I hadn't read the article yet, Treasur, I was replying to Jack.
Now I have. The article is from 2002. All the neuroscience/neurobiology courses I did were more recent than it by many years. The way things are seen have changed, and keeps changing.
Neurotransmitters are interesting, but there is far more to the brain and depression that them. Keep using meds like SSRI, that target serotoing and don't work for 50% of those they are given and the ones who do most will need them again is not good.
You see, a psychiatrist does not have a clue what is, or is not, missing/high/low. They don't aks for tests. Or most of them don't. They give you med, one size fits almost all. Some may give an atypical antidepressant, like Bupropion (Elontril/Wellbutrin, etc). It targets dopamine and norepinephrine, not serotinine. If the problem is not dopamine or norepinephrine it will not do a thing.
Year before MLC, Mr J had depression as a consequence of burnout. He was given fluoxetine (Prozac). It literally drove him mad and made in angry, very angry. By then, he was aware enough, talked to doctors who remove the med. I think that is the reason why he refused to see a doctor when his MLC depression come. Remember he said he was depressed. He was afraid of the meds because he had a terrible experience with them.
As a general rule, psychiatrists work in the dark and perscribe what they think will work. It does not mean it will. And often it does not, and can even make matters worst.
What is missing in our spouses from a neurotransmitter picture? I don't know. I don't even know if it is a neurotransmitters problem. Since many MLCers that are given anti-depressants, usually SSRIS have such bad reactions to them, I would say the problem is not the neurotransmitters. Or just not the neurotransmiters. Or it may be one that is not being target by the meds.
The current ways of treating depression aren't effective. I would say that for MLCers a mood stabilizer would make more sense than an anti-depressant. High energy MLC mimics bipolar, mood stabilizers work for bipolar.
But what if the matter can be solved with vitamins and mineral? Or what it the problem is with the electrical rather than chemical part of neurotransmition? What if it is the pre-frontal cortex, as a few here think? What if is is several brain and other things?
You're welcome, Jack.
I’ve been talking to many women and some men as they are more shy to reveal their problems about their shifting hormones and many feel they could cheerfully dispatch their loving spouse at times during this phase of life. Several have stated the character changes in their loved ones which is similar to MLC.
My real life experience with MLCer, my cousin included, is different. For them it was age, including Mr J and my cousin who were 36 and 37 and BD. Old, right.
They thought they were missing out and had to do things "now". Mr J had left over 12 years ago and remain in his MLC life. My cousin was a wallower and never went anywhere. He did nothing to his homones and now that he is nearly 50 he has much more energy.
I have no idea what changed other than he hitting rock bottom in Summer 2018, went to see a friend of mine who is a psychiatrist and was able to help him.
I fully agree hormones have a major impact on our lives. I am just not certain they are the cause or MLC. Or the case for most/many MLCers.
They don't seem to do a thing to their hormones, yet they become normal again. We really don't know since we have no tests. Testing MLCers, now, that is a challange.
Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together. (Marilyn Monroe)