Mental Health
Neurochemistry of Giving, Suicide, and Mood Triggers
Alvaro shares an essay written by a 15-year old on why “Tis better to give than receive” based on the neurochemicals Oxytocin and Dopamine. I liked the description that Oxytocin is a “cuddle” neurotransmitter. Keep in mind that we can give non-material things that can be just as meaningful - hugs, a smile, an act of kindness. That said, when you’re on the receiving end, accept the gift graciously because for some of us, the lesson we are learning is to accept what is given to us.
TherapyDoc asked, “How many signals does it take for SOMEONE to consider a higher level of care?” She answers the question as “Too many” as described by the suicide of college student Chuck Mahoney. Chuck Mahoney showed many signs of impending suicide, but these signs went unheeded. Signs for help - especially serious signs of suicide - often went unheeded because people did not know what to do. I also found the comment section (almost as long as the post itself) interesting, as it contained points of views toward this article, who’s responsible, what could have been done, and some personal experiences.
In a follow-up article, TherapyDoc talks about triggers that can lead the vulnerable into self-destructive acts. She gave a list of triggers that I think are important in acute management of depression. The reality is that we eventually have to “get out there” and face those triggers and come out of these experiences alive. Then we need a strategy or an action plan to follow when we get a trigger. The caveat is that this depends on ourselves recognizing that our mood function has been “triggered” and that an early warning has been raised. Furthermore it depends on us actually doing something about it, and following through with the action plan.
This concludes this carnival edition. To submit for the next edition, please use this link. Until next time!
Jane Chin
carnival of depression, bipolar disorder, blog carnival.
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All information in Jane's Mental Health Source Page website is for your information and education. The information does not replace or substitute for professional medical treatment or for professional medical advice relative to a specific medical question or condition.
Thanks Jane, nice job.