Your Brain on Depression. The neuroscience of depression explained

https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/563447/neuroscience-depression/

Depression is a multifaceted and insidious disorder, nearly as complex as the brain itself. As research continues to suggest, the onset of depression can be attributed to an interplay of the many elements that make us human—namely, our genetics, the structure and chemistry of our brains, and our lived experience. Second only, perhaps, to the confounding mechanics of anesthesia, depression is the ultimate mind-body problem; understanding how it works could unlock the mysteries of human consciousness.

Emma Allen, a visual artist, and Dr. Daisy Thompson-Lake, a clinical neuroscientist, are fascinated by the physical processes that underlie mental health conditions. Together, they created Adam, a stop-motion animation composed of nearly 1,500 photographs. The short film illuminates the neuroscience of depression while also conveying its emotive experience.
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I couldn't find the link to the film in the article but I recently saw a short film that explains the mechanism of depression. The part of the brain called the amygdala controls our fight-or-flight response in response to danger, or memories of bad events, or witnessing bad events. The amygdala sends nerve impulses to the adrenal glands that cause them to release 3 stress hormones into our bloodstreams: epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine & cortisol. The first 2 stimulate the neurons in the brain while cortisol increases blood sugar. Too much stimulation over an extended period of time cause the neurons to tire, resulting in depression.

Other videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmwiJ6ghLIM
https://www.dnalc.org/view/2074-The-amygdala-and-depression.html

IMO drug therapy utilizing cocaine have the potential to combat depression & no, I am not being flippant

of course, big pharma wants to keep you locked into the 'flavor of the day' big pharma concoction = NO good

IMO old skool remedies are much more successful ........... jus' sayin' ..........

Some years ago I told my GP that I felt depressed so he gave me a prescription for Prozac. Two weeks into it I felt no different but the next morning I was almost overwhelmed by such a deep state of sadness that I wanted to kill myself to make it end. Every other class of drug I tried only gave me the nasty side effects & none of the benefits. The one medicine that does work, unfortunately, is vodka. At least it takes your mind off feeling bad. And in the late 60s a co-worker gave me a physician's sample bottle of methamphetamine. That worked also but it comes with its own problems.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2000/may/22/drugs.uknews

Happy drug Prozac can bring on impulse to suicide, study says
As best-selling pill is prescribed by GPs for ever more sufferers from mild depression, research brings disturbing evidence to light

Alarming evidence from a new British study shows that the Prozac class of antidepressants can make healthy men, women and children with no history of depression feel suicidal.

The research undermines the claims of Eli Lilly, makers of Prozac, that people who kill themselves while on the tablets do so because of their depression, and that the disease, not the drug, is to blame for their suicide.
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In my case it definitely was the Prozac & not my underlying depression, which was not severe enough for me to feel like killing myself. It may work for a lot of people but it should come with a warning that it might cause your death.

Fear and excilleration. Those are my remedies. Get in a moderately fast car, go to the local race track (every state has at least 1) on open track day, and take a couple of terrifyingly fast laps. Break the tires loose.

Feel the fear, and the excitement. Depression killer.

JacksinPA said:

Some years ago I told my GP that I felt depressed so he gave me a prescription for Prozac. Two weeks into it I felt no different but the next morning I was almost overwhelmed by such a deep state of sadness that I wanted to kill myself to make it end. Every other class of drug I tried only gave me the nasty side effects & none of the benefits. The one medicine that does work, unfortunately, is vodka. At least it takes your mind off feeling bad. And in the late 60s a co-worker gave me a physician's sample bottle of methamphetamine. That worked also but it comes with its own problems.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2000/may/22/drugs.uknews

Happy drug Prozac can bring on impulse to suicide, study says
As best-selling pill is prescribed by GPs for ever more sufferers from mild depression, research brings disturbing evidence to light

Alarming evidence from a new British study shows that the Prozac class of antidepressants can make healthy men, women and children with no history of depression feel suicidal.

The research undermines the claims of Eli Lilly, makers of Prozac, that people who kill themselves while on the tablets do so because of their depression, and that the disease, not the drug, is to blame for their suicide.
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In my case it definitely was the Prozac & not my underlying depression, which was not severe enough for me to feel like killing myself. It may work for a lot of people but it should come with a warning that it might cause your death.

Click to expand...

And yet, Prozac is a Godsend for many...

JacksinPA said:

Some years ago I told my GP that I felt depressed so he gave me a prescription for Prozac. Two weeks into it I felt no different but the next morning I was almost overwhelmed by such a deep state of sadness that I wanted to kill myself to make it end. Every other class of drug I tried only gave me the nasty side effects & none of the benefits. The one medicine that does work, unfortunately, is vodka. At least it takes your mind off feeling bad. And in the late 60s a co-worker gave me a physician's sample bottle of methamphetamine. That worked also but it comes with its own problems.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2000/may/22/drugs.uknews

Happy drug Prozac can bring on impulse to suicide, study says
As best-selling pill is prescribed by GPs for ever more sufferers from mild depression, research brings disturbing evidence to light

Alarming evidence from a new British study shows that the Prozac class of antidepressants can make healthy men, women and children with no history of depression feel suicidal.

The research undermines the claims of Eli Lilly, makers of Prozac, that people who kill themselves while on the tablets do so because of their depression, and that the disease, not the drug, is to blame for their suicide.
=============================================
In my case it definitely was the Prozac & not my underlying depression, which was not severe enough for me to feel like killing myself. It may work for a lot of people but it should come with a warning that it might cause your death.

Click to expand...

Excellent points. It's amazing to me that the scientific research community hasn't invested more time into the subject of antidepressants contributing to suicidal thoughts and actions.

Elvira said:

And yet, Prozac is a Godsend for many...

Click to expand...

It'd just be really great if doctors could match people to the right medication without first using them as guinea pigs. I was prescribed Paxil a few years ago, and experienced the same suicidal thoughts that JacksonPA talked about when he was prescribed Prozac. After 7 days, I was much worse off mentally than before I started taking the medication.

KevinKohler said:

Fear and excilleration. Those are my remedies. Get in a moderately fast car, go to the local race track (every state has at least 1) on open track day, and take a couple of terrifyingly fast laps. Break the tires loose.

Feel the fear, and the excitement. Depression killer.

Click to expand...

With all due respect, bud, if your depression can be killed by driving quickly in a car, it's probably not the kind of depression folks are taking meds for, and creating that equivalency can further stigmatize the act of seeking real help. I know it's a well meaning statement...don't take this is me ripping on you. Just providing another side.

truthatallcost said:

It'd just be really great if doctors could match people to the right medication without first using them as guinea pigs. I was prescribed Paxil a few years ago, and experienced the same suicidal thoughts that JacksonPA talked about when he was prescribed Prozac. After 7 days, I was much worse off mentally than before I started taking the medication.

Click to expand...

I think it's tough...the problem with mental illness is that it's hard enough to know exactly what people are thinking when they are "normal", let alone when their brain is misfiring. That gap is tricky to navigate, and everyone reacts to the meds differently (I can't take them at all, they all make me feel worse). At best your doctor can let you know it's going to be a rollercoaster, and be extremely diligent in monitoring you....and be open to finding alternatives. I thought for sure I was going to give up, when I realized that no matter what pill they tried, my anxiety / depression was getting worse... I had heard that pot can help, but doctors wouldn't even talk to me about it, let alone suggest it, let alone know how to prescribe it, despite it being a legal medicine up here. Finally I just did my own research, with the help of other patients using it, and got my life back together.

But, that said, it's not for everyone - back to trial and error.

OlNate said:

With all due respect, bud, if your depression can be killed by driving quickly in a car, it's probably not the kind of depression folks are taking meds for, and creating that equivalency can further stigmatize the act of seeking real help. I know it's a well meaning statement...don't take this is me ripping on you. Just providing another side.

Click to expand...

I know. A chemical imbalance can only be fixed by a chemical rebalance. It is, however, sometimes difficult to determine a true chemical imbalance, vs, say, being stuck in a rut. Being stuck in that sort of...self imposed, I guess.. depression can be, for while it lasts, as harmful and unhealthy as an actual,physical defect causing chemical imbalance. For those, I prescribe what I like to call near life experiences. Fear. Excelleration. Acceptance of the illusion of control. Its very liberating.

truthatallcost said:

It'd just be really great if doctors could match people to the right medication without first using them as guinea pigs. I was prescribed Paxil a few years ago, and experienced the same suicidal thoughts that JacksonPA talked about when he was prescribed Prozac. After 7 days, I was much worse off mentally than before I started taking the medication.

Click to expand...

That would be great wouldn't it, but the reality is we're all different so we react differently to the same medications...it's a trial and error thing for now...

OlNate said:

With all due respect, bud, if your depression can be killed by driving quickly in a car, it's probably not the kind of depression folks are taking meds for, and creating that equivalency can further stigmatize the act of seeking real help. I know it's a well meaning statement...don't take this is me ripping on you. Just providing another side.

Click to expand...

True...sometimes fear is the cause of depression, not the solution...

OlNate said:

With all due respect, bud, if your depression can be killed by driving quickly in a car, it's probably not the kind of depression folks are taking meds for, and creating that equivalency can further stigmatize the act of seeking real help. I know it's a well meaning statement...don't take this is me ripping on you. Just providing another side.

Click to expand...

It is not the driving fast that would or could do it, but the endorphins that might help change the brain chemistry. Not likely a long term fix or solution as the cause would have to be determined and fixed, but it could provide a short term boost of the mental state, allowing the person to attempt to address the problems.

I expect getting the depressed person to go out and drive fast would be a problem to begin with

Lord Tammerlain said:

It is not the driving fast that would or could do it, but the endorphins that might help change the brain chemistry. Not likely a long term fix or solution as the cause would have to be determined and fixed, but it could provide a short term boost of the mental state, allowing the person to attempt to address the problems.

I expect getting the depressed person to go out and drive fast would be a problem to begin with

Click to expand...

Sometimes...or sometimes they would engage in dangerous, adrenaline producing activities just to feel alive. Neither is a sign that things are ok...

That's kind of the thing, it's different for everyone.

KevinKohler said:

Fear and excilleration. Those are my remedies. Get in a moderately fast car, go to the local race track (every state has at least 1) on open track day, and take a couple of terrifyingly fast laps. Break the tires loose.

Feel the fear, and the excitement. Depression killer.

Click to expand...

Releasing endorphins, However accomplished likely does help.

Exercise can be an answer for a lot of people.

I used to hike, and go for long bike rides.

Some types of pot are good for depression. I use med pot for PTSD.

If you go look at bikes, expect to pay somewhere between one and two grand. If you get a good bike, you will find excuses to ride it. If you get a cheap bike, you will find excuses not to ride it. Avoid racing bikes like the plague. Tell the shop guy you want a traditional sport geometry. That will place the saddle at the same height as the bars, and make your torso a stable tripod that is surprisingly good at absorbing shock.

If you want to skip years of stumbling around in the dark, and get straight to the good stuff:

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=112619


Gunnar Sport Frames user reviews : 3.9 out of 5 - 8 reviews - roadbikereview.com

late said:

Exercise can be an answer for a lot of people.

I used to hike, and go for long bike rides.

Some types of pot are good for depression. I use med pot for PTSD.

If you go look at bikes, expect to pay somewhere between one and two grand. If you get a good bike, you will find excuses to ride it. If you get a cheap bike, you will find excuses not to ride it. Avoid racing bikes like the plague. Tell the shop guy you want a traditional sport geometry. That will place the saddle at the same height as the bars, and make your torso a stable tripod that is surprisingly good at absorbing shock.

If you want to skip years of stumbling around in the dark, and get straight to the good stuff:

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=112619


Gunnar Sport Frames user reviews : 3.9 out of 5 - 8 reviews - roadbikereview.com

Click to expand...

+1,000


Physical activity is huge. Without it, I don't sleep well. Without a good nights sleep, life sucks. Balls.