ARP 407 What is Dopamine?

Mental health isn't just fixing one thing. It is more than stopping the symptoms. It is getting the parts back in alignment. Your brain, your spirit, your body and yes even neurotransmitters.  

This episode is about the neurotransmitter Dopamine. What it is and the relationship between stress, anxiety and the fight or flight response. I hope understand that this is one of the many processes of recovery. 

Do what you can, when you can. 

Resources Mentioned: 

The Cleveland Clinic has an explainer page on Dopamine. 

There are three TED Ed videos that visually explain what is happening in your brain when you have excessive stress and the relationship between anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions.

How stress affects your body - Sharon Horesh Bergquist on what goes on inside our body when we are chronically stressed 

Procrastination that includes the flight or fight response and the relationship to anxiety and depression. 

How the food you eat affects your brain lesson by Mia Nacamulli explains how food affects your brain,  how Amino Acids change into neurotransmitters and how the food we eat can change how we feel and behave.

Emergency Resources

The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community. 

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options. 

National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

ARP 406 SSRIs and Factual Information

A few months back, there were statements about SSRIs and increase violence in youth. Not true and I found a well written article explaining what a government official said and what is the factual, data based findings. I'll have that linked below. 

What I want to do is share with you the process of evaluating a medication so that you know the benefits and possible side effects so that you can make an informed choice.

The basic questions are:

• What is this drug and why do I need it?
• Specifics on how much to take, when and with or without foods or liquids.
• What are the known side effects and when should I be concerned?
• Are there foods, drinks, vitamins, herbals or other things I should not take with the medication?
• How do I quit or stop taking the medication? There are some meds that you have to be weaned off of or you might experience harsh withdrawal symptoms.

Resources Mentioned: 

What Is (and What Is Not) on Trump and Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again Public Health Agenda by KFF News.

Simply Psychology page on Serotonin and how it affects the brain and body.

The Mayo Clinic has a good information page about anti-depressants

Antidepressants for kids and teens: What the science says. For parents who need background information on anti-depressants for their kids or teenagers.

Medline Plus Drug Information Page, you can type the generic name or the brand name of the drug to get information on it. 

Emergency Resources: 

The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community. 

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options. 

National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

ARP 405 GLP-1 and Mental Health Symptoms

I'm seeing more PR stuff and news stories about weight lost drugs for anxiety and depression. The short version for me is that there is not enough science or science research to determine if GLP-1 can be used to treat anxiety and depression. But that doesn't stop news stories and PR pieces from being written.

As a starting point, I want to explain what GLP-1 are, the intended use and some of the side effects. both positive and negative a person could experience.

Resources Mentioned: 

Think Global has an article on the Mental Health Effects of Ozempic and GLP-1 drugs.

From the From the American Psychological Association is a post about weight loss drugs and mental health.

NPR did a news story about the growth of these types of drugs and possible mental health side effects. 

PubMed has an editorial on The Potential Role of GLP-1 Agonists in Psychiatric Disorders: A Paradigm Shift in Mental Health Treatment

Novo Nordis is the manufacture of Ozempic. This is a link to there website about the product and you would have access to patient information sheets for consumers, doctors and pharmacists on the

Emergency Resources

The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community. 

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options. 

National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Show 241 - Learning from Ernest Hemingway

I generally don't talk about famous people unless they self-declare their illness or there is a compelling reason. Not in a million years did I think that I would have something to say about Ernest Hemingway. 

I knew he was a writer. I knew that he seem to love adventure and liked the ladies both within and outside of the bonds of matrimony. And that he was thought of as a manly man. 

So when I heard that there was going to be yet another documentary about Hemingway, I couldn't drum up any reason to watch. 

Until I learned more about the man. There are multiple levels to his physical and mental pain.

You got family trauma. Not to mention an undiagnosed hereditary disease attacking his organs.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Bipolar Disorder with two other mood disorders s riding in the backseat.

Arthritis. Depression and anxiety. Self-Treating with alcohol. 

Indeed he was a messed up man. Who wrote great books. Who was given the Nobel Prize for Literature. 

He was a pip but he was also human. Sometimes good. Sometimes a jerk.

In this episode, a quick look at the things that in hindsight, Ernest Hemingway can teach us about dealing with our situation and being proactive about taking care of our bodies.. 

If you need support contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “START” to 741-741.

Resources Mentioned: 

Hemingway - A film documentary by Ken Burns and Lynn Novic. 

Ernest Hemingway: a psychological autopsy of a suicide by Christopher D. Martin.

PBS News Hour How mental health struggles wrote Ernest Hemingway’s final chapter by Dr. Howard Markel. 

The American Chronic Pain Association has a number of links to pain management resources. Mr. Hemingway would have been eligible for at least six of them.

There is good stuff at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.  They have information about Hemochromatosis.

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance FAQ page about depression and mood disorders. They also have on-line support groups. There are also resources at ADAA.org and the National Institute of Mental Health and Medline Plus pages on Bipolar disorders.

If you suspect that someone you know is trying to take themselves off planet there are somethings you can do to help. Bethe1to offers five action steps to help a person in need.

The Gospel at Colonus a retelling of the Greek play with an African-American twist. It is available on DVD but your could take a gander at the play on YouTube. The music is therapeutic and provides another example of somebody having a rough road in life.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Show 070 - Holiday Blucifer Edition - Survival Tips

It is cold. It is raining. And cold. Not to  mention there is freaking holiday music in every stinking store in the universe.  So this is a short episode on a few survival skills to get you through the days.




Summer is coming. I know it is. I believe. I believe.

If you're having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for immediate help: 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Disclaimer: 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only.

Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Episode 006 Paper Bags and Thync Device & App

Weekend too short to do all that has to be done. In other news, I'm making better mistakes so that is something to be happy about. I got no place to go but up.

You can use this link to download directly to your computer or device: ARP 006 Paper Bags and Thync Device




Resources Mentioned:

This is a video from the Wall Street Journal reporter Geoffrey A. Fowler and his response to the Thync device. 


Resources Used In Today’s Program:

• Sounds True Insight at the Edge Archive http://www.soundstrue.com/store/weeklywisdom?page=archive&category=IATE
• Sounds True Insight at the Edge Interview with  Friedemann Schaub, MD, PhD http://www.soundstrue.com/store/weeklywisdom/?page=single&category=IATE&episode=6807
• Thync http://www.thync.com

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements.

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.