Essay 3: Playing with Neurotranmitters
Welcome to page 3. In this piece I will attempt to show an example of a truth behind the veil of insanity surrounding the mental health field. (first entry 06.23.02)
Firstly, to do justice to this writing, I must begin with a definition for two words which are mentioned in the introduction. These words are not usually day to daily used, except in the case where a person is affiliated with mental health circles, etc.
a) Neurotransmitter: a chemical in the brain that transmits or sends messages to other specific cells. Dopamine and serotonin are neurotransmitters (also related to pleasantstateofmind), and abnormalities in the level of neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine and serotonin, are thought to be critical in schizophrenia.
b) Neuroleptic: medications used in the treatment of schizophrenia which have antipsychotic properties: a.k.a. neurotransmitter inhibitors and re-uptake inhibitors. These medications are specifically designed to inhibit the use of neurotransmitters in the brain, disabling it to positive emotion. Chronic use of such anti-psychotics results eventually in a depressed state of mind, as a matter of logical course due to the nature of medications one with the disorder must go through.
Here I ask the reader to pause, and re-read what was just written. When you are done, a realization between the lines can be seen; it is the fact that the medications utilized in the modern world's version of proper mental health management involves creating a massive number of people becoming first schizophrenic, then depressed(Clinically!) due to the fact that we take 'neuroleptics/anti-psychotics'.
(end one)
So what can be done? Knowing that our minds are being stifled by these medications, many turn to alcohol for re-stimulation. Others start with other recreational drugs to bring back that sense of contentment. Marijuana helps in many cases, at least as a fast acting anti-depressant. But the point is that patients eventually turn to such things, as an attempt to fill the hole left by the effects of natural neurotransmitter production inhibitions within the brain. Our sense of well being is gone. Chemically stopped in its tracks.
So knowing these things, we should find safe alternatives to re stimulating dopamine and serotonin, and get to realizing when one is 'manic' (high or low) on one of the 'well being' neurotransmitters. When the brain is overloaded, it shuts down or flickers or generally screws up. It is called 'psychosis'. (end two 07.07.2002)
The conclusion to this exploration in concept is that as a person with schizophrenia composing such material, it comes down to simply saying: " Essay On the Subject Of Balancing Neurotransmitters ".(end three 07.23.02)