Depression and Dopamine and Vitamin D

@georgette12

Can you tell us more about what was said? I tend to have a hard time remembering things like serotonin and dopamine and various other medical words. I'm always googling things to refresh my memory. What meds affect dopamine? I take vitamin D, and get even more of it when I get outside into the sunshine.

Jim

@jimh and @georgette12

Here is a link to an article that I found about increasing dopamine levels, http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2015/04/17/how-to-increase-dopamine-levels/

Teresa

Thanks, Teresa. Good information. 
Jim 

@jimhd

I'm glad that you found it helpful. Depletion of dopamine is what causes Parkinson's so I'm quite familiar with what a difference dopamine makes.

Teresa

hello everybody...i was helping my husband with his kidney stone issues so i was off line and at the hospital. i was telling you about the symposium re mental health and dopamine. of course this was the "international day of survivors of suicide loss" so they did discuss how low levels of dopamine affects the incidence of suicide. I live in colorado and they discussed the effects of altitude and decreased dopamine levels. you might want to look that up as i didn't write everything down. more

also discussed is the issue of "isolation" and decreased dopamine. here, in the mountains, towns are far apart. and some people like ranchers choose to live off the grid. the research they cited shows that isolation from others is detrimental to mental health. But dopamine levels increased when people "lived in community". Even if a person ventures out to sit in a place where there are other people....even if they don't talk....that can increase dopamine levels.

it was also discussed that alcohol and "dark movies" lower dopamine levels. there is quite a bit of new research out there but from my own very personal experience, and suffering my entire life with depression , i am severely affected by clouds, mountains, isolation, horror movies, and other things. i've lived in several states with different climates but sun is the thing i need most. and access to real live people whether i talk to them or not.

Thanks, @georgette12, that is an interesting idea. Here is a link that discusses some changes that occur at a higher altitude, https://healthcare.utah.edu/publicaffairs/news/2015/04/04-03-2015_study-adha-altitude.php

Teresa

@georgette12 It sounds like you gained a lot of good information as well as insight! Thanks for sharing that with us.

Teresa

@georgette12

I see myself in a number of the scenarios that you mention - isolation living in the country, altitude living in the high desert, and having a number of suicide attempts in my past. Interesting information. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Jim