|
I've been researching depression and mental illnesses on my own for many years. The reason was I never had good results from the medications that I received (many years ago they were only antidepressants) and more recently they worked better because I finally have the correct diagnosis, which always helps!
Depression is basically supported by deficiencies or disfunctions of the neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain, the primary ones being seratonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, but there may be others. These neurotransmitters enable signals to pass between the nerves in the brain. The distance between two nerves is called a synapse. The chemical neurotransmitter lies in that synapse and enables the electric signal to get from one nerve to the next. If that neurotransmitter is deficient or in some way isn't there in the right timing, the signal gets short circuited. When this happens a zillion times, day after day, it has an accumulative effect and can cause a mental illness.
Picture a fleet of boats, carrying an order of cargo from one supplier to one customer via a river. If all of a sudden the river dries up, the cargo doesn't get to the customer. So, the customer doesn't have the product. Neurotransmitters are the river.
A tendency for certain neurotransmitters to be deficient in some way can be inherited. This can cause any one of several types of mental illness. Just because it can be passed down a family line, doesn't mean it will. It's kind of like diabetes or heart disease or anything like that.
Anxiety is fear. Period. It is based in fear. It also is a series of bodily reactions to this fear. Anxiety often co-occurs with depression. Although it is simple to say "anxiety is fear", pinpointing the origin of the specific fear or fears is not as simple. They are most often deep and complex.
This is some of what I've learned over the years. It's probably as clear as mud. It was to me at first.
__________________
 Vickie
|