Posted by linkadge on April 22, 2007, at 12:35:52
In reply to Re: mood stabilisers for atypical symptoms, posted by Ines on April 22, 2007, at 11:12:45
>But looking at it carefully now, I suppose I >have some characteristics of mixed states >depression, i.e. my depression is very agitated >and anxious,
Back in the day there was a thing called agitated depression, before all of this bipolar 1000, stuff came into the picture. The TCA's were pretty good for that. Now they like to treat a lot of things with mood stabilizers.
Anger, irritability, and agitation can (IMHO) all be symptoms of just plain depression.
>I can sometimes feel elated just for a minute or >so before crashing badly, I alternate between >anger/ irritability and sadness. My mood also >swings wildly, sometimes from OKness to deep >despair for no apparent reason.
Omega-3 fatty acids might be a usefull adjunct to whatever meds you may end up on.
>The only time I felt some sort of mania was when >withdrawing (gradually) from an SSRI - it made >my mood swing wildly from one moment to the next >(literally from crying in despair to feeling >euphoric), and I became very sociable and hyper >when with friends, but deeply depressed when >alone. Most bizarre experience.
I suppose that this is similar to me too. I got placed on lithium when I came off of celexa, because the withdrawl made me kookey. This is *suprisingly* common. The SSRI's are powerful emotonal anesthetics, and withdrawing from them can let a lot of bottled emotions out.
I think this is why I got called bipolar, but after sufficiant time off the SSRI's I was not cycling.
>definitely have racing thoughts when depressed, >and general mental (but not physical) >hyperactivity- only it feels painful, not >pleasurable or powerful in any way.I know what you are talking about. Some of the earlies accounts of neurotic depression involved descriptions of racing mind, mental and physical agitation.
I can't say I know what the underlying biological underpinnings of what you are going through. Could be hormonal, could be nutritional, biochemical environemntal etc.
The only reason I jumped in on this post was that (in my experience) the mood stabilizers do very little for predominant and persistant depressed mood.
Lamotrigine might be worth a shot. I didn't do well on it as it just made me agitated.
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:751595
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070419/msgs/752407.html