Ho-Hum

I haven't felt much like writing lately. I don't think it has been because I didn't want to, but because I'm not really sure what to talk about right now.

I've been keeping busy. Work is going well and I have some volunteer opportunities coming up to interpret concerts and festivals. I was asked to do them by a client who likes my work, so that makes me feel really good. I haven't seen her in about a year, but it's nice to know she still thinks about me and likes what I do.

The puppy has been an experience. She's still getting house broken, which is getting better and better. She knows that outside is for going potty, but she still hasn't learned that inside is NOT for going potty. She's not as crazy as I thought a puppy would be. She does have her spurts of energy, but she also likes to take it easy. Cuddling with her always makes me feel good, no matter what is going on. She has had to go to the vet a few times, though, because she's got a lump on her head, which we think is from her clumsiness and her propensity for bonking her head on things (she doesn't know how big she really is!)

The Problem With Anti Depressants

I have struggled a lot over the years to find the right mixture of anti depressants that will help me get up off the floor. I would take one and think that it was a great improvement, only to realize later that it was only helping me sit up. After a year of thinking that was as good as it was gonna get, I'd get tired of still having symptoms and go back to the doctor. Eventually, I advanced to crawling, and a bit of walking. However, a small stumble would bring me flat down on my face and it took a long time to brush myself off and get back up again.

I'd like to think that right now I'm at the waking stage again, in heels, even, and I'm doing pretty good. There might be a little wobble here and there, but I haven't rolled my ankle yet. Then again, I'm not running any marathons, either.

Depression - Can You Change Your Genes?

At a recent appointment with a new psychiatrist, I was introduced to a new kind of drug to deal with depression. It's not any of the usual suspects (SSRI, SNRI, MAOI Inhibitor, etc) and I think it makes a lot of sense.

As anyone with depression probably knows, our brain chemistry is screwed up. We've got neurotransmitters, but we're either not using them efficiently or their levels are imbalanced

According to the scientists behind the drug Deplin, our body breaks folic acid down to a type of compound that helps balance the levels of our neurotransmitters. Furthermore, they claim that many of us with depression have a specific genetic factor that messes up our ability to break down folic acid into the compound that we need to do this.