A friend of mine suffered a head injury, and weather (pressure) changes affected him.
3 concussions ! Maybe you should start sporting a helmet.
I, uh, was nowhere near your neighborhood - Campbell Scott,Singles
Since we have plenty of serious posts, have you ever thought that maybe it is really sadness? Could it posibly be brought on by seeing piles of dead groundhogs?
Just a posibility.
I agree with your assessment of doctors, though.
Jim
Concussion #1 -“Hey I bet I could be an excellent boxer!” Ka-Pow!
#2 “Hmm. This little guy trying to mug me with a baseball bat doesn’t look all that tough!” Bonk!
#3 “As an expert rider I am in complete control of this horse!” Whoa!!! Thud!
One a year for three years.
While Boris B. suggested a good book for you to read that might help, I think a better one would be “The Man Who Tasted Shapes” by Richard E. Cytowic, M.D. It deals expressly with synesthesia (the mingling of senses such as tasting shapes or hearing colors). It might answer some questions, but at the very least it is a great read.
Rather, I was in the position of a spore which, having finally accepted its destiny as a fungus, still wonders if it might produce penicillin.
–Ayi Kwei Armah
Scylla,
This could be a form of temporal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsy can be associated with head trauma and the temporal lobe is the site of all sorts of wierd and wonderful sensations such as music, emotions etc. Similar occurances are covered by Oliver Sacks in “The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat”.
Provided you have never experienced any seizures and the episodes occur relatively infrequently, I suggest not to worry about it. If you want to investigate it an EEG may be helpful but this is not my specialty and I think that EEG is probably unhelpful for temporal lobe. Do you experience any aura (a feeling that an attack is imminent) or do you feel sleepy afterwards (patients often fall into a heave sleep after a fit; it’s called a post-ictal state)?
If you want a second opinion I would consider a migraine phenomenon, although it is more common for migraine sufferers to experience a feeling of great well-being before a migraine rather than after. The lack of headache is not particularly significant, some people experience so-called migraine-equivalents which involve all the phenomena without the headache.
Concussions are simply a temporary stop of blood flow to the brain. There is no brain damage. Contusions leave bruises on the brains. Lacerations are uhh bad. =)
I’m just a high school student but…
I was reading my physiology book a few weeks ago and I’ve noticed that Endorphins are generally connected to both Euphoria and Depression.
What i’m hypothesizing is a kind of negative feedback mechanisms. For some reason your Endorphin levels drop really really low in reaction your brain\endocrine system releases a “make more endorphins” hormone which then brings the Endrophine neurotransmitter back up and as in most negative feedback mechanisms usually above normal output level. This accounts for the better then usual feeling. Since pleasure is generally considered a good thing by the Brain it does not make an attempt to inhibit the production of Endorphins. This means it will take basically all day for this feeling to drop back down to normal levels.
As for why you may drop below normal levels of endorphins is completly elusive to me. Chemical imbalance?
What you describe does not, I repeat, does not fit any of the standard signs of psychological depression or manic-depression (bipolar a.f.). It is not like any affective or anxiety disorder.
It does, as mentioned already, sound a lot like an epileptic siezure.
If it is an e.s., will they operate on you? No way. Unless there is a danger of suicide, or a significant loss of lifestyle, or danger of crashing your car while driving, they don’t do anything for such mild seizures.
However, if the seizure with its accompanying temporary depression significantly altered your lifestyle, or became a danger to you or others, then it would be treated with a regular regiment of seizure preventing medication – a rather mild dose.
Peace.
Standard disclaimer: I am not a licensed medical doctor or psychologist or God.
The book Boris recommended will be an excellent read and I also thought of it directly upon reading your post.
I would urge you to go to a neurologist. I’ve been to one and can tell you that they are not as quick to operate as you might have been lead to believe. (Though I chose to step back when he reached for his prescription pad.)
Mostly I would urge you to do this because, anyone who’s had a neuralogical exam knows that it’s a real giggle. Literally. I mean they tickle you with feathers and do other very interesting things.Nothing painful or such, just very curious trials and tests. I found it very interesting.
If your health coverage will pay, I say go. Though it could take a while to get into see a good Dr.
Wisdom is the boobie prize,they give you when you’ve been --unwise!
I’ve heard of synesthia occuring when people take LSD. It blows my mind. I can’t imagine what it’d be like.