Posted by Jennifer on May 25, 2000, at 19:19:34
In reply to Re: is depression just in my mind?, posted by Noa on May 25, 2000, at 18:51:58
Bonnie, Very cool to see a 15 year old looking for information to better understand how they feel! Think about all your peers that act on how they feel without questioning if those feelings are "real". Yes, it is in your mind. Your mind is your brain. Here's an example: When someone has high blood pressure, it is because a chemical in the brain is not telling the body the correct action to take. Because of this, they have to take medication for the rest of their life. When you feel depressed, your brain did not put enough chemicals into your "mood bucket". Most people can refill theirs easily, but for some of us, it runs closer to half full. On the half-full days, we feel great, and wonder if we just need an attitude adjustment instead of meds. When it falls to a quarter tank, that's where the meds help to fill it back up. A "mental illness" is no different than any other illness except for people's attitudes and perceptions of it. Once you explain things, I've found, people really start to understand. It's nothing that YOU are "doing" to your body. Just as people with a medium case of high blood pressure can often stay off meds through weight loss, stress reduction, and a low salt diet; so can those with mild depression by "filling their bucket" through exercise, stress reduction and a positive attitude on life. However, for those of us with moderate to severe mood changes, medication is just as important as it is to the person with severe high blood pressure. Hope that you are doing well. Please keep us up to date on how well your meds are helping (see, positive mental attitude, not IF their working, but HOW WELL) Jennifer
> John, you put it so nicely.
poster:Jennifer
thread:33956
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000517/msgs/34669.html