Is Personal Experience a Valid Foundation for Understanding Mental Illness?

[sandinmyears]

Originally posted by adrenaline
The neurologists in this institution have been recomending folic acid supplementation as well as vitamin d supplementation with dilantin (to prevent anticonvulsant osteomalacia) for a long time.

I think in general, as you already know, that good nutrition and perhaps a multivitamin supplementation would not be a bad idea no matter what you are taking.

I agree that there are many benefits to folic acid (Vitamin B9). One of my daughters has "Fetal Anticonvulsant Sydrome." (She is my daughter who is autistic (low functioning/non-verbal). She is also diagnosed as being severely/profoundly mentally retarded). Perhaps, had I been taking folic acid supplements prior to my pregnancy, this might have been prevented or atleast lessened.

When AEDs are taken however, it's a tricky situation because folic acid and anticonvulsant don't always interact well. Here's a link to a report on a double blind study: "Effect of Folic Acid Pretreatment on Convulsions in Mice."

http://www.ijp-online.com/archives/1984/016/02/r0107-0108ra.pdf

One of the findings is that folic acid reduced the activity of the anticonvulsants in the mice. [b(] (Sad). I hope there's an answer out there to this dilemma, because I agree; folic acid does seem to be a God send.

Until one is found (I had a doctor who used to say this)
Eat right.
Sleep right.
Exercise.
Think positive.

And I would also add to adopt into one's daily regiment
Granny's Cod Liver Oil. /i.e. Omega 3 (and also Omega 6 fatty acids).
Vitamin Bcomplex
Music/Learn an instrument (Had to stick that one in...I play music)

 

[mikelus]

I feel mental disorders are started from some sort of confusion between your ego which circles with fear of the past and your stable self. I believe that disorders get confused between these two type of realities. the real and the unreal. The real is your self with no douts or fears. The unreal is based upon fear and beliefs. Your ego is the plan laid out to cope with your douts and fears. [/B][/QUOTE]

Originally posted by sandinmyears
IMO, this might be true with personality disorders (Axis II), but with many/most Axis I disorders, there is an innate/genetic predisposition. A few that come to mind are:
Schizophrenia
Bipolar Disorder
(Clinical) Depression-- (I believe this term/title is changing)
Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder & Asperger Syndrome
ADHD
why could this theory not be passed through genes?

 

[sandinmyears]

Originally posted by mikelus
I feel mental disorders are started from some sort of confusion between your ego which circles with fear of the past and your stable self. I believe that disorders get confused between these two type of realities. the real and the unreal. The real is your self with no douts or fears. The unreal is based upon fear and beliefs. Your ego is the plan laid out to cope with your douts and fears.

Originally posted by sandinmyears
IMO, this might be true with personality disorders (Axis II), but with many/most Axis I disorders, there is an innate/genetic predisposition. A few that come to mind are:
Schizophrenia
Bipolar Disorder
(Clinical) Depression-- (I believe this term/title is changing)
Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder & Asperger Syndrome
ADHD
why could this theory not be passed through genes?

As I understand it, most Axis I (psychiatric) disorders carry with them an innate genetic predisposition. That's not to say "you don't stand a chance if they run in your family," but you are certainly more prone to them.

A child with ADHD or Autism isn't that way because they were abused or neglected. (This type of reasoning is over 30 years old and has sent many parents on unnecessary guilt trips). The same can be true with Bipolar disorder and Schizophrenia. I would agree, however that social environment and upbringing does play an important part in your personality. But if we're referring to "personality", is this Axis I or Axis II? (Axis II includes "Personality Disorders" and "Mental Retardation").

Many physical disorders (such as epilepsy, which has been mentioned in this thread a number of times) can bring with them psychiatric problems-- e.g. Interictal (between seizure) Dysphoric Disorder, Postictal, Preictal and Interictal Depression. (BTW, When a psychiatric problem is the result of physical disorder, it is listed as Axis III in a psychiatric evaluation).

I believe that in a psychiatric evaluation, "Axis IV" might touch on those "doubts and fears" that you are referring to in your post. "Environment or social environment," that is. It takes into account things such as: Deaths/grieving issues, Divorce, Income Situation, Unemployment/Underemployment, Occupational Problems, Family Support, Physical Health Problems/Burdens, Miscellaneous Stress Factors, etc.

I will add this, from a personal point of view:
I was adopted at the age of 5 weeks. When I was 19 years old, I "found" my biological "family." (Just out of sheer curiosity). I (myself) have: (Temporal Lobe) Epilepsy, Bipolar Disorder and ADHD. I have a daughter with (Low Functioning) Autism and another daughter who was diagnosed with ADHD and who probably had Childhood-onset Bipolar Disorder. She was also suspected of having Asperger Syndrome. (A disorder on the "Autism Spectrum"). She died last year in an accident, however, so this remains unclear. In addition, I have another daughter ADHD.

In my extended "biological family" (biological father, aunt, cousins, half brother, niece, nephew), a family that I did not grow up in, exists: Bipolar Disorder (3 cases), ADHD (many cases), 2 cases of Autism, 1 case of PDD-NOS (also on the "Autism Spectrum"), and 2 cases Epilepsy/Seizures.

It goes back to the argument "Is it nature or nurture?" I'd say it's a little bit of both.

 

[S = k log w]

Some of the genetic links may be polymorphisms.

 

[sandinmyears]

Originally posted by S = k log w
Some of the genetic links may be polymorphisms.

Could you expand on this?

 

[mikelus]

I find with extreme conditions of autisum the person goes in internally and with extreme conditions of schizophrenia the person goes out externally. But they both have a common aspect of intuitivity.
Are these disorders that never correct?
Does our current medication for the two help or drown the person out.
Has there ever been a recovering victim of a mental disorder.

 

[sandinmyears]

Originally posted by mikelus
I find with extreme conditions of autisum the person goes in internally and with extreme conditions of schizophrenia the person goes out externally. But they both have a common aspect of intuitivity.
Are these disorders that never correct?
Does our current medication for the two help or drown the person out.
Has there ever been a recovering victim of a mental disorder.

I don't know much about schizophrenia. I do know that it has much in common (genetically) with epilepsy, autism, ADHD and bipolar disorder.

Listed below are some commonalities I've found in these 4 disorders. I list them by their chromosome band, gene locus (in parentheses/if I have that information) and the name of the condition:

4p15.3-p16.1 Bipolar
4p15 (EPPS)Epilepsy, partial, w pericentral spikes ?Self

10q24-q26(ADRA2 a2-adrenergic receptor) ADHD
10q26 Bipolar Disorder
10q26 Schizophrenia
10q23.3-q24.1 (EPT) Partial Epilepsy
10q24 (EPT) Partial Epilepsy w. auditory features
10q25.3-q26.1 (EMX2) Epilepsy


12q24.3 Bipolar Disorder
12q24 Predisposed to Autism
12q24 (DAO, DAMOX) Schizophrenia
12q24.2 (ALDH2) Alcohol intolerance

15q11-q13 GABA-A receptor beta3 and alpha5 subunit gene cluster on chromosome
Includes
angelman ayndrome
autism
autistic/asperger savant skills
epilepsy
bipolar

15q13-14 (CHRNA7) schizophrenia
15q13-14 (CHRNA7) juvenile myoclonic epilepsy
(same gene)
16p13.3 (SSTR5) Bipolar Affective Disorder
16p13 (ADHD) Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder
16p13.3 (TSC2) Tuberous Sclerosis 2* see note below
*TSC2 can include:Epilepsy and Autism,
16p13 (EIM) Epilepsy,myoclonic,infantile

22q11-q12 (FPEVF) Epilepsy, partial, with variable foci
22q11.2 deletion (GRK3) Bipolar; Mixed State & Rapid Cycling
22q11.2 Schizophrenia, susceptibility to
22q11-13 Schizophrenia, susceptibility to
22q13.1 Autism, succinylpurinemic


As for autism, there really is no medicine out there, per se.

If a person with autism or Asperger Syndrome is hyperactive, you might give him/her a stimulant such as Ritalin. If they have mood swings, a mood stabilizer such as Lithium or Tegretol might be in order.

As I understand it, you can treat the symptoms, but you can't treat the autism itself, unless you want to argue the DAN! (Defeat Autism Now) approach, but even that isn't with medication. I discussed this a few posts up when I talked about diet (gluten & casein) and enzymes, omega 3 fatty acids, candida yeasts (although the medication "Diflucan" is sometimes used to help here), metal toxicity and chelation, and vitamin supplements (Bcomplex and C in particular).

The DAN! approach, is however, very controversial. Many consider it "quackery."

 

[mikelus]

Is autism found early in the persons life.

 

[sandinmyears]

Originally posted by mikelus
Is autism found early in the persons life.

Yes.

On average, white children are first diagnosed with autism at 6.3 years of age. African-American children are first diagnosed at age 7.9 years. http://apha.confex.com/apha/130am/techprogram/paper_33251.htm
Most parents I have contacted, however, will tell you that they recognized these problems in their children long before they were diagnosed. With my daughter, I was commenting that she appeared to be autistic before she was 3, but she was not diagnosed for another year and a half.

I was an elementary school teacher at one time, so I had a slight advantage in that I was already somewhat familiar with autism, but I did not teach special ed, so I was hardly an "expert" in the area. I'm getting there, though, from first hand experience.

 

[mikelus]

I think a problem with mental disorders today is that their misinterperted with the actual classification of the disorder. By that I mean people with the disorder separate themselfs from the norm, when in actuality their problems just like anyone elses problems are just heightened because their perception as well is heightened. to conclude people with disorders need to be stopped looked at as being different for all people are different in their own ways.

 

[sandinmyears]

I agree that a person with a disorder shouldn't be considered at "different." At the same time, if there are treatments, (i.e. therapies or medications that can help a person and making a proper diagnosis will bring about these proper treatments, then I am all in favor of making proper diagnoses).

From a personal perspective:
I have (among a few other things) "Attentin Deficit Disorder." I am able to function so much better when taking Ritalin. I don't need to go around town with a T-Shirt that announces to the public that I have ADD/ADHD, but before I was properly diagnosed, I was not able to function as well as I can now.

A diagnosis is beneficial when it brings with it the proper treatment. I would only add that a diagnosis is also helpful in that it helps me to understand why I think the way that I think/am the way that I am. It helps me to better understand myself and that's a relief. For so many years I thought I was just stupid.

NOTE: Unfortunately, because of my epilepsy, it is unclear as to whether or not I will continue on the Ritalin. This is a "trial." (Ritalin lowers the seizure threshold and increases the number of "simple-partial seizures" that I have-- though they are short and mild). I certainly hope I am able to continue with it as on it I am able to:
-think more clearly
-follow directions
-better comprehend what I am told
-better recall information
-work at a faster pace/multi-task
-be less distracted/stay on focus
-transfer more quickly from one task to another

I see my doctor to discuss it this Tuesday.