How Culture Affects Depression

Jovialis

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https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...cts-depression

All happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

Leo Tolstoy

Poets and philosophers have long mused about the universal and idiosyncratic signature of our emotions. The human family shares a similar biology. Yet, culture leaves an undeniable imprint on our emotional narratives, including the way we feel and think of distress, how it manifests and how we cope with it. In her cross-cultural research on depression, psychologist Yulia Chentsova-Dutton likens depression’s constellations of symptoms to the starry sky. It’s the same universal experience of suffering, the same black vastness above our heads dotted with bright and dim lights. However, when we look at the night sky – as with the expression of depression around the world – we might notice some stars and miss others depending on where we are.

Here is Dr. Chentsova-Dutton in her own words on culture’s multifaceted influence on depression.

What are some causes of depression across cultures?

Many of the risk factors for depression are similar across cultures. These include gender, unemployment, traumatic events. The themes of depression tend to revolve around loss. But what people make of their losses and how they interpret their distress differs tremendously across cultures. In the West, we have increasingly pathologized depression and attributed it to biomedical factors. We tend to think that distancing people from their distress can be a functional way of helping them. However, teaching people that this very complex social, cultural, and biological phenomenon is entirely biological can backfire. It encourages people to ignore environmental factors, and instead, essentialize depression as a characteristic of themselves and their biology.

How does the meaning of depression vary around the world?

The meaning that people assign to suffering varies richly across cultures. Buddhism approaches suffering as an essential characteristic of life. We are mindful of it, yet, we don't try to chase it away. In Eastern European Orthodox Christianity and traditional Catholic contexts, there are 2 religious perspectives on suffering. On one hand, excessive suffering that blocks your goals is thought to be a sin. Simultaneously, suffering that allows you to stay engaged with your life is thought to bring you closer to God. It’s almost like broadcasting your suffering highlights you as a more complex and virtuous human being in other people’s eyes. Moreover, in India and Ecuador suffering can be interpreted as a rift in social networks that requires mending.

Should there be culture-specific approaches to depression?

We have evidence that public education efforts to teach people in non-western countries how to be properly depressed western-style result in changes in how people think about their distress. In Japan, for example, pharmaceutical companies once engaged in a systematic campaign to train people to recognize both major and minor depression as problems (“a cold of the soul”). I can imagine if somebody is suffering and finally there is a label, they might get treatment, which would be a positive outcome. I can also imagine people who have formerly obtained support and would have done well through the use of social networks and traditional mood regulation, are now thinking of themselves as sick. The older immigrants have a lot of cultural wisdom. Why do we assume that our knowledge is best for them, instead of learning from them and understanding how they cope? It’s a major direction for research for the next decades.

Are there genetic vulnerabilities for depression across cultures?

Genetic vulnerability differs substantially from country to country. East Asian contexts, for example, show high prevalence of genes associated with depression. Yet, despite these vulnerabilities, they develop fewer cases of the disorder. One hypothesis is that genetic vulnerabilities have co-evolved with culture, creating extra protective factors (in this case, extra interdependence). However, when these people leave their cultural contexts, they have a higher risk of developing depression.


What factors protect against depression?

Social stability and functional relationships are big protective factors against depression. East Asian contexts promote stable social networks. For example, most adults in Japan are still in frequent contact with someone they have known since childhood. In countries like the US, that’s more rare because of high mobility levels. (Of course, it depends on the quality of the relationships – if you are stuck with people who create tensions for you, it can be problematic.) Another leading hypothesis is that some cultures reinforce ways of regulating emotions that may be more functional than others. Finally, by virtue of prioritizing emotions and personal happiness, in contexts like the US, we are creating a discrepancy between how we feel and how we are supposed to feel. This can lead to additional problems.

What is the role of emotion regulation?

Emotion regulation is increasingly becoming understood as a core factor in all affective disorders. In western societies we don't see enough adaptive strategies like reappraisal: learning to tell yourself a different story that would eventually lead to different emotions. There is also not enough social regulation of emotion, which occurs by sharing our emotions with others. Research shows that cultures can facilitate functional regulation strategies. For example, Igor Grossmann’s work shows that Russians make rumination (generally considered a dysfunctional strategy) more functional by encouraging people to ruminate about the self from another person’s perspective, making rumination almost reappraisal-like in its quality.

How do symptoms of depression differ across cultures?

Best studied differences in expression of depression are whether symptoms are primarily experienced in the body, or as disorders of emotions and cognitions. In the US, we officially look for both, with an emphasis on affective features - you can’t be diagnosed with depression unless you have either depressed mood or anhedonia (lack of pleasure). On the other hand, research based on Chinese samples shows that people there are more likely to experience and express depression as bodily symptoms: the person is tired and not sleeping, they don't have energy and aren’t concentrating well. Historically, it’s the diagnosis of neurasthenia (weakness of the nerves), which migrated to China from Europe via the Soviet Union. Essentially, it’s major depression without the affective features.

How is depression assessed across cultures?

People don't seek help in the same manner, and help is not available in the same way. Moreover, the extent to which symptoms are recognized as pathology vs. an unpleasant but normative characteristic of life might differ. Assessment is a challenge in part because many of our assessment tools are based on the western set of criteria. Because of commonalities we might catch some symptoms, but we might also miss presentations of the disorder that look different. We have started to develop tools that incorporate locally meaningful symptoms.

How do treatment methods differ across cultures?

Pharmaceutically, we know that prescriptions and doses need to be altered based on various factors, including ethnicity. There is accumulating data showing that some approaches that are effective in the US (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy) are also looking promising in other cultures. Similarly, mindfulness approaches from the East have been found to be effective in western samples. We have this idea of therapy as individual-based, yet we know from research that having somebody next to you, even if you don't discuss your problems, is regulatory. Thus, approaches that make use of social ties have a lot of promise, particularly outside highly individualistic contexts. I’m hoping that this gap in clinical science will get increasingly filled and we will enrich our toolset of approaches for treating depression.

Very interesting article, because it also addresses the genetic factors associated with depression. East Asians have many genes that would cause depression. Probably inherited from their high Eastern Neanderthal/Denisovan admixture. Yet their culture may have developed in a way, to help them cope with this tailored specifically for their genetics. Since East Asians do not have many cases for depression. Nevertheless, when they leave their culture, vulnerability for depression increases.

Could it be that when one is removed from their culture, they lose social-coping mechanisms that may help them combat certain mental disorders? Forcing them to adopt new means of coping with depression, or turning to pharmaceuticals? Of course this would apply more to certain individuals that have the combination of genes to cause depression in the first place.
 
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Very interesting article, because it also addresses the genetic factors associated with depression. East Asians have many genes that would cause depression. Probably inherited from their high Eastern Neanderthal/Denisovan admixture. Yet their culture may have developed in a way, to help them cope with this tailored specifically for their genetics. Since East Asians do not have many cases for depression. Nevertheless, when they leave their culture, vulnerability for depression increases.

Could it be that when one is removed from their culture, they lose social-coping mechanisms that may help them combat certain mental disorders? Forcing them to adopt new means of coping with depression, or turning to pharmaceuticals? Of course this would apply more to certain individuals that have the combination of genes to cause depression in the first place.

Frankly, given some of the things that can happen to people or to the people in their lives, or the kinds of things they witness, they'd have to be monsters or stunted emotionally imo not to get depressed. It's just part of the human condition. I mean, if someone just got a cancer diagnosis, or has something like MS, or a child died, or all of someone's life savings suddenly disappeared, or someone discovers that a much loved spouse has been cheating for years, wouldn't you expect that person to be depressed?

The question is, does it turn into clinical depression, i.e. the kind of depression where you can't function, can't get out of bed, don't bathe or get dressed, sleep all the time, etc. and does it go on for months or even years?

Perhaps people who fall into clinical depressions have specific genes which predispose them to this. Or perhaps the situation is just too awful to be borne for anyone who is at all sensitive. Some things just don't get better just because you go to a support group or something: they cut too deep.

Yes, I think if you have a good relationship with your family, friends, spouse, and they're all close by you and give you their love and support, it makes it easier to at least function, but some things are so bad that some people just can't carry on as if everything is ok.

That's what medication should be for, imo. What I think may be happening is that people who are stressed and anxious because of the perhaps abnormal stresses of modern life go to the doctor, and because they can't or won't prescribe valium or similar type of medication, they put them on the kind of anti-depressants that also have an anti-anxiety effect.

It's interesting how the author talks about the "Catholic" approach. There are indeed two different views of suffering. One is that too indulge or wallow in your suffering too much is a sin: you have duties in the world and you can't abandon them. Sometimes after a great blow, having to take care of your children pulls you through the worst of it. My favorite aunt lost her son to leukemia when he was 13 years old. She was strong for him all the way through it but when he finally passed, she totally, and I mean totally fell apart. My Dad and I drove her all the way to Connecticut to see her. I'll never forget it. If my aunt thought she'd get any sympathy for howling in agony she was mistaken. My nonna slapped her right across the face, and then lectured her about what a terrible thing she was doing to her other children by behaving in this way and that she had to get out of bed right that minute and start taking care of them.

The other teaching on it is that you should offer your suffering up to God for the salvation of the world, as Jesus did. My aunt did that as well: she went to church every day of her life after that. I think it did help, but she was never, ever the same. I don't think I ever saw her laugh and joke the way that she used to before it all happened. She also went to his grave every Sunday till she died to clean it and bring flowers.

Interesting how the article says that in some cultures your apparent suffering is applauded. It certainly is in Italian culture. Personally, I much prefer it to the way it works here. The absolutely last thing I want is for someone to be fake cheery around me if I'm suffering, ignoring what has happened, trying to "distract" me by taking me to some idiotic place or event. You feel better if your suffering is acknowledged. You have a right to feel awful about whatever it is, and asking you to pretend you don't, or making you feel guilty about being unhappy is the worst thing someone can do.
 
^^
I agree it is better to face your problems than to ignore them, because it will eventually boil over. There's a lot of external factors that would cause someone to experience depression, like the loss of a loved one or other traumatic experiences. This would be PTSD, which would in turn cause depression, and anxiety. Which unfortunately could lead some to substance abuse, as a way to self-medicate:
It is natural to have some of these symptoms after a dangerous event. Sometimes people have very serious symptoms that go away after a few weeks. This is called acute stress disorder, or ASD. When the symptoms last more than a month, seriously affect one’s ability to function, and are not due to substance use, medical illness, or anything except the event itself, they might be PTSD. Some people with PTSD don’t show any symptoms for weeks or months. PTSD is often accompanied by depression, substance abuse, or one or more of the other anxiety disorders.
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml
Which is why, it is better to seek help, rather than keeping it in.
Some people think PTSD can only be caused after dangerous events like the ones soliders experience. But it can also develop from other experiences as well:

Loss of a loved one:
http://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/pt...wing-the-death-of-a-loved-one/article/579576/

(Post-Infidelity Stress Disorder)
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blo...3/love-is-war-post-infidelity-stress-disorder
 
^^
I agree it is better to face your problems than to ignore them, because it will eventually boil over. There's a lot of external factors that would cause someone to experience depression, like the loss of a loved one or other traumatic experiences. This would be PTSD, which would in turn cause depression, and anxiety. Which unfortunately could lead some to substance abuse, as a way to self-medicate:
Which is why, it is better to seek help, rather than keeping it in.
Some people think PTSD can only be caused after dangerous events like the ones soliders experience. But it can also develop from other experiences as well:
Loss of a loved one:
http://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/pt...wing-the-death-of-a-loved-one/article/579576/
(Post-Infidelity Stress Disorder)
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blo...3/love-is-war-post-infidelity-stress-disorder

I'm not so sure that it's only sudden death that can cause this. I remember as if it were yesterday and often dream about the moment my mother and father got their diagnoses. I relive event after event from the progress of their diseases, what they looked like, said, how I responded. I realize the shock of a loved one's sudden death must be terrible, but honestly I think it may be worse to see them ravaged for months and wind up praying that they will have a heart attack and die and thereby give both of you release. Even if it's not better for the one left behind, it's certainly better for the person who winds up dying, imo. If I were still a praying woman I would pray for a quick and unexpected death for me when the time comes.

Anyway, calling some of the physical changes broken heart disorder makes sense to me:
" broken heart syndrome, also termed stress cardiomyopathy. The American Heart Association describes symptoms such as sudden chest pain, leading to the sense that one is having a heart attack. Physical or emotional stressors, such as a loved one passing or major surgery trigger a surge of stress hormones that temporarily affect the heart. The condition typically reverses within a week."

That's just how it feels. When my mother died I did what I had to do for the funeral and then went to bed for a week: I didn't talk, or eat very much, and I didn't even really sleep. I had two young children though, so that wasn't an option.

People just don't realize how devastating some life events can be unless they've gone through them themselves.

I also have a stress reaction to anything related to 9/11. I knew so many people who died there. For a month it seemed as if all I did was go to funerals. I have to turn off shows that deal with it.

Too much information, right? :)

Oh well, maybe it will help someone else to know that they're not alone.
 
I remember how bad my dad took it when his parents each had their long drawn out bouts with cancer. I remember feeling really terrible for him, and of course my grandparents too. They died within a couple years of each other as well. Ten years later, he still misses them very much, and talks about them often. I know when the time comes, I too am going to take it bad, when my own parents pass. It sort of changed my perception about life in a way, making me feel more anxious about the future. When their birthdays come, I feel a bit sad, because I know they're getting older. Which is why I try to go all out for them, and get them nice gifts.

Too much information, right? :)

Oh well, maybe it will help someone else to know that they're not alone.

You're good :)

I consider myself an open book; the more interesting people are as well.
 
^^
I agree it is better to face your problems than to ignore them, because it will eventually boil over. There's a lot of external factors that would cause someone to experience depression, like the loss of a loved one or other traumatic experiences. This would be PTSD, which would in turn cause depression, and anxiety. Which unfortunately could lead some to substance abuse, as a way to self-medicate:

Which is why, it is better to seek help, rather than keeping it in.
Some people think PTSD can only be caused after dangerous events like the ones soliders experience. But it can also develop from other experiences as well:

Loss of a loved one:
http://www.psychiatryadvisor.com/pt...wing-the-death-of-a-loved-one/article/579576/

(Post-Infidelity Stress Disorder)
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blo...3/love-is-war-post-infidelity-stress-disorder

I self medicate for it as well. Many friends are either worse off or have committed suicide due to discontinuing anti depressants or trying to wean off. I smoke weed to self medicate, and it honestly helps a lot. I get emotionally impacted easy. Quite a few events in life have led to it. New Jersey may legalize recreationally and then I can switch to oils cause I don't like the idea of smoking in general.

My stress/depression is also an anomaly, as it sends a flurry of symptoms that doctors can't seem to treat or understand. When I have my episodes, my ears get beat red, boiling hot. It send heat and tension throughout my entire head and jaw. Causing pressure to build up in my head and ears. It is so debilitating that when these things started, I lost my job, considered suicide, gained massive weight. Thankfully over the years I managed to control it in a way through weed. Lost a ton of weight again. Episodes being less frequent but pretty bad when they do strike.
 
I would strongly advise people not to take anti-depressants. I took one for only about a week. My doctor prescribed it after the one week supply of Valium ran out.

It was terrible: the depression was infinitely worse. It was as if a black cloud had settled over me. I called her up and told her about it and she insisted that wasn't possible. Well, when I stopped taking it I got better. I mean, still sad and stressed, but not like that. Maybe I just have a weird reaction to drugs and that's why, but it scared me and that was it for psychotropic drugs.

Imo, hard work helps, finding creative or intellectual outlets, focusing on other people's needs instead of your own. Religion works too, but it just wasn't an option for me. From what I can see, exercise helps some people. Mostly, it's usually just the passage of time, at least if it stems from a particular life event. You have to find what helps you cope, but imo medication isn't always it. You'd be a very lucky person if you only had to get through one traumatic event in your life. You can't spend your entire life on anti-depressants.
 
I was on SSRI's for 11 years but gave up due to being a walking corpse while they were at play.

Since then I've relied on regular bouts of intense aerobic activity (by intense activity I don't mean being the typical idiot who watches tv while on a recumbent bike who still can't figure out why he still pants and heaves while walking to the beer cooler) and it's been working very well.
 
I self medicate for it as well. Many friends are either worse off or have committed suicide due to discontinuing anti depressants or trying to wean off. I smoke weed to self medicate, and it honestly helps a lot. I get emotionally impacted easy. Quite a few events in life have led to it. New Jersey may legalize recreationally and then I can switch to oils cause I don't like the idea of smoking in general.

My stress/depression is also an anomaly, as it sends a flurry of symptoms that doctors can't seem to treat or understand. When I have my episodes, my ears get beat red, boiling hot. It send heat and tension throughout my entire head and jaw. Causing pressure to build up in my head and ears. It is so debilitating that when these things started, I lost my job, considered suicide, gained massive weight. Thankfully over the years I managed to control it in a way through weed. Lost a ton of weight again. Episodes being less frequent but pretty bad when they do strike.

Personally, I'm not a fan of marijuana, but my friend who was an Iraq war veteran was prescribed it for PTSD. He says it helps him, and that's fine.
 
^^
That being said, I still don't think it is a good method. Because I think it could lead to dependency, and there are negative aspects of marijuana that could reduce the quality of ones life. (i.e. reduced short-term memory, impaired judgement, social-withdrawal, complacency) Though I understand that there is medically prescribed CBD that removes the high feeling one experiences from marijuana; while still benefiting from the medicinal aspect of it.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nati...00bd9d38a02_story.html?utm_term=.b84de3a11aea
 
I was on SSRI's for 11 years but gave up due to being a walking corpse while they were at play.

Since then I've relied on regular bouts of intense aerobic activity (by intense activity I don't mean being the typical idiot who watches tv while on a recumbent bike who still can't figure out why he still pants and heaves while walking to the beer cooler) and it's been working very well.

And it seems almost impossible for me to sleep after taking those and stopping bc without a night cap (alcohol and sleepytime tea-not enough to get intoxicated btw) I end to jolt awake every time I begin to fall asleep; by this I mean I feel an impulse shoot through a leg or an arm causing it to twitch violently. I even had my whole body twitch where it would be flung a few inches (it was pretty fun I'll admit).
 
I have never tried one, but not surprised. Doctors will usually tell you that anti-depressants help you realize "how you are supposed to feel" and then you are supposed to get off them slowly to feel that way for good. Only problem is that people will not get off them.

About your reaction:

Could it be that actually people without depression show symptoms of such when using these artificial stimulants?


I would strongly advise people not to take anti-depressants. I took one for only about a week. My doctor prescribed it after the one week supply of Valium ran out.

It was terrible: the depression was infinitely worse. It was as if a black cloud had settled over me. I called her up and told her about it and she insisted that wasn't possible. Well, when I stopped taking it I got better. I mean, still sad and stressed, but not like that. Maybe I just have a weird reaction to drugs and that's why, but it scared me and that was it for psychotropic drugs.

Imo, hard work helps, finding creative or intellectual outlets, focusing on other people's needs instead of your own. Religion works too, but it just wasn't an option for me. From what I can see, exercise helps some people. Mostly, it's usually just the passage of time, at least if it stems from a particular life event. You have to find what helps you cope, but imo medication isn't always it. You'd be a very lucky person if you only had to get through one traumatic event in your life. You can't spend your entire life on anti-depressants.
 
I have never tried one, but not surprised. Doctors will usually tell you that anti-depressants help you realize "how you are supposed to feel" and then you are supposed to get off them slowly to feel that way for good. Only problem is that people will not get off them.

About your reaction:

Could it be that actually people without depression show symptoms of such when using these artificial stimulants?

That's a very good question. Perhaps these medications are supposed to target actual clinical depression, not the "normal" anxiety, stress, and sadness that is a natural reaction to a traumatic event or loss? I also think, as I said upthread, that some of this has to do with the fact that good doctors don't want to prescribe things like Valium because they're addictive, and so they prescribe these anti-depressants instead.

These are two different conditions, though, and two different classes of medication. That one week supply of valium got me through a really bad time. I think the problem may be that so many people wind up abusing anti-anxiety medication, taking more than prescribed, or perhaps doctors prescribed too much, and they got terribly addicted, and so now responsible doctors just won't let people have it, and so give them medications that might be targeting the problem imperfectly if at all.

Or it might be that they just don't know enough about depression, and that there might be chemical pathways that are rather individual to the person. What works for one person might not work for another. That's why I rather regret that I said anything. I wouldn't want anyone to feel I'm disparaging people for taking them if they do help. For me, within two days I literally felt suffocated by darkness and despair. I often think that it was a blessing the change was so immediate, and that I had the sense to argue with the doctor. What if the effect on someone else was gradual? People might not connect it to taking the medication.

Drug tolerance as a whole might have something to do with it too. I had surgery about 10 years back. The anesthesiologist asked the typical questions. Mood altering medications? No. Recreational drugs? No. Alcohol? Maybe two glasses of wine a week. Nicotine? No. Caffeine? One cup of coffee a day. He laughed and said, I haven't seen a work up like this since I worked with Mormons in Utah. I'm going to have to give you the lowest possible dose. Well, he must have thought he did, but I still mostly slept for the next 24 hours! :)

I think you meant depressants, right? I would never take a stimulant. I'm hyper-focused as it is, and more than one cup of coffee makes me jittery. I can't even imagine what I'd be like if I took a stimulant drug...probably like the energizer bunny!

Anyway, this is all just amateur musing. I hope that researchers are going to come up with some better solutions for people.

One other thing occurs to me with regard to Jovialis' question. If your culture accepts and perhaps even lauds sadness and a certain amount of depression after a loss, you might be less tempted to go running to the doctor for medication. Here, I often feel there's this relentless pressure to be optimistic and upbeat and "happy" all the time. That's not natural to me. Maybe that's why Americans take so much more of these kinds of medications than they do in Europe.
 
I need all sorts of stimulants to focus on anything, lol. I used to find someone of adequate height to sit behind so the professor couldn't see me fall asleep back in college. :grin::good_job:

Seriously though, I have no idea how people focus on such boring tasks like filling out paperwork without wanting to scream, I cant do the simplest things without popping my focus balloon.
 
I think you meant depressants, right? I would never take a stimulant. I'm hyper-focused as it is, and more than one cup of coffee makes me jittery. I can't even imagine what I'd be like if I took a stimulant drug...probably like the energizer bunny!
Yes, anti-depressants. Stimulants might help some with depression, but again: not recommended on a regular basis. To clarify: It was anti-depressant and NOT anti-anxiety, right? Because from what I see, anti-anxiety pills seem to have more side-effects related to depressing those who take them if you will. All the way to even being warned about concerning thoughts of suicides potentially being triggered.
 
I've been on adderall 16 years and still going. That's 5,840 days with that in my bloodstream.
 
Yes, anti-depressants. Stimulants might help some with depression, but again: not recommended on a regular basis. To clarify: It was anti-depressant and NOT anti-anxiety, right? Because from what I see, anti-anxiety pills seem to have more side-effects related to depressing those who take them if you will. All the way to even being warned about concerning thoughts of suicides potentially being triggered.

I have such limited experience that I'm not the one to ask, but my recollection is that I had absolutely no negative reaction to the Valium (anti-anxiety). I just could sleep and was calm enough to handle funeral arrangements and the actual wake and funeral itself. The doctor said she only ever prescribed them for a week because people so often abused them and because they're so addictive. That's why she tried to put me on anti-depressants. No thank you. I got over it on my own. As I said, it takes time to get over things like that. It's not "normal" to be happy and chipper right away if you've suffered a terrible loss or a terrible thing has happened.

So far as I know, it's anti-depressants that carry all those warnings about stopping them if you have suicidal thoughts. Of course, as I said, I'm not an expert. I'm just going by what people have told me and by what I hear on the ads if I can't switch the channel quickly enough.
 
Yes, anti-depressants. Stimulants might help some with depression, but again: not recommended on a regular basis. To clarify: It was anti-depressant and NOT anti-anxiety, right? Because from what I see, anti-anxiety pills seem to have more side-effects related to depressing those who take them if you will. All the way to even being warned about concerning thoughts of suicides potentially being triggered.

Not sure if this is the right place to ask but is it possible to experience euphoria after having a major depressive episode? I had one this morning (it was excruciating-counting my blessings required the amount of effort I would need to read rocket blueprints-ok maybe not that bad) but then I began feeling really happy and much more upbeat and I have no idea why I switched gears like that.
 
Not sure if this is the right place to ask but is it possible to experience euphoria after having a major depressive episode? I had one this morning (it was excruciating-counting my blessings required the amount of effort I would need to read rocket blueprints-ok maybe not that bad) but then I began feeling really happy and much more upbeat and I have no idea why I switched gears like that.

You might want to ask a professional if you have bi-polar disorder. There are medications for it. One is zyprexa, although it's primarily a schizophrenia drug.

Amazing what you pick up in certain professions.
 
You might want to ask a professional if you have bi-polar disorder. There are medications for it. One is zyprexa, although it's primarily a schizophrenia drug.

Amazing what you pick up in certain professions.

Most people are good when it comes to filtering out the negatives in life, it's a protective mechanism which allows them to go about their lives. During an episode, the demons break loose and repeatedly scream reminders of my flaws, and everything else I'd like to ignore. I retaliate by attempting positive thoughts, but I'm no match for these imps who overpower me eventually.

Ive been cutting back on alcohol consumption for about a week and a half and ever since then I've been getting these, in fact I had a very intense episode of euphoria last week after an episode, totally on cloud 9.
 
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