Posted by zeugma on January 23, 2004, at 20:20:04
i had a terrible day today. Became unfocused, jumpy, and uncoordinated at work, then my mood plummeted after my morning coffee wore off. Last night I had my recurrent sleep-onset difficulty
; i fell asleep then 'woke' to absolute darkness, rushing, painful sensations in my head, paralysis- unable to move or open my eyes for sometime after waking- invariably, within minutes of falling asleep.this happens when for some reason i become sleep-deprived. i stayed up late working on my thesis, earlier this week, then went to a party last night, which i left as soon as possible, but still didn't get home until 10. i had the aforementioned sleep-disruption experiences soon after midnight. these episodes, i have noticed, usually signal episodes of depression. the drugs that have helped to relieve my depression - nortriptyline, and atomoxetine (strattera)- could as well be called anti-cataleptics as antidepressants or ADD meds, in exactly the same sense that mood stabilizers double as anti-convulsants. i've heard bipolar disorder referred to as a 'slow seizure', i wonder if my variety of (severe, endogenous, 'dreamlike') depression could as well be referred to as a 'slow cataplexy'. i'm wondering if it's dreamlike because it is a hyper-cholinergic state in which the prefrontal cortex is underactivated (as in REM, where orientation diminishes and emotions, associative thought processes, and random bursts of anxiety interrupt the normal flow of consciousness). anyone with thoughts or similar experiences please respond.
poster:zeugma
thread:304821
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20040102/msgs/304821.html