Article: 82 of soc.support.depression.misc From: "Jim Scannell" Newsgroups: soc.support.depression.misc Subject: I hope this helps Lines: 120 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2720.3000 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2727.1300 Message-ID: Date: Sat, 23 Aug 2003 02:40:21 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 24.209.116.251 X-Complaints-To: abuse@rr.com X-Trace: twister.rdc-kc.rr.com 1061606421 24.209.116.251 (Fri, 22 Aug 2003 21:40:21 CDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 21:40:21 CDT Organization: RoadRunner Path: news.meer.net!sea-read.news.verio.net!dfw-artgen!iad-peer.news.verio.net!news.verio.net!newsfeed.vmunix.org!peer02.cox.net!cox.net!news-server.columbus.rr.com!cyclone2.kc.rr.com!news2.kc.rr.com!twister.rdc-kc.rr.com.POSTED!53ab2750!not-for-mail Xref: archive.mv.meer.net soc.support.depression.misc:82 Over a year ago I had some realizations that I believe can benefit others. I was chronically depressed since I was about 5 years old but as a result of these realizations I have "cured" my depression once and for all. I say "cured" because it has been over a year now and as long as I keep these realizations alive I do not believe it is possible to be depressed again. I hope that anyone who suffers from any problem that they feel is out of their control will read this entire message, even if there are some things that they find hard to believe or accept right this moment. I was diagnosed bipolar in 1987. I have learned that science has been very good at figuring out what happens in the brain during depression and mania, and have developed good drugs to help change "abnormal" activity to make it more "normal". One thing I have noticed, however, is that they have no clue as to what causes the "abnormality." Scientists have been studying how thought affects brain chemistry but to this day psychiatrists ignore thought patterns when prescribing meds because it is a variable that is out of their control - it is totally under the patient's control. Studies have proven that thought CAN cause "abnormal" brain chemistry and therefore it should be assured that correctable thought patterns are not at fault first BEFORE prescribing medications, but they do not. Altering the brain chemistry without correcting unhealthy thought patterns first is analogous to putting a leaking container in a plastic bag. As long as the container does not leak the problem appears solved, but that is just the outward appearance - inwardly there is still a leaking container. To this day, science still has no clue as to where or how thought originates. Since thought is a variable that can not be controlled by psychiatrists, they use substances whose results are predictable to reach the appearance of solving the problem when they really have not touched the problem at all. I do agree that some people, a very small percentage of those suffering from some mental illness, have deformed brains and therefore can never reach "normalcy" without medication. But that is rare. The truth is that mental health professionals do not tell their patients that they have any control over their illness, or more specifically, their emotions or thoughts. They might as well tell their patients that they have no will power what so ever. Control over one's thoughts and emotions is a skill that needs to be developed by everyone eventually. Everyone exhibits this control to a degree. It is a mystery why so many people carry the belief only so far but reach a point where they believe they no longer have control. Much of this "loss of control" boils down to habit. When I was depressed, as most depressed people can relate, I was in the habit of negativity. Yes, there is much negative in the world, but "normal" people (That is people who are not depressed) do not dwell on it. They also do not actively look for negative things. Depressed people habitually IGNORE positive things. The first step to overcoming depression is to allow oneself to notice the positive things. To actively search it out. If you want to be happy you have to allow yourself to be happy. That may sound obvious, but it seems to be ignored by depressed people. All happiness comes from being thankful that something happened, that you possess something, or have a relationship with someone. If you ignore those things you CAN NOT be happy. "It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you have." Depressed people need to work at changing the habit of negativity into a habit of gratitude. It is hard at first. It takes a permanent commitment. I am not saying to ignore negative things, just those that you have no control over and things that REALLY don't matter. After you do what you can to improve negative situations then there is no further reason to dwell on it. You DO have the ability to control what you think about. It is called concentration. You can concentrate on your favorite possessions, your talents, your family and friends, and anything else that makes you feel good. It is very difficult to get something out of your mind, but it is easy to replace the thoughts with other, more positive ones. When you find yourself thinking thoughts that make you feel bad first decide if there is anything you can do to improve the situation. Decide what you are going to do, then divert your attention to something that makes you happy. It could take days, weeks, or months for the brain chemistry to follow but one thing is certain - if you dwell on negative things you WILL be depressed. Thought control also applies to mania. For this I found meditation and relaxation techniques to be absolutely necessary. I have not missed a day of work due to mania in 15 years because when I would begin to feel excited I would calm myself down before I lost control. It is the same with anger. People who are subject to fits of rage did not try to control it BEFORE they lost control. Catching mania early is critical. I know it is not easy, especially if you suffer from chronic depression. The happy release can be a hard thing to want to control. Wanting to be "high" is a very strong desire for depressed people. A decision has to be made early whether you want to be high, and perhaps sooner or later institutionalized, or if you want control. You DO have the ability to control it early on, but that means to actively fight off the "high" by FORCING yourself to calm down. Agitation (knee bouncing, pacing, etc.) needs to stop. Writing needs to stop. "Saving the world" needs to stop until you are calm enough to approach it realistically. A person can not expect mental health without a degree of emotional health, and a person can not expect emotional health without a degree of physical health. A vitamin advertisement (I believe it was Centrum) said that 97% of Americans do not get the USRDA of vitamins and minerals. Those guidelines (USRDA) are just to prevent diseases known to be caused by vitamin deficiencies, they are not the level needed for optimum health. Besides that, most people do not know that the brain is composed mostly of fat! (60%) All nerves are surrounded in fat. Fat is the medium that neurotransmitters travel in. If a person does not get enough of the right kinds of fat then the neurotransmitters in the brain can NOT function properly. Years of eating mostly bad fats, and very little good fat takes it's toll. I explain in more detail in my book "The Human Handbook" which is free to read on my web page. I encourage everyone to read the entire book (only 21 printed pages) since I believe that it would be rare to find someone who can not be helped in one way or another. I hope the best to everyone. Feel free to email me for any reason. -- Jim Scannell jscannell@wi.rr.com http://home.wi.rr.com/jscannell/ Gratitude hence Happiness, Faith hence Hope, Selfishness is anti-Love, Devotion is the Key