[MyBrainIsBroken]

I'm going to sound like my MIL when I say this, and I really hate that.    But they're likely not sociopaths. They're men.

My mother, wife, and I were all like this. You don't have to be a man to be taught not to acknowledge your feelings. But I agree that it's more common with men. Big boys don't cry. My wife used to hate it when her sister said that to her son. Now I seem to have gone 180 in the other direction. My wife still suppresses her feelings although she seems to be getting better at displaying anger. And my mother passed without ever learning to express her feelings.

Here's an interesting twist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzpXuRCBgsM

[scooter]

My H has a double whammy because he is law enforcement also and they are trained to show no emotions, he also has had so many health problems in his early 40's that put him in the ICU 3 times over 7 years he was a crisis waiting to happen.  I just made the mistake of thinking my loving him and trying to take care of him through it all would be enough. 

[Anjae]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/09/delete-bad-memories-forget An article how the brain forgets things for its own protection.

We often talk about how MLCers do not remember and how part can be about the brain's self protection mechanism.

[Anjae]

A little from Richard Brown's An Introduction to Neuroendocrinology.


"The main focus will be on how the endocrine and nervous systems form an integrated functional neuroendocrine system which influences physiological and behavioral
responses."

"Many of the endocrine glands (although not all of them) are influenced by the pituitary gland, the so-called 'master gland', and the pituitary is itself controlled by various hormones from the hypothalamus, a part of the brain lying above the pituitary gland. The release of hypothalamic hormones is, in turn, regulated by neurotransmitters released from nerve cells in the brain.
Neurotransmitters also control behavior and the release of neurotransmitters from certain nerve cells is modulated by the level of specific hormones in the circulation. Thus, neurotransmitter release influences both hormones and behavior and hormones influence the release of neurotransmitters. This interaction between hormones, the brain and behavior involves a wide variety of chemical messengers..."

"The cells of the immune system also produce chemical messengers called cytokines or lymphokines, which interact with the neural and endocrine systems... When hormones, neuropeptides or cytokines alter the synthesis and release of neurotransmitters in the brain, one result is a change in behavior."

"When the target cell is stimulated, it undergoes a physiological change, caused by the hormonal action. The hormones in the circulation also feed back to the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, to alter further hormone release. Finally, when the brain is a target for hormonal action, the result may be a behavioral as well as a physiological change."

"The body has three different communication systems: the nervous system, the endocrine system and the immune system, each of which uses its own type of chemical messenger. Nerve cells communicate through the release of neurotransmitters; endocrine glands by hormones and the immune system by cytokines. These three systems are not independent; each one interacts with the other two..."

[MyBrainIsBroken]

"The body has three different communication systems: the nervous system, the endocrine system and the immune system, each of which uses its own type of chemical messenger. Nerve cells communicate through the release of neurotransmitters; endocrine glands by hormones and the immune system by cytokines. These three systems are not independent; each one interacts with the other two..."

Very interesting.

Do I dare to ask how this relates to free will? Apparently the answer is yes, I do. 

[Anjae]

Excellent question. I do think we have free will. However, when our systems are in overdrive, or
underdrive, our judgment and/or free will may be, and often is, compromised.

Imagine a car engine. Or a computer. When all is well they work fine, when something is wrong they do not. I think it is the same with us.

We could try to use an example of what is not free will and what is. Consider the MLCer and their alienator. They tend to say they are in love. Lets assume that is true. The falling in love does not depend of free will, it is chemical (hormones are chemicals). The going the next step is free will. A person may fall in love and not act on it. Of course, with MLCers, they are a hormonal/chemical mess, so everything in them is blurred.

To add a little more confusion (or to make it easier), several of our genes alter depending of the ambient we live in/we have been exposed to. I have often given the example taught in one of the genetics courses I did, a child of a genetically stressed mother will not be genetically stressed if raised by a non genetically stressed mother. If raised by its genetically stressed mother the child will be genetically stressed.

So far, all I have learned suggest that MLC is treatable, or at least mitigable, and that if our MLCers would leave behind their nuts MLC life, their other person, MLC friends, etc, and were able to be on a quiet, restful place, they would change.

The problem is that when they leave it is too late. Usually because there is no way of taking them to a skilled professional for help. The help would have to include more than therapy. Vitamins and mineral, as well as a good balanced diet are important. Those would already be of help. Of course tests of several types would have to be done in order to check several levels.

Essentially, we are dealing with something that is a result of several systems in the brain and body being unbalanced. Therefore, it has to be possible to rebalance said systems.

The use of minerals and vitamins, as well as certain foods, is already being applied to depression by some health professional who do not like to use pills, or who think that pills alone are not the way. I am not against anti-depressants and anti-anxiety pills, I have adviced LBS here to go see a doctor and consider taking one or both, but I think decent, even good results, would be obtained with a combination of anti-anxiety pills, vitamins, minerals and certain foods. Why the anti-anxiety pills?

Because LBS are under huge stress. It is very important to protect our nervous system and our heart. The vitamins and minerals alone may not cut it for us. At least not early one. The anti-depressants tend to take a while to work and, often, make people feel even more depressed until they finally kick in. Plus, many are ssri  - selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, they work on serotonin but don't much for the other chemicals of the brain. 

I have been adjusting my thoughts on some things as I learn more. They do not differ much, but they are more tuned to the introduction of natural ways, without discarting the drugs where necessary, since I know by personal experience that natural alone may not work. Early on I was given Valerian pills. They did not manage to curb my anxiety and stress levels. Alprazolan was the only thing that worked.

[scooter]

Thanks Anjae interesting I like the idea of anti anxiety pills to help them vs anti depressants, I have heard the side effects can be bad.  My questions is are we supposed to encourage them to seek medical advise?  We talked about it months ago and we even looked into hormone therapy but then he dropped it and I dropped it because I didn't want to harp on the fact that something was really wrong with him and he needed doctors care.  So maybe now months later should I bring it up again?

He goes to the doctor for his knees frequently I doubt he has mentioned he is having mid life crazy.

[Anjae]

Scooter, I think if the MLCer mentions wanting to go to the doctor, or is talking about depression or hormone therapy, it does not harm to suggest it is a good idea to go see a doctor. But I would refrain from using the words mild life crisis. They probably will not take those well. And if the MLCer does not goes to the doctor, or goes and does not approach the depression or hormonal issues, it may be better not to pressure them. We all know how they react to being pressured.

Yes, anti-depressants can have bad side effects. There are some atypical anti-depressants that do not have the usual side effects, but doctors often still prefer the more standard ones. Also, each person will have a different reaction to the same anti-depressant.

[Velika]

Has anyone interested in this aspect of MLC researched the insular cortex? I was doing some research on empathy and the brain and was very interested to read that this part of the brain is thought to not only regulate empathy but also play a role in list, disgust, pride, humiliation, amygdala regulation and -- interestingly -- emotional response to music.

I also read that depression involves the insular cortex.

Anyhow .. Perhaps others have investigated, I was curious.

[kikki]

I've heard that the brain is considered to be a lot like outer space - the last frontier.
So very little has been known about it until recent years, and I guess with brain research now being a focus, hopefully knowledge will expand rapidly.

When I did all of my research a few years ago, all of the below (empathy etc) was considered to be regulated by the frontal and prefrontal cortex.  (Maybe these areas are now being broken down into smaller parts?  I would imagine they would be over time).
They knew then with scanning that in depression, the blood flow to these areas is rapidly constricted, which then affects normal functioning and brings enormous personality changes.

The longer this goes on untreated, the higher the chances of long term damage.

There are many links within these threads about it.