt angry, I felt normal. That is what an antidepressant should do for you ideally. Sometimes you have to try different medications, and sometimes they don’t work, but that is the goal.

The medication should, as others have said, adjust an imbalance of your brain chemistry. Something is awry with your body, and you’re taking something to correct it, that’s all. If you could think your way out of the depression, you would have done that by now, since obviously you are devoting a lot of brain cycles to the problem. So don’t think of it as a false solution, think of it as something very much like taking an antibiotic to fight off an infection. Your body just needs a little help in getting its systems functioning the way they should.

30

And you really needn’t worry about the Sun exploding, as has been explained here. You really should worry about getting squashed by one of those crazy Chicago cab drivers. They’re bad!

31

{{jarbabyj}}

I know the feeling. I have Obsessive Compulsive, and it seems like a nightmare. I have stupid fears-from everything to getting sick, to turning gay, to hurting my cats, to going to hell, to jumping off a bridge, to developing a mustache. It’s like having demons constantly in my brain.

But, it’s like Phil said-it’s to correct a chemical imbalance, and it LETS you be you, without you going nuts and worrying. It’s not a false happiness-instead, it controls the out of control fear and depression, that is a sign of malfunctioning.

32

you guys are neato.

33

Geobabe wrote:

Well, hey – wouldja lookit what I found on http://www.mentalhealth.com/drug/p30-b04.html:

“Bupropion hydrochloride [Brand name: Wellbutrin], an antidepressant of the aminoketone class, is chemically unrelated to tricyclic, tetracyclic, or other known antidepressant agents. Its structure closely resembles that of diethylpropion; it is related to phenylethylamines.”

Related to the phenylethylamines! Whadaya know! Phenylethylamine is found in large quantities in chocolate, and is thought to be the chemical that causes the feeling of being “in love” with somebody.

Should I leave you and Wellbutrin alone now, you darling love-birds? :wink:

34

Um, tracer, what exactly was your point with that?

35

Hey jarbaby, I just wanted to share my perspective, sorta from the other side. I was the SO of a severly depressed person in college. When we met, he was witty, cynical and had cool interests, like a late-night funk radio show. Gradually over the period of a year he descended into a depression – not excercising or eating right, unable to cope with everyday tasks like going to class, suicidal feelings, and odd risk-taking behavior (some of the latter I didn’t know about until much later).

At the urgings of myself and other close friends, he did seek therapy and eventually went on Paxil. His family was not supportive and accused him of being “weak” and said he would get “addicted” to his meds. (Side note to ex-BF’s dad: Fuck you, YOU’RE not the one fielding 3 am weeping “I wanna kill myself” calls).

After being on the meds, he did NOT turn into some creature of rainbows, unicorns, fluffy bunnies and fuzzy puppies. He was just able to get on with being his normal cantankerous self without dealing with paralyzing fears/guilts all the time. (Yes, many of the fears and guilts were still there, but he was able to deal with them).

I don’t know if this tale will help you, but I hope it does. Good luck.

36

It definitely helps. Thanks rmariamp. Just for the record, I feel a little better about the whole thing today…and now I’m wondering if I even need these pills. (someone slap me)

I mean, I know I’ve NEVER thought about killing myself. NEVER. And I do still go to work…and I’m reading Demo’s thread about over medicating ourselves…

this is hard stuff to straighten out.

jarbaby

37

Consider yourself slapped, dear.

About a year ago, I was having trouble functioning - yes, I got up and went to work, and most of the time made it to my classes, but I couldn’t do anything outside of that structured environment. So I finally convinced myself (with the help of both my roommate and best friend) that I needed to ask for help. And lo and behold, I was diagnosed with depression and put on Paxil.

Now - I actually looked forward to the beginning of the semester, because it was going to be a challenge.

And I realized that if the SSRs had been around 10 years ago, and I’d been properly diagnosed then, I didn’t have to flunk out of UCSB because I had a depressive episode then that kept me flat on my back in my bed crying constantly.

And not everyone has to be on anti-depressants forever, either. I probably will. My roommate only needed hers for about a year, and her brain chemistry somehow corrected itself with the help of the drugs. :shrug: I don’t pretend to understand it.

38

Jarbabyj

My mother is on anti-depressants now, and has been for a couple of years. Her depression dates back more than 30 years (untreated), so she’s on the medication for the long-term because of the length of time she’s been unhappy for.

Three weeks into her first lot of anti-depressants, Mum sat down to cross stitch in the corner of the lounge room because she didn’t like the look of the video we’d chosen. 90 minutes later, she picked herself up off the floor, wiped the tears off her cheeks and said she hadn’t laughed like that ever, that it was the funniest thing she’d ever seen. We now agree that it was obviously the moment her anti-depressants kicked in.

Within months, she’d stopped complaining about all the weight she’d put on and she’d joined an exercise class. Having hated exercise her entire life, we didn’t think she’d stick with it but she did. In fact, she astonished us all by walking to her class and home again - a long walk she would never have done pre-anti-depressants, and that’s not even taking into account the class in the middle!

Shortly after that, she ditched the haircut we’d been ribbing her about for years, and got a trendy, sleek style, which suited her extra well as the weight started to fall off.

Enjoying being out of the house for the first time ever, Mum felt the need to meet people, and joined an embroidery class. She did a complete flip, from being constantly home to never being home. She laughed a lot more often, and because easier to talk to, less judgemental and lost that scarey Jeckle and Hyde thing that I’d feared since early childhood.

After 12 months, Mum decided that exercise wasn’t enough and took up karate too. She does one class straight after the other.

I feel like, after 20 odd years on the planet, I’ve finally met my real mother. This is the woman who was hiding inside that unhappy lady I used to know. My old Mum used to yell a lot and always looked vaguely dissatisfied. This new Mum sings and dances as she washes the dishes. My old mother had to be tip-toed around because she took everything as a personal insult - the new Mum is open, approachable, and a vast fount of wisdom. She’s confident and outgoing, she’s friendly, and actually has friends! She is a very different person, but it’s not that the drugs have changed her. The illness that she takes the drugs for, that’s what changed her. Depression took this vibrant woman, and turned her into a screaming harpie. Anti-depressants have freed her from that.

Downsides? Her house used to be immaculate because she was constantly home and she constantly worried about it. Now, it’s lived in - at times it’s dusty, other times the dishes don’t get done until mid-afternoon. The old mum would have died before letting her house get in this state. The new mum is too busy and cheerful to care. The whole family considers the housework well sacrificed to see Mum like this.

Anti-depressants won’t work miracles, but in my mother’s case, it seemed like it. For the first time since she was a teenager she’s happy just being alive day to day. No more alarming conversations, no violent mood swings, no weeping for no reason, no overreacting, no hiding things from her because she was too unstable. I only wish my mother had been treated when I was a child - I think she would have enjoyed being a mother more, and I know I would have enjoyed having this fun Mum around all the time. The old one used to frighten and unsettle me because she was too miserable and lonely to realise how she was affecting her kids.

39

Jarbabyj, My mom is on prozac. She needed it because of the immense stress when my dad became paralyzed and she became a full time caretaker while still working full time. I’d rather my mom was okay without it but just like her blonde hair I love her just the same. Do what you need to make yourself right. It’s not being false to take care of yourself.

40

I think one problem is the stigma many have about mental illness-the Thomas Szas crowd who claim it doesn’t exist-the whole, “those crazy people”, you’re weak if you need help, it’s your own fault-just smile and deal with it, grit your teeth and endure, grin and bear it, get over it, etc etc.

We see it as a weakness, a fault, a flaw.
But it’s like a physical ailment. Is asthma your fault for not being strong? Is hemophilia something you can just deal with alone? Is myopia something to just grin and bear?

No, we have ways to correct, and/or deal with and treat these problems if necessary. Since mental illness is also biochemical, I guess you could say, it is something that needs to be treated as such, but because it’s not something that we can SEE, we see the person as being dramatic, or annoying, or asking for pity.

And it shouldn’t be. Mental illness IS very common-probably affects more people than we’ll ever know-we need to stop being so critical of it-afraid of appearing weak.

We are NOT weak-we are human.