It has been a really long damn time since my last confession ……….Father.

[eigen_vector]

I’ve been neglecting Live Journal for a bit. I’ve been around, but not really here. Boredom does strange things with my mind. I start to think of things that maybe I should not be thinking about. I’d write about more of them but the fact of the matter is I hate to write. I don’t write. This Journal is very much one of the first times I really

Comments

[eigen_vector]

Its all good. I think I cope with these matters very well. Like I mentioned it was only to illustrate regret. I can still embrace the lesson.

“Trauma does not cause Depression or Schizophrenia..…they are chemical”
Depression and Schizophrenia are indeed chemical as are all other mental illnesses, as are all our thoughts and ideas. The battle of environment, genetics, and unseen randomness as it relates to the human mind is quite aged. I’m sure the markers or imprints of mental problems do not transfer magically. We imprint chemical moods on those around us through interaction everyday. Feelings and emotions result from memory (imprints). Does it seem that far fetched that such things can become long term imbalances. If someone threatens me physically I feel immediate psychological response that leads to immediate physiological response……well what if it happened every day? Is it possible to have permanent alteration chemically? The mind and body are intimate. I’m not sure what you mean by trauma….if you mean a singular or rare incident I can MAYBE understand. It’s only a very bold statement to make in this day of uncertainty……… in a field plagued by inconclusive evidence to support much of anything. I honestly can’t say his mental problems definitely stem from his past, but I can say it is a very likely possibility.

[__batgirl__]

i dont think its so easily divided. saying its chemical doesnt really address or dismiss behavioural shaping. we do shape each other and our internal biological patterns. people can become addicted to stress, pain, any number of events that they get exposed to enough to adapt to because their bodies acclimatise to the chemicals released by the body. at which point they have chemical issues stemming from life events and patterns.

[eigen_vector]

I believe the things I mentioned earlier. I think a good model for mental illness can be taken from things we know about any other body affliction. We already know traits can be passed genetically to offspring in a manner that is random , yet statistically predictable in some cases. The combinations and permutations resulting within us, I’m sure, are more complex than fruit fly eye color or pea plant growth. We have many diseases known to be caused by environment alone; like aids, herpes, and some forms of cancer. There are ailments caused by heredity alone, baldness, down syndrome, Cystic fibrosis, brown syndrome, forms of anemia. There are some illness that are know to come both from heredity and environment like: High blood pressure, Heart disease, and Obesity. The extent for which environment and heredity play a factor in this latter category…….VARIES with the type of illness and person. There are many health problems still where the causes are unknown. The plethora of mental problems known to be in existence is no different with respect to all these categories. MENTAL ILLNESS = CHEMICAL problems always.

[eigen_vector]

I guess in short I agree with you both.

*pulls out soapbox from under desk*

[lauracroft]

I'm not going to go into the details of my arguments; I will only say this: It is my firm, unequivical, unwavering and intensely concrete belief that Mental conditions are NOT caused by chemical imbalances...rather chemical imbalances are caused by mental conditions!

(Controversial, I know, but due to my experience and reading, I cannot be swayed from this opinion.)

Re: *pulls out soapbox from under desk*

[eigen_vector]

Differentiating BETWEEN THE FOLLOWING Categories is another matter, but would this theory come from medical experimentation, neuroscience, philosophy, religious theology, personal experience, or what?
I’m just curious. I could not write it off as invalid unless I heard why. I know it’s a pain in the ass to explain such a thing, it pains me to write as I do. Perhaps you could just indicate a source of some sort………a name or school of thought (person, place, book). The only reason I believe as I do is because I feel every thought, memory and process of the brain is a chemical reaction. It feels redundant to (for me) say mental condition and relate it to chemical process when I feel they are equivalent. I’m still always game to other theories.

Re: *pulls out soapbox from under desk*

[lauracroft]

Source #1 27 years experience living with crazy people in my life!!!

Source #2 In reading the scientific studies regarding brain chemistry and such. In scientific experimentation, a scientist must start with a basic accepted fact upon which he/she will build logically. My problem is that the basis on which they prove all these theories about chemical imbalances is easily disprovable! People coming in from other cultures have notice the same problem with the western psychological & neuro-physiological science. All the theories sound all good and valid with all kinds of evidence, but it is not based on fact at the foundation level! I can take widely accepted, probably irrefutable fact created by science and use it to disprove the rest by it's contradiction to the foundation! But enough of that...

Souce #3 Everyone I've seen with issues such as what might be treated for a chemical imbalance has a mindset which feeds into my theories. I have not seen it disproved and some of these people I know better than anyone else in the world, including their shrink. Call this one my common sense, although this is not good reasoning for people who don't know whether I have common sense! :) Really, it's best discussed in person, but I'm sure you've figured that.

Source #4 Reading books that go inside the mind of such disturbed individuals gives insight even more.

Yes, thoughts can be placed to a chemical reaction in the brain - a reaction TO the thought. The way I see it, the western scientists have it backwards, and now we have a chicken/egg discussion. To me, it's not only obvious what happens, but it's obvious why the current theories are so commonly accepted, and although I'm not pained to write it (:P), I'm somewhat sad to see it enacted in the world. The theory is the biggest enabler to the masses and is so destructive....damn soap box! It's getting the better of me. *must fight urge to write....dissertation....no...time...must work this week...*

Remember, in the 1950's, it was "scientifically proven" that black men were irresistibly attracted to white women, to the point of violence. As the scientists who conducted the studies said, "they just can't help themselves..." don't believe everything they "prove."

Hello, my Yoda... :)

[exina]

I think I've heard that repeated emotions can become like a habit. Then it's a chemical mountain to climb to get into another emotion unrelated to the habitual one.
Using physical stimuli- pain/pleasure and/or chemical stimuli- alcohol/sugar/simple carbs/illegal or prescribed medications are ways folks consciously or subconsciously try to short-cut around the mountain. Unfortunately, like the dark side, "the path is quicker, more seductive", but not helpful in the long run. ;)

Re: Hello, my Yoda... :)

[eigen_vector]

Listen you Yoda you shall….....

I think that is a good analogy..