Posted by LightShifter on November 6, 2003, at 14:01:20
In reply to Re: Brain fog (and other unscientific terms), posted by Jasmine Neroli on November 5, 2003, at 22:46:11
I'm glad it provides some insight for you Jasmine. I tend to think ADD tends to be a result of living in high anxiety environemnts and that our dopamine and norepinephrine supply is greatly depleted from such. When we are forced to be on "high alert" most of the time and are highly stressed, why wouldn't our neurotransmitters become depleted?
Many of us ADDers perhaps are simply not as academically interested as most and/or have been raised to doudt our intellectual/academic abilities which also results in high stress which further results in neurotransmitter depletion and "brain fog".
MAybe for some the low serotonin causes the "fog" while for others the norepinephrine/dopamine does. Depending upon our chemistry, we may need different things. Depression comes after we pass through the anxiety stage and are then totally depleted to the point that we "give up", maybe that's when the serotonin depletion occurs - secondary to norepinephrine/dopamine.
I guess keeping the serotonin/norepinephrine/dopamine combo "in balance" is the key and for each one of us, different things are necessary. It seems pretty evident to me though that if norepinephrine/dopamine reuptake inhibitors like RITALIN clear people's "brain fog" by preventing it's depletion, then that's where we should be focusing - not on creating more serotonin - unless of course we are depleted in BOTH.
Blessings, ...Dan> That's a really interesting observation. I have GAD and my job requires me to be hyper-alert/observant of behaviour disordered teenagers. That part comes naturally, but requires a lot of "empathic connecting".And I have to really think hard about the clerical/procedural aspects of my job and am always forgetting, so much stuff carried in my head all the time, can't pay attention to it, cuz I'm so concentrated on the kids.Brain fog results, along with anxiety. I'm always on alert.I agree that the anxiety could easily be a result having to try to attend so hard and remember.Sometimes I find myself sitting and not knowing why...but I've never considered myself to be ADD.
> I too have found both Celexa and Buspar to make the attention even harder..both of which of course affect Serotonin receptors. Hmmmmmmm food for thought, something to raise with my Pdoc, next visit. Thanks!
> Jas
poster:LightShifter
thread:7959
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031105/msgs/277204.html