Not always. Brains are annoying, like that.
I’m sorry you’re not feeling well. Have you told your doctor about your depression worsening?
I’m not sure this will make much sense or even that I have it right, but I think it will be interesting.
I had this problem with Straterra (atomoxetine) however I didn’t realize it until recently when I stopped taking it. Now I normally do my homework on the meds I take but I’d been on it for so long it was just part of the “routine.” But when I stopped and everything seemed to improve, needless to say I got very, very suspicious. So, back to the pharmacology data and for that, I need to provide a little background. I think it’s important so I’ll try to do it as painlessly as possible.
If you’ve ever been on psych meds you know about neurotransmitters, or at least it would probably be a good idea. If so, you know the big 3 involved in depression - dopamine, norepinepherine and serotonin. There are many, many others often referred as transmitter pathways. A really important one is the glutamatergic pathway mediated my glutamic acid (related to the amino acid L-glutamine). I think virtually every med used to treat Alzheimers for example targets one of the 2 known glutamatergic receptors - NMDA. They are mostly NMDA agonists - drugs that boost the activity of these receptors.
What I found out about straterra was that it’s an NMDA antagonist - the **opposite **of what you give someone if you’re trying to help them remember WHO THE FUCK THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY’RE DOING.
Since straterra is an ADHD med but NOT an amphetamine, I didn’t really make the connection right away, but then it occurred to me that maybe it was worth checking out. I think it was, but if so, it doesn’t seem to work quite the same way. Here’s what wikipedia says about amphetamines in general under the ‘mechanism of action’ section (in part - subsection is ‘serotonin’)
Now to try to translate that. What I THINK it’s trying to say is that unlike straterra which directly inhibits signaling at NMDA receptors, amphetamines tend to boost the inhibitory role of serotonin in neurons that tend to rely on glutamatergic signaling. I still feel pretty uneasy about that translation so take it for what it’s worth.
But if I happen to be on the right track, what types of neurons are involved in glutamatergic pathways. Well, funny you should ask.
Wow- thanks!
Well, I’ve read most of this thread and I find I can relate to much of this. I read what I did because I’m more and more concerned about mental state.
I’ve never been adequately insured and always just above poverty levels, so I’ve not been diagnosed. With my current state of health insurance I wouldn’t even know where to start. What titled professionals would be able to diagnose me? What is my cheapest option?
Good luck to all of you. This state of mind is truly a lonely place to be.
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Makes me think of you guys.
Hi, there. Do you have any insurance at all? If you have a regular doctor, start with him/her. They can diagnose you. They can also refer you to a specialist, if necessary. If not, you could do a search for something like “mental health clinic” for your area.
I just time-warped back to my freshman year of H.S. for a minute. 
So, The New York Times ran an article about how different types of exercise help the brain in different ways.
Quick recap:
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mild cognitive impairment is correlated with a significant increase in the risk for Alzheimer’s.
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walking (ie aerobic exercise) didn’t just slow loss of verbal and spatial memory, it improved them.
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weight training (ie anaerobic exercise) did the same for spatial memory but not verbal.
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rats on a running program had higher levels of Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor, known to help brain cells grow.
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rats on a weight training program had higher levels of Insulinlike Growth Factor which has a similar function as BDNF but goes about it different ways.
This is one of the things that terrifies me about my depression. My mother had early-onset Alzheimer’s and died of it when she was 59. I do not want to end up like she did. I will seriously commit suicide if I’m diagnosed with Alzheimer’s just to keep from putting my family through that again. If depression damages the brain as much as they say…:eek:
Well, at least it’s motivation to keep up my exercise regimen. Motorvation, as a friend of mine puts it. 
You’re not the only one who feels this way. --Great-granddaughter and grandaughter of Alzheimer’s patients.
I like that—“motorvation.” Maybe our theme song should be Born to be Wild (getcher motor runnin’…)
My father has mixed dementia - Alzheimers and vascular. My maternal grandfather had Alzheimers, though late onset. My mom has some (to me) very mild cognitive impairment which can be easily explained by chronic sleep deprivation and stress. She’s told me up front, though, that if her health deteriorates to a certain point, or she has the expectation that it will, she’s going to settle her affairs, and then take an overdose.
Honestly, I can’t fault her. I would do, and might end up doing, the same thing. I’m not going to leave my brothers with the burden of caring for my carcass while my mind rots away inside.
Well, aren’t we all just freaking rays of sunshine? 
New topic, perhaps? 
ETA: Let’s talk more about those gym rats again!
So, how much can a rat bench press?
About as much wood as a woodchuck can chuck at the Rodent Highland Games?
I am so happy the weather is warm.
Random thoughts:
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I don’t know what this is about, but lately I’ve been irritated by words. Spoken words, especially. I don’t want to listen to people, and I don’t want to have to talk back to them. I do listen and I do talk, but I’d rather not do either. I’m otherwise feeling fine, but I hope this isn’t a bad sign.
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I need to find another extracurricular activity in lieu of yoga. I keep saying this and yet week after week I keep going like a little automaton. I don’t know what else I can do, though. All the other ideas–like going to the gym–make me want to curl up and hide under my bed.
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Last week I had a smashing opening day for my sidewalk biz. That never gets old.
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With the weather getting warmer, I’m having a hard time sleeping at night. Even when I was taking meds, I dealt with occasional summertime insomnia. So now I’m kinda scared about what’s in store, now that I have stopped my meds. Last night’s tossing and turning really sucked.
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I’ve been off Orap for more than a month now. Today in yoga class I was thinking about how hungry that stuff made me. And how delicious everything tasted. I gained 5 lbs while I was on it because I went all Betty Crocker. I’m kind of glad that’s over with, but now foods don’t taste as good. I think having a ravenous appetite made me feel more alive.
I’m as low as you can get. What’s going to follow is either blood or tears.
I’m sorry I don’t know where you are or anything about you, but please reach out to someone who can help. Here is a link for National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can call them or you can chat with them online.
I’m not going to say that we’ve all been there, but I know that I have and I do know that things get better.
{{{{{{Becky}}}}}}