Where to look for help

Your story is one that many of us share, @bookysue, and I appreciate you speaking out on this topic. Many people simply need meds to deal with depression and/or anxiety. It is true, as @jakedduck1, indicated that positive thinking, being involved with helping others can lift your mood. However, it is not often enough when there is a history of depression in your family.

While I'm not a mental health professional I have observed that if we grow up with depression we probably learn a lot of depressive behaviors. Many of these behaviors and thinking patterns can be unlearned and replaced with more healthy thinking (like with Cognitive Behavior Therapy) However, some of them may be rooted in a chemical imbalance in our brain and this is where we see the value of mental health meds.

Congratulations on finding the right meds that have helped you live a more productive happy life!

We learn from each other. Yes I grew with behaviors that were self centered/ self serving. Dark thinking patterns. And I am a severe pessimist (that thing in the White House does not help) I have always being active and that helped a lot. Being outdoors with nature and / or critters helps a lot . I grew up with the woods in back of me and that helped me. I cannot get into positive mode because the future is bleak for me. I can have some positive moments with reading/ walking/ biking/ wandering drives weekends.

@jakedduck1 the chemical serotonin is one drug that used by the brain to regulate how we feel. There are set limiits for serotonin . Serotonin can be measured. Science has advanced a lot in recent years and so now things theorized are now becoming known. It is hard keeping up with all the latest advances. I just recently found out that they now classify MS as an autoimmune disease. I guess this has been the case for a while, but the last I knew was MS was of unknown cause.

We learn from each other. Yes I grew with behaviors that were self centered/ self serving. Dark thinking patterns. And I am a severe pessimist (that thing in the White House does not help) I have always being active and that helped a lot. Being outdoors with nature and / or critters helps a lot . I grew up with the woods in back of me and that helped me. I cannot get into positive mode because the future is bleak for me. I can have some positive moments with reading/ walking/ biking/ wandering drives weekends.

@johnhans
Serotonin can only be measured in the blood, hardly the the same as measuring it in the brain which by the way isn’t possible. So my question is how do people know they have an imbalance. To me it sounds more like an excuse to justify a possible condition. There was a study I read the results of in mice and that one study showed Serotonin was not responsible for depression in mice. It was only one study and I haven’t formed an opinion either way. Besides, the cause of depression and for that matter Mental illness is still unknown. As far as the propaganda of serotonin and depression there is no proof serotonin is responsible for depression. Yes Serotonin and other neurotransmitters sometimes has an effect on depression but it’s not known why. Some researchers believe it’s a side effect, who knows. But it’s good it works for some. As far as brain chemical imbalances are concerned I’d like to see some proof. Many years ago the Pharmaceutical industry claimed (Without proof) Serotonin and neurotransmitter imbalances were the cause of depression. Soon the doctors jumped on board. As far as I know, to date these claims have never been substantiated. If you have proof otherwise please share it. Someone mentioned Seizure medication earlier. Some Anticonvulsants are similar to Antidepressants in that although they control seizures in some people they don’t know why some work. Obviously we are all entitled to our opinions but I want more to go on than conjecture. I hope we can agree to disagree.
Jake

@bookysue My mother was depressed most of her life, and at age 17 was placed in a sanitarium for some time. We were not aware as youngsters, that what we experienced was abnormal. Not until I was about 14 did it dawn on me something was amiss. My best guy friend's mother took me under her wing, to give me the guidance she felt a "present" mother would offer. My mother hater her for that. I moved out at 18 and never looked back. In the last 15 years [I am now 66] I have learned more about depression and mental illness, and the effects on family. Unfortunately, it is still a taboo subject for my siblings.My hat is off to you for being so brave; I can learn so much from you. Thank you.
Ginger

I will be 65 next week. Amazingly what little we knew what little we knew. I put my mom in a facility and her doc says next day not that day- I got her in. She was in for a week. Mid 80’s. My parents a year before divorced after 38 years . Hard time .
Yes we learned from each other. My brother did help a few times in our kid/ teenage years. But we never talk about our parents. Folks were around but no one did anything. . Family and depression was not part of my major in Psy. Only after graduating, I learned things that I wish I learned. Be careful and control the stressors in your life. I would not have brought a house . And knowing I am a great procrastinator; depressed being/ lefty/ curly/ short/ deefie . Whatever the reason, I would not have been in a urban city although I am more social.;
Gosh I learned a lot today
Thank you all- Leonard, Ginger...

@johnhans
Serotonin can only be measured in the blood, hardly the the same as measuring it in the brain which by the way isn’t possible. So my question is how do people know they have an imbalance. To me it sounds more like an excuse to justify a possible condition. There was a study I read the results of in mice and that one study showed Serotonin was not responsible for depression in mice. It was only one study and I haven’t formed an opinion either way. Besides, the cause of depression and for that matter Mental illness is still unknown. As far as the propaganda of serotonin and depression there is no proof serotonin is responsible for depression. Yes Serotonin and other neurotransmitters sometimes has an effect on depression but it’s not known why. Some researchers believe it’s a side effect, who knows. But it’s good it works for some. As far as brain chemical imbalances are concerned I’d like to see some proof. Many years ago the Pharmaceutical industry claimed (Without proof) Serotonin and neurotransmitter imbalances were the cause of depression. Soon the doctors jumped on board. As far as I know, to date these claims have never been substantiated. If you have proof otherwise please share it. Someone mentioned Seizure medication earlier. Some Anticonvulsants are similar to Antidepressants in that although they control seizures in some people they don’t know why some work. Obviously we are all entitled to our opinions but I want more to go on than conjecture. I hope we can agree to disagree.
Jake

There is a difference in my life before and after meds. I feel the anxiety/ depression fighting within ( on Low dose Effexor) and settled with meds. And my mind not able to relax unless on meds. . Once a while, I still have that. And when I was on research studies with various drugs, I have felt better and none whereas I was on placebo . I noticed the difference very quick. I had a bad experience once whereas I was a zombie- yuck. And another where I felt like I was having heart issues. I feel family history of 3 generations having depression - my parents both depressed ... my father perhaps situational- after retirement/ heart issues. Although weekends with him as a child and teenager; spend entire weekends watching sports on tv- um.. He did not like my mom leaving the house. Something strange there.
FYI