There is a
program on TV this season called Limitless,
whose premise is that a man can take a pill and unleash far greater
intellectual knowledge than normally possible. His mind can function
limitlessly. There are tremendous downsides to this treatment, though, and how
to deal with them is a great story. http://www.cbs.com/shows/limitless/
Unfortunately,
there is no “limitless” pill today, but as I look back on my family’s history
of a number of neurological disorders, including depression, ADHD, ADD and
Anxiety Disorders, I think how some of the treatments for these may seem like
that “limitless pill.”
Today there
are many medications that I think act somewhat like this miracle pill, and yet
there is controversy over whether to take them or not. I’m referring to
treatments for ADHD, ADD, Anxiety Attacks, and all the mental illnesses. The
medications (magic pills) used don’t make a person smarter, but they correct
neurological imbalances in the brain so the individuals can overcome the deficiencies
that cause the problem.
Not only
medications are used to treat these illnesses; there are also psychological
treatments and other training that can try to help individuals overcome these
neurological problems. How great it is that we live in a day when we can get
help for neurological conditions that in the past were often ignored.
DEPRESSIVE
DISORDERS
I have
suffered with clinical depression for over almost 30 years. The medication to control this doesn’t make me
feel happy all the time, or not allow me to feel sadness—it just makes me
normal--to feel normal emotions at normal times, without the chemical imbalance
skewing the situation.
I recall the
moment I realized just how bad my depression was; I was driving and stopped at
a light and some young people laughing and talking walked by in front of me. I
remember thinking that I couldn’t imagine laughing at anything—it was literally
beyond my comprehension at that time. It was like a bell went off in my head
and I realized that I wasn’t just discouraged—I was mentally ill, if I couldn’t
imagine laughing. That was the point when I sought treatment for my ailment.
(In discussing
the following disorders, I am taking their descriptions from the government’s National
Institute for Mental Illness’ website to be as accurate as possible.)
Depressive
Disorders: “Everyone occasionally feels blue or sad. But
these feelings are usually short-lived and pass within a couple of days. When
you have depression, it interferes with daily life and causes pain for both you
and those who care about you. Depression is a common but serious illness.[1]” [In
this article, I am discussing only Major Depression, and not the other
disorders, including Persistent depressive disorder,
Psychotic depression, Postpartum depression, Seasonal
affective disorder (SAD) and Bipolar disorder because I haven’t had experience dealing with these.]
“Depressive illnesses are disorders of the
brain. Brain-imaging technologies, such as
What
are the signs and symptoms of depression? “People
with depressive illnesses do not all experience the same symptoms. The
severity, frequency, and duration of symptoms vary depending on the individual
and his or her particular illness.
“Signs and symptoms include:
·
Persistent sad, anxious,
or "empty" feelings
·
Feelings of hopelessness
or pessimism
·
Feelings of guilt,
worthlessness, or helplessness
·
Irritability,
restlessness
·
Loss of interest in
activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
·
Fatigue and decreased
energy
·
Difficulty
concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
·
Insomnia, early-morning
wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
·
Overeating, or appetite
loss
·
Thoughts of suicide,
suicide attempts
·
Aches or pains,
headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment.[3]”
My paternal grandmother
had what I think today would be diagnosed as depression. However, not much was
known enough about these disorders then, and for a number of years she was in
bed. No one ever knew what was wrong with her—she was just too sick to
function.
ADHD/ADD
When my child who
suffers from ADD was born, I thought that if only I was a better parent, he
would act like a normal child and not have any of the symptoms which I later
learned were that of Attentive Disorder. Now that I have grandchildren with
ADHD or ADD, I understand that my parenting style may not have been as
important as I thought.
ADHD (or as these are often called, Inattentive disorder). “Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the
most common childhood disorders and can continue through adolescence and
adulthood. Symptoms include difficulty staying focused and paying attention,
difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (over-activity).
·
“Predominantly
hyperactive-impulsive
o
Most symptoms (six or
more) are in the hyperactivity-impulsivity categories.
o
Fewer than six symptoms
of inattention are present, although inattention may still be present to some
degree
.
·
“Predominantly
inattentive
o
The majority of symptoms
(six or more) are in the inattention category and fewer than six symptoms of
hyperactivity-impulsivity are present, although hyperactivity-impulsivity may
still be present to some degree.
o
Children with this
subtype are less likely to act out or have difficulties getting along with
other children. They may sit quietly, but they are not paying attention to what
they are doing. Therefore, the child may be overlooked, and parents and
teachers may not notice that he or she has ADHD.
·
“Combined
hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive
o
Six or more symptoms of
inattention and six or more symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity are present.
o
Most children have the
combined type of ADHD.”[4]
These may be actions we all have
at times, but in the person with ADHD, these are constant problems.
One might
have a little ADD, and never be diagnosed, or have a lot of ADD and not be able
to adapt to school at all. But it all cases, something short-circuits the focus
of the individual, so their mind cannot complete normal tasks in a normal way.
I have family
members with ADD, and for some, the right medication can be like the drug in
the TV series, Limitless. Their mind
suddenly functions correctly. In others, cognitive training can help overcome
this disability.
Dealing with
family members with ADD is like an analogy someone once used for having a child
with Down’s Syndrome; you think you are arriving in England, but instead you
are in the Netherlands. Your life is just different than you expected—not
worse, just different.
As a mother
of a child with ADD, a constant feeling was that of frustration—but it was like
trying to expect a child to change the color of their eyes. They are who they
are—many are more intelligent and more creative than others without the
disorder, but they have handicaps they have to overcome to succeed.
Whenever I think about how hard it is for a person with ADD to
think or work, I recall that whenever I have a migraine, I can’t think straight
(or walk straight—I am very unbalanced). I can’t think of common words to
explain things; it is like my mind is frozen. So although I don’t have ADD, I
can empathize with those who can’t focus or think when their ADD is bad. I am
sure it is similar to when I have a migraine and getting frustrated trying to
think or do things, that only makes it worse.
ANXIETY DISORDER
I think my family taught
us to worry ourselves sick about everything. If we were late coming home, my
father was sure we had been in an accident. If I felt sick, he was sure I had a
fatal illness. I always thought it was a trained behavior, but if it becomes
bad enough, it can become Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
Anxiety disorder: “Occasional anxiety is a normal part of life.
You might feel anxious when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test,
or making an important decision. Anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry
or fear. For a person with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away
and can get worse over time. These feelings can interfere with daily activities
such as job performance, school work, and relationships.[5]”
“While some symptoms,
such as fear and worry, occur in all anxiety disorders, each disorder also has
distinctive symptoms.
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Panic Disorder
- Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)[6]”
NIMH, National Institute
of Mental Health explains about each type of disorder:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): “All of
us worry about things like health, money, or family problems. But people with
generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are extremely worried about these and many
other things, even when there is little or no reason to worry about them. They
are very anxious about just getting through the day. They think things will
always go badly. At times, worrying keeps people with GAD from doing everyday
tasks.[7]”
“Panic
Disorder: “People with social phobia tend to:
·
Be very anxious about
being with other people and have a hard time talking to them, even though they
wish they could
·
Be very self-conscious
in front of other people and feel embarrassed
·
Be very afraid that
other people will judge them
·
Worry for days or weeks before
an event where other people will be
·
Stay away from places
where there are other people
·
Have a hard time making
friends and keeping friends
·
Blush, sweat, or tremble
around other people
·
Feel nauseous or sick to
their stomach when with other people.[8]”
Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder): “People with social phobia tend to:
- Be very anxious about being with other people and have a hard time talking to them, even though they wish they could
- Be very self-conscious in front of other people and feel embarrassed
- Be very afraid that other people will judge them
- Worry for days or weeks before an event where other people will be
- Stay away from places where there are other people
- Have a hard time making friends and keeping friends
- Blush, sweat, or tremble around other people
- Feel nauseous or sick to their stomach when with other people.[9]”
My maternal grandmother
developed what we would call “Social Phobia,” as she grew older. She found it
difficult to be in social situations, including church, which she normally
loved to attend. My aunt explained that as much as Grandmother enjoyed going to
church, she would become anxious, to the point of illness, when she attended.
“The study results also attach numbers to
molecular evidence documenting the importance of heritability traceable to
common genetic variation in causing these five major mental illnesses. Yet this
still leaves much of the likely inherited genetic contribution to the disorders
unexplained – not to mention
non-inherited genetic factors. For example, common genetic variation accounted
for 23 percent of schizophrenia, but evidence from twin and family studies
estimate its total heritability at 81 percent. Similarly, the gaps are 25
percent vs. 75 percent for bipolar disorder, 28 percent vs. 75 percent for
ADHD, 14 percent vs. 80 percent for autism, and 21 percent vs. 37 percent for
depression.
“It is encouraging that the estimates of genetic contributions to
mental disorders trace those from more traditional family and twin studies. The
study points to a future of active gene discovery for mental disorders” said
Thomas Lehner, Ph.D., chief of the NIMH Genomics Research Branch, which funds
the project.[10]”
But I am encouraged by the fact that we live in a day and age when
these common disorders can be diagnosed and relief can often be achieved.
Unlike my paternal grandmother with depression and my maternal grandmother with
social phobia, today there is help—medication, therapy, psychological training
that can help us deal with these problems and allow the individuals so
afflicted to live more normally.
Unfortunately, there is no “Limitless” pill that can make our
minds work at miracle speed today. But I look forward to the next life when our
minds will function limitlessly and looking back on our temporal minds’ limits
will make us laugh. Until then, I will rely on what help is available, and be
grateful that we have it.
[2]
Ibid. “Depression”
[3]
Ibid., “Anxiety disorders”
[4]
Ibid., “Attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd”
[6]
Ibid: “Signs and Symptoms”
[7]
Ibid. “Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)”
[8]
Ibid. “Panic Disorders”
[9]
Ibid. “Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder.”
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