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Has anyone ever recovered from a chemical inbalance ?
Has anyone ever recovered from a chemical inbalance ?
Yes the schizoaffective disorder I have is (this is a quote) "in relative remmission" from a treatment in Phase II FDA study but although that's not available yet with continuing research into new treatment modalities greater efficacy and a safer side effect profile for all classes of psychiatric medications is being shown (in my case specifically for antipsychotics) so response rates should improve over time. The need to take medication for life won't of course but that's true for anything.
Hi there,
Of course. Every day millions recover and millions more fall into depression. AT the moment and for many years now more are succumbing than recovering but people do recover every day, albeit each one may have had either a long or short battle with the illness.
I should point out to you that this chemical imbalance theory is applicable to ALL depressions. Not just a specific group of such.
This theory is the hangover of the old theories dividing psychiatrists and psychologists. There used to be a split where half said it was all genetic and the other half said it was all environmental, or reactions to life events.
Today the opposing theories have come togther with the view that some (believed to be about 1/3rd) are genetic, or present at birth and the rest occurring after birth as the result of life events. In other words they can really prove nothing conclusively as yet.
The examination of brain structure using today's techology, MRI's and ECG's etc shows that a depressed brain is changed regardless of how it started. IE all depressions show a chemically changed brain.
If you think about it you can quickly deduce that. Ask yourself if doctors prescribe meds to anyone with depression or if they hold back until they determine if you have a chemical imbalance. They don't do they? The reason is that meds, chemicals, are designed to rebalance our brain chemistry and work on anyone with a depression regardless of how it started.
BiPolar people do seem to be more genetically linked and there is less known about the treatments and success for us (I'm bp2) but I have certainly had major relief from meds and am currently in such a period.
I've had it for 48 years though so I don't expect to ever stop having meds.
I should point out to IlAdvocate that there is no certainty that anyone will need to take meds for life. You have picked up on what's been written on this forum too often that chemically imbalanced brains require meds for life. They don't, it's a matter of how persistent your depression is and how early it is treated that determines the length of need for meds. It is not like diabetes and other illnesses that do mandate meds for life as depression does have full recovery for many. Not me, yet at least, but for many it does indeed.
To Opus, A well put comment. That's where I'm at. Managing the illness without expecting the miracle cure I wanted way back when. But I'm one of the few in this group, perhaps you are too.
Of course. Every day millions recover and millions more fall into depression. AT the moment and for many years now more are succumbing than recovering but people do recover every day, albeit each one may have had either a long or short battle with the illness.
I should point out to you that this chemical imbalance theory is applicable to ALL depressions. Not just a specific group of such.
This theory is the hangover of the old theories dividing psychiatrists and psychologists. There used to be a split where half said it was all genetic and the other half said it was all environmental, or reactions to life events.
Today the opposing theories have come togther with the view that some (believed to be about 1/3rd) are genetic, or present at birth and the rest occurring after birth as the result of life events. In other words they can really prove nothing conclusively as yet.
The examination of brain structure using today's techology, MRI's and ECG's etc shows that a depressed brain is changed regardless of how it started. IE all depressions show a chemically changed brain.
If you think about it you can quickly deduce that. Ask yourself if doctors prescribe meds to anyone with depression or if they hold back until they determine if you have a chemical imbalance. They don't do they? The reason is that meds, chemicals, are designed to rebalance our brain chemistry and work on anyone with a depression regardless of how it started.
BiPolar people do seem to be more genetically linked and there is less known about the treatments and success for us (I'm bp2) but I have certainly had major relief from meds and am currently in such a period.
I've had it for 48 years though so I don't expect to ever stop having meds.
I should point out to IlAdvocate that there is no certainty that anyone will need to take meds for life. You have picked up on what's been written on this forum too often that chemically imbalanced brains require meds for life. They don't, it's a matter of how persistent your depression is and how early it is treated that determines the length of need for meds. It is not like diabetes and other illnesses that do mandate meds for life as depression does have full recovery for many. Not me, yet at least, but for many it does indeed.
To Opus, A well put comment. That's where I'm at. Managing the illness without expecting the miracle cure I wanted way back when. But I'm one of the few in this group, perhaps you are too.
awww you have such a way of saying things just right, well put.
yes my depression/cyclothemia is 'managed', some days good some not so good but thankfully not severe in either direction...
Unfortunately there are no miracle cures for most illnesses...with alot of work not just medication depression can be managed as I said previously..
TO EVERYONE ON THE FORUM.....HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!
lets hope for the best for each one of us in 2010...I hope to start the New Year with a positive outlook and of course many resolutions!!
yes my depression/cyclothemia is 'managed', some days good some not so good but thankfully not severe in either direction...
Unfortunately there are no miracle cures for most illnesses...with alot of work not just medication depression can be managed as I said previously..
TO EVERYONE ON THE FORUM.....HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!
lets hope for the best for each one of us in 2010...I hope to start the New Year with a positive outlook and of course many resolutions!!
I wish I could tell you yes, but it's been 20 years for me and even with the best Psychiatry and Psychopharmocology I have never recovered from it.
Treatment that for periods of time offered several months of normalcy, but never a cure.
Some people claim that they have completly recovered from very severe Depression that is caused by a chemical imbalance, but when I ask how they did this they never tell me. If this is true I sure would like to know how and so would my Psychiatrist.
Treatment that for periods of time offered several months of normalcy, but never a cure.
Some people claim that they have completly recovered from very severe Depression that is caused by a chemical imbalance, but when I ask how they did this they never tell me. If this is true I sure would like to know how and so would my Psychiatrist.
I suggest you to read this post, it might help you.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Depression/Knowledge-for-Depressive-People/show/1127539
Best regards,
M4
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Depression/Knowledge-for-Depressive-People/show/1127539
Best regards,
M4
You are referring bipolar to your vitamen and food/diet post, again, as promise of some sort of solution to depression.
It is not, nor does it answer bipolar's question.
Again with the "broken brains" stuff that lumps all mental illnesses together as if there were one solution, yours. You keep saying you didn't say the "borken brains" quote. No, but you sure as hell flog it to death. Why not try writing something yourself and see how it stands up mate?
Do you seriously suggest that by following your vitamen and eating advice that bipolar or anyone else can avoid or cure depression?
Are you? Answer this question directly if you would as if you can't then please stop referring this pile of gobbldegook to people who need help.
To Hensley,
I know what you mean mate. I ask people things like "How do you deal properly with anger" as that's what people are always telling me. They can't answer that either.
I suspect those that claim cure are mostly those in the mild to middling category and those of us that make it out of the pit to the place in the sun that is supposed to exist do feel well, but can never be who they were as, once affected with this illness you won't see things the same ever again, even if "cured".
Perhaps Opus is closer to the truth. Managing it so you can live without fear is our goal, dream. WIsh we could all at least get to that step.
Best to you mate.
It is not, nor does it answer bipolar's question.
Again with the "broken brains" stuff that lumps all mental illnesses together as if there were one solution, yours. You keep saying you didn't say the "borken brains" quote. No, but you sure as hell flog it to death. Why not try writing something yourself and see how it stands up mate?
Do you seriously suggest that by following your vitamen and eating advice that bipolar or anyone else can avoid or cure depression?
Are you? Answer this question directly if you would as if you can't then please stop referring this pile of gobbldegook to people who need help.
To Hensley,
I know what you mean mate. I ask people things like "How do you deal properly with anger" as that's what people are always telling me. They can't answer that either.
I suspect those that claim cure are mostly those in the mild to middling category and those of us that make it out of the pit to the place in the sun that is supposed to exist do feel well, but can never be who they were as, once affected with this illness you won't see things the same ever again, even if "cured".
Perhaps Opus is closer to the truth. Managing it so you can live without fear is our goal, dream. WIsh we could all at least get to that step.
Best to you mate.
I'm not going to argue with you due to your lack of knowledge on the subject. For one to understand why healthy diet and exercise is an important factor to depression and other mental illness one have to know some biology, neurobiology and biochemistry, which i do. I never said it was a miracle cure or anything, I'm just saying that it might be a long-term solution and something to be considered in addition to your medications until you feel you can go off the meds.
To answer your question, i do believe one can avoid depression and many other form of illness by living a healthy lifestyle. But here again, this is not a miracle cure, it is a long-term solution/prevention and what I am trying to do here is to give people knowledge on an important issue that is going on today and that is malnutrition.
Once you know how diet and physical activity influence the chemical imbalances, let's be more specific and say neurotransmitters, you should be able to recon my information as useful to people who are seeking a better life. Many people tho fail to say any usefulness in the advices because they simply don't want to change their bad lifestyle habits.
M4
To answer your question, i do believe one can avoid depression and many other form of illness by living a healthy lifestyle. But here again, this is not a miracle cure, it is a long-term solution/prevention and what I am trying to do here is to give people knowledge on an important issue that is going on today and that is malnutrition.
Once you know how diet and physical activity influence the chemical imbalances, let's be more specific and say neurotransmitters, you should be able to recon my information as useful to people who are seeking a better life. Many people tho fail to say any usefulness in the advices because they simply don't want to change their bad lifestyle habits.
M4
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