Seretonin Levels....

[Chev]

O.K,

I've always been interested in the effects of cannabis on users who have depression. I myself take an anti-depressent, and have done since about half-way through puberty.

Studies are now showing that people younger and younger are being affected.

I recently read a story on an 8 year old australian boy who was taking the same as me, Zoloft. He had been since he was 4, I think.

Now b4 anyone throws their arms in the air, and starts saying how terrible it is......

Do you remember what it was like? Being a kid, and the smallest things are sometimes are the biggest, in small minds anyway. And you can feel so isolated, like nobody else is on the same planet as you.

I'm glad that poor kid found a doc willing to help out. Other avenues were tried, and failed, so it was a last resort. He is now a fully functioning normal little boy, who has freinds and likes life. B4, he'd spent years depressed, crying over nothing and totally withdrawn from others.

A fucking 4 or 5 year old. That's sad. He actually made me cry while he explained how he felt so happy now, and that he'd actually contemplated suicide b4. At that age? I didn't even realise they knew what it was.

Well, the whole issue is why? Why are our kids becoming like this at such an early age? Some health professionals are saying drug use by mum, some say it's the way we're evolving. What do you think?

[boulder]

Depression in children is usually caused by a combination of four things: genetics,inviroment, what is happening in a person's life, and what is going on in their body. Usually, more than one is present in a child.

 

IMO

[pipeman]

I spoke to a psychiatrist the other day who believed that the old school methods of bashing a kid into shape and being a strict disciplinarian gets the best results, especially with problem children.

[Luke Skywalker]

Toturing children doesn't make them better children, just better torturers.

 

But on the depression thing, I do agree with boulder to some degree, but I am aware that the seretonin re-uptake inhibitors or tri-cyclic anti-depressants are a fairly radical advance in treating some forms of chemical brain disfunction. But they aren't for everyone, and they aren't the be-all cure for depression.

 

I've suffered from pretty severe depression for most of my life, I had a quite unhappy childhood regardless of my socio-economic status at the time, (which was quite reasonable actually) and I now know that it's a medical problem which I can't fix with these drugs, as I've gone through the gamut of them to no avail. Now, that probably biases me against them to asome degree, but I would warn everyone not to imagine them as the answer to all your problems. Although they are a great help to those it works for... it's not the actual cure, just a way to it.

 

The epidemic of depression in children and youth today I feel is like boulder said, genetics, environment, where a person is in life and bodily function effects. There is also a fair case for a lot of the chemicals we as the modern generation and the ones before us have been exposed to as a factor in modern mental illness. It could also be something to do with excessive reporting, although I must admit my saying that is only anecdotal, not based on any figures of reporting rates. I'd imagine that the present arrangements between doctors and pharmaceutical companies on an individual referral basis is probably having an effect on the rates reported of depression, as well as a whole host of other diseases... I'm not saying this is the only cause behind the seeming explosion in depressive illness in society and young people in particular, but we do have to take it all into account.

 

I look forward to the next 20 years or so of medical research and medicinal development. There are a heck of a lot of things about the human brain and body which we just have no idea about. I watched a speaker on National Press Club not that long ago... and he said that of the treatments given to patients in the form of prescription today, 25% of them have no scientific basis or evidence of their effectiveness. We just don't know if it works, or if it does work, they don't know how.... As we delve deeper into molecular biology and neurological functions of the human body and life in general, we'll probably start to lick these problems like understanding brain dysfunction and mental illness, although it's only a part of the whole solution. I hope we don't just end up all the same, but I look forward to medical science opening up doors and lifes for those who would otherwise be crippled by a simple chemical imbalance... or whatever their particular problems of medical nature they may be....

 

The thing is that we can only guess as to the real nature of mental illness and what the human mind really is, and until we understand it better, we can only take guesses as to what may help. Just be aware of that.

 

Oh, and everyone should just go and find someone to hug... makes you feel much better.

[Chev]

I spoke to a psychiatrist the other day who believed that the old school methods of bashing a kid into shape and being a strict disciplinarian gets the best results, especially with problem children

Yeah, well. Sorry pipeman, you shoulda told the guy to get fucked. I'm not even going to comment on the above, don't really think I need to........One thing, put it this way. My father was very, very old school. If anything, it was like holding a red flag up 2 a bull.

 

Obviously, yes, there are factors that need to be considered. But, sometimes, there is no absolute dead set reason for this.

Growing up as a kid of a Vietnam Vet, who suffered PTSD, depression, high blood pressure, and was also a regular drinker, I know this has contributed to my bouts.

I actually become quite manic. And sometimes under real bad stress, I can become obsessively compulsive. Clean continuously, not happy with certain things etc. Even down to re-arranging furniture, or moving my things around so they are perfect.

But I have overcome the severe depression I had as a youngster, and I will say that it has been sped along by the meds I take. I do still suffer with bouts now and again, but I mean, I can still get outta bed and get on with it.

Meds are not the answer completely, but they can be a very important part of the process. And yes, they definatley aren't for everyone, and those that do have a reaction to them, can actually end up very sick.

My father has told me since, that he was exposed to agent orange quite severely. He was on the choppers that pulled in the dead and wounded.......I think field ambo would be it. So.......no wonder he was never the same. Both me and my bro have depression, and take the same meds. We were both hypo, him more than me, and had a couple of other hitches. To cut a long story short, could his exposure to Agent Orange have contributed to my probs? I think it could be included in the factor factor. I'd do a couple of topics on it, but I'm probably the only one around who it's relevant to. Unless guests would read it? Agent Orange exposure was pretty common with vietam vets, so I wonder if it'd be worth posting about? What u guys think?

[pipeman]

yeah well chev I disagree. I think parents are too soft on their children these days and this is contributing to the problem. Obviously there is a limit, your case sounds like an extreme, thats not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about tough, disciplined parenting and bloody well smacking the kid when they do something wrong. It works more often than not IMO. But needs to be reinforced both at home and at school, or in the case of divorced parents, from both parents. Its where you get one party not holding up the discipline where things usually run amuck.

 

Some people equate abusive parents with disciplined parents, I don't. You can beat hell out of your kid and still be the most undisciplined and bad parent in the world. why? because you are belting the kid because of your own problems, not theirs. This sounds like your situation with your Dad.

[Tom]

yeah well chev I disagree.  I think parents are too soft on their children these days and this is contributing to the problem.  Obviously there is a limit, your case sounds like an extreme, thats not what I'm talking about.  I'm talking about tough, disciplined parenting and bloody well smacking the kid when they do something wrong.  It works more often than not IMO.  But needs to be reinforced both at home and at school, or in the case of divorced parents, from both parents.  Its where you get one party not holding up the discipline where things usually run amuck. 

 

Some people equate abusive parents with disciplined parents, I don't.  You can beat hell out of your kid and still be the most undisciplined and bad parent in the world.  why?  because you are belting the kid because of your own problems, not theirs.  This sounds like your situation with your Dad.

I'm with chev on this one, respect is what is needed. I have been a parent for 17 1/2 years, a sole parent for the last eight, and my children have never received your sort of discipline from me, as I have their respect they willingly conform to the rules I have set down for their behaviour. I have not found the need for physical punishments to get my way, a polite question usually does the job (the kids are my coffee slaves). I also believe that smacking encourages lying, violence between siblings, bullying and other anti-social activities. Respect is earned through gaining the child’s trust, it cannot be gained by using violence, that only promotes fear and hate.

 

If I can't out think and out manoeuvre my kids then I am wasting my time as a parent.

[pipeman]

I see your point and you could be right Taz. But in the real world there are consequences if your screw up, you don't always get to talk things through like with your level headed Dad. Being smacked when you knowingly do something wrong is a good lesson for this IMO.

 

but, I have no kids of my own, so perhaps I'll defer to you and chev on this one

[Tom]

but, I have no kids of my own, so perhaps I'll defer to you and chev on this one 

Didn't you have a go at someone else for talking about things in which they

have very little personal experience

[pipeman]

but, I have no kids of my own, so perhaps I'll defer to you and chev on this one 

Didn't you have a go at someone else for talking about things in which they

have very little personal experience

haha, yeah well, at least I admit it