What's wrong with me - help me please. (I'm angry...)

[Anonymous]

It could also be partly from the change in routine. You get into a routine over the school year, and then when summer hits, it is hard to adjust. My dh is a SAHD, and the summer practically kills him. He has such a hard time dealing with the kids all day and just loses it sometimes. I signed up our 5 and 7 year olds for several camps. This week, they have swim practice at 8, then gymnastics camp in the morning, so he gets a break for a couple of hours each day. Next week, the only thing planned is July 4, and swim practice. I hope next week goes ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like depression, but therapy and/or meds address the symptoms, not the root cause. Try changing your diet (you say you eat healthy, but conventional wisdom about what is healthy eating is wrong in so many ways).

This is one site that explains the link between digestion and mood: http://chriskresser.com/the-healthy-skeptic-podcast-episode-9

I speak from experience, btw. I had the exact same issues as you. I completely altered my diet (everything else has remained the same), and I have no more problems like that.

Ugh, I hate these kinds of posts. Yeah, it's great that you sorted out your problems by changing your diet. But it's possible that your problem wasn't clinical depression in the first place, and that's why you didn't need medication.

For many people, mental illness -- be it anxiety, depression or something else -- has nothing to do with diet and can't be fixed by dietary changes. So, again, just because your issue was diet doesn't mean that diet will fix clinical depression in other people. For many people, the "root cause" of depression and/or anxiety is a chemical imbalance that has nothing to do with diet but rather with their brain chemistry. That is why there is increasing evidence that mental illness, like depression, is hereditary (i.e. if you had a grandparent who suffered from severe depression, you are at a greater risk).

+1,000,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's the grind - environment pulls the trigger, and genes load the gun. You must have a genetic propensity for anxiety/depression. With medicine, you'll be fine. The right medicine, as this sounds more chemical than situational or an error in a thinking process. And maybe when the kids are both in school, you can quit the meds.

This is bullsh*t. This poster knows nothing. It is irresponsible to claim that OP has a chemical imbalance based on the information she provided. Talk to a real mental health professional OP. And don't be quick to jump into meds, because the studies for minor depression indicate psychotherapy is just as effective. Except of course no side effects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like depression, but therapy and/or meds address the symptoms, not the root cause. Try changing your diet (you say you eat healthy, but conventional wisdom about what is healthy eating is wrong in so many ways).

This is one site that explains the link between digestion and mood: http://chriskresser.com/the-healthy-skeptic-podcast-episode-9

I speak from experience, btw. I had the exact same issues as you. I completely altered my diet (everything else has remained the same), and I have no more problems like that.

Ugh, I hate these kinds of posts. Yeah, it's great that you sorted out your problems by changing your diet. But it's possible that your problem wasn't clinical depression in the first place, and that's why you didn't need medication.

For many people, mental illness -- be it anxiety, depression or something else -- has nothing to do with diet and can't be fixed by dietary changes. So, again, just because your issue was diet doesn't mean that diet will fix clinical depression in other people. For many people, the "root cause" of depression and/or anxiety is a chemical imbalance that has nothing to do with diet but rather with their brain chemistry. That is why there is increasing evidence that mental illness, like depression, is hereditary (i.e. if you had a grandparent who suffered from severe depression, you are at a greater risk).

The chemical imbalance argument is a good justification for why medications work, but there is very little proof that it is actually the cause of depression. It is more credible than a marketing ploy, but less factual than you think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like depression, but therapy and/or meds address the symptoms, not the root cause. Try changing your diet (you say you eat healthy, but conventional wisdom about what is healthy eating is wrong in so many ways).

This is one site that explains the link between digestion and mood: http://chriskresser.com/the-healthy-skeptic-podcast-episode-9

I speak from experience, btw. I had the exact same issues as you. I completely altered my diet (everything else has remained the same), and I have no more problems like that.

Ugh, I hate these kinds of posts. Yeah, it's great that you sorted out your problems by changing your diet. But it's possible that your problem wasn't clinical depression in the first place, and that's why you didn't need medication.

For many people, mental illness -- be it anxiety, depression or something else -- has nothing to do with diet and can't be fixed by dietary changes. So, again, just because your issue was diet doesn't mean that diet will fix clinical depression in other people. For many people, the "root cause" of depression and/or anxiety is a chemical imbalance that has nothing to do with diet but rather with their brain chemistry. That is why there is increasing evidence that mental illness, like depression, is hereditary (i.e. if you had a grandparent who suffered from severe depression, you are at a greater risk).

The chemical imbalance argument is a good justification for why medications work, but there is very little proof that it is actually the cause of depression. It is more credible than a marketing ploy, but less factual than you think.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1277931/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like depression, but therapy and/or meds address the symptoms, not the root cause. Try changing your diet (you say you eat healthy, but conventional wisdom about what is healthy eating is wrong in so many ways).

This is one site that explains the link between digestion and mood: http://chriskresser.com/the-healthy-skeptic-podcast-episode-9

I speak from experience, btw. I had the exact same issues as you. I completely altered my diet (everything else has remained the same), and I have no more problems like that.

Ugh, I hate these kinds of posts. Yeah, it's great that you sorted out your problems by changing your diet. But it's possible that your problem wasn't clinical depression in the first place, and that's why you didn't need medication.

For many people, mental illness -- be it anxiety, depression or something else -- has nothing to do with diet and can't be fixed by dietary changes. So, again, just because your issue was diet doesn't mean that diet will fix clinical depression in other people. For many people, the "root cause" of depression and/or anxiety is a chemical imbalance that has nothing to do with diet but rather with their brain chemistry. That is why there is increasing evidence that mental illness, like depression, is hereditary (i.e. if you had a grandparent who suffered from severe depression, you are at a greater risk).

The chemical imbalance argument is a good justification for why medications work, but there is very little proof that it is actually the cause of depression. It is more credible than a marketing ploy, but less factual than you think.

And there is no evidence whatsoever that diet causes depression.

[Anonymous]

I felt this way after baby was born and my 3 then 4 year old pulled the stuff that 3 and 4 year olds do:

I don't want to...
I want to...
I'm not...

You know, run of the mill defiance. I blew up more than once. I'm embarrassed to admit that. Shouting, angry, probably scared her, poor thing.

I also was fried. Maybe depression, maybe hormones, who knows. I tried to protect myself and my kid by keeping other ppl around me at all times. I was the master playdate organizer. I felt that with other people around, I was a better, calmer person, and I was better able to use my executive functions to not be a biotch to my daughter.

So for me... the non-chemical solution was being aware, having some strategies, and keeping myself surrounded by other people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like depression, but therapy and/or meds address the symptoms, not the root cause. Try changing your diet (you say you eat healthy, but conventional wisdom about what is healthy eating is wrong in so many ways).

This is one site that explains the link between digestion and mood: http://chriskresser.com/the-healthy-skeptic-podcast-episode-9

I speak from experience, btw. I had the exact same issues as you. I completely altered my diet (everything else has remained the same), and I have no more problems like that.

Ugh, I hate these kinds of posts. Yeah, it's great that you sorted out your problems by changing your diet. But it's possible that your problem wasn't clinical depression in the first place, and that's why you didn't need medication.

For many people, mental illness -- be it anxiety, depression or something else -- has nothing to do with diet and can't be fixed by dietary changes. So, again, just because your issue was diet doesn't mean that diet will fix clinical depression in other people. For many people, the "root cause" of depression and/or anxiety is a chemical imbalance that has nothing to do with diet but rather with their brain chemistry. That is why there is increasing evidence that mental illness, like depression, is hereditary (i.e. if you had a grandparent who suffered from severe depression, you are at a greater risk).

The chemical imbalance argument is a good justification for why medications work, but there is very little proof that it is actually the cause of depression. It is more credible than a marketing ploy, but less factual than you think.

And there is no evidence whatsoever that diet causes depression.

Yes too be clear, I posted the link about the serotonin hypothesis. The diet thing was someone else and I don't subscribe to that. I also think that is irresponsible, frankly.

[Anonymous]

I know you said you're only 36, but for some women, that's the start of perimenopause. Is there a history of early menopause in your family? My mother and aunts were in their early 40s; the doctor says the only reason I'm not done at 48 is because I'm on the pill.

I'm not at all negating the depression theory. Even if perimenopause is involved, depression is one of the symptoms.

Much of what you say resonates with me, too, btw.

[Anonymous]

I just want to say good for those who have sought remedies and/or treatment. So many people need help, and fail themselves and their families, by refusing to get the help they so obviously need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like depression, but therapy and/or meds address the symptoms, not the root cause. Try changing your diet (you say you eat healthy, but conventional wisdom about what is healthy eating is wrong in so many ways).

This is one site that explains the link between digestion and mood: http://chriskresser.com/the-healthy-skeptic-podcast-episode-9

I speak from experience, btw. I had the exact same issues as you. I completely altered my diet (everything else has remained the same), and I have no more problems like that.

Ugh, I hate these kinds of posts. Yeah, it's great that you sorted out your problems by changing your diet. But it's possible that your problem wasn't clinical depression in the first place, and that's why you didn't need medication.

For many people, mental illness -- be it anxiety, depression or something else -- has nothing to do with diet and can't be fixed by dietary changes. So, again, just because your issue was diet doesn't mean that diet will fix clinical depression in other people. For many people, the "root cause" of depression and/or anxiety is a chemical imbalance that has nothing to do with diet but rather with their brain chemistry. That is why there is increasing evidence that mental illness, like depression, is hereditary (i.e. if you had a grandparent who suffered from severe depression, you are at a greater risk).

The chemical imbalance argument is a good justification for why medications work, but there is very little proof that it is actually the cause of depression. It is more credible than a marketing ploy, but less factual than you think.

The chemical imbalance argument is a fantastic EXPLANATION for why medications work. And there is actually research that supports that depression has a hereditary component, which suggests it isn't something like diet.

And it's a lot more "factual" than the "diet can cure your depression" BS that PP (perhaps you) was espousing.

[Anonymous]

OP are you on hormonal birth control? I can't take it because it makes me feel CRAZY. Mad, cranky, out of control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like depression, but therapy and/or meds address the symptoms, not the root cause. Try changing your diet (you say you eat healthy, but conventional wisdom about what is healthy eating is wrong in so many ways).

This is one site that explains the link between digestion and mood: http://chriskresser.com/the-healthy-skeptic-podcast-episode-9

I speak from experience, btw. I had the exact same issues as you. I completely altered my diet (everything else has remained the same), and I have no more problems like that.

Ugh, I hate these kinds of posts. Yeah, it's great that you sorted out your problems by changing your diet. But it's possible that your problem wasn't clinical depression in the first place, and that's why you didn't need medication.

For many people, mental illness -- be it anxiety, depression or something else -- has nothing to do with diet and can't be fixed by dietary changes. So, again, just because your issue was diet doesn't mean that diet will fix clinical depression in other people. For many people, the "root cause" of depression and/or anxiety is a chemical imbalance that has nothing to do with diet but rather with their brain chemistry. That is why there is increasing evidence that mental illness, like depression, is hereditary (i.e. if you had a grandparent who suffered from severe depression, you are at a greater risk).

The chemical imbalance argument is a good justification for why medications work, but there is very little proof that it is actually the cause of depression. It is more credible than a marketing ploy, but less factual than you think.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1277931/

That article deals specifically with serotonin. And here's the problem with that, serotonin isn't the only neurotransmitter involved with mental health and mood disorders. So the article mentions that the fact that buproprion can be as effective as an SSRI and treats this as proof that depression isn't caused by a "chemical imbalance." The problem is that assumes that "chemical imbalance" is defined as serotonin deficiency. Buproprion acts on OTHER neurotransmitters.

Nothing in that article suggests that there isn't a component to depression (clinical depression, that is) that doesn't have to do with brain chemistry.

[Anonymous]

I work in mental health and I always cringe when people use the chemical imbalance line. Fine if you have a simplistic understanding and need to call it that to differentiate it from being a character flaw but from a professional. I cringe. Chemical imbalance isn't used in the health field in talking about mental illness. As others have said it was a theory that had two intentions - decrease stigma by making mental illness physiological (even if oversimplified and not correct) rather than personal flaw, and 2) to sell medications that 'fix' chemical imbalances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work in mental health and I always cringe when people use the chemical imbalance line. Fine if you have a simplistic understanding and need to call it that to differentiate it from being a character flaw but from a professional. I cringe. Chemical imbalance isn't used in the health field in talking about mental illness. As others have said it was a theory that had two intentions - decrease stigma by making mental illness physiological (even if oversimplified and not correct) rather than personal flaw, and 2) to sell medications that 'fix' chemical imbalances.

I am the PP that posted on this initially:
Yes! You have explained this better than I did. I also work in mental health and it makes me crazy when people tell me they have a serotonin imbalance, or that depression is caused by gluten, and other nonsense. I also hear is from a relative as an explanation for why she can't go off a very high dose of paxil prescribed for minor depression and anxiety, despite weight gain, constant stomach issues, sexual side effects, etc. At this point paxil is causing most of her problems and she won't even consider a safer SSRI and she continues to get paxil and high doses of benzos from her primary care. Sigh.