Mental or Physical Pain?

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Which is worse, mental pain for life or physical pain for life?

Mental pain for life?
13
62%
Physical pain for life?
8
38%
 
Total votes : 21

Re: drugs?

Postby svizzerams » Thu Jul 29, 2004 9:14 pm

Jumper wrote:Another question that I think is interesting is what kind of pain is best suppresed by medication, mental or physical. Prozac or Oxycontin? I would have to say the physical meds seem to do a pretty good job at taking the edge off pain but I have never tried any of the mental stuff. Does Prozac work for those of you that have taken it or is alcohal still the drug of choice for mental pain? Interesting posts so far.....Then I guess there is also alternative methods of alleving all pains. I think for most it is a combination of what works for them, but you definitely see trends of certain things working better that others.


Just like physical pain there are all kinds of different mental pain - depends on what ails ya. Much simplified pharmacology: too much dopamine = voices, hallucinations, delusions - antipsychotics work. Too little serotonin = depression/maybe anxiety disorders (PTSD, OCD, GA, eating disorders) - an SSRI antidepressant (like Prozac) may be just the ticket. Or an imbalance of norepinephrine and serotonin - other types of antidepressants like Tricyclics or MAO-I's. Bipolar disease - mood stablizers (antiepileptics like Depakote) and/or Lithium.

Physical pain: is it acute, chronic, malignant or neurogenic????

Prozac and friends, again simplified, boost something that is low - in this case serotonin. Having serotonin levels normalized doesn't solve your problems, but might allow you to access your inner resources to solve them more effectively. Combination of drugs + cognitive therapy works well for people: drug normalizes what is out of balance, cognitive therapy helps you learn new and different "skills" - voila - new improved mental landscape.

Recommend avoid ETOH for self-medication of all woes: acutely messed up electrolytes and aldehyde poisoning; long term messed up liver enzymes.

Neurotransmitters are really neat. I'm amazed we hold together as well as we do....
Joan of Arc went to battle with nothing
but the voices in her head
and a well-sharpened sword ~ Charlotte

...those without swords can still die upon them...

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Hey anthrogirl

Postby Jumper » Fri Jul 30, 2004 7:29 am

Hey anthrogirl, good to see you are hanging out on the best forum in cyberspace. I think it is a very interesting question about self. A war is a tough thing, but a war with oneself is tougher. I have always felt that our most unheralded heros in society are those that have battled themselves. To live a life of mental pain or to be in a wheelchair or to fight cancer to the death takes courage. I think there is alot of pain throughout the world, both mentally and physically and these self-wars is a battlefield that requires weapons. The question is, are we better at fighting these self-wars or are we losing. Are physical and mental problems increasing do to an ever changing and more complex world or are we better off? I tend to be an optimist and say yes, we are better at fixing ourselves, but I say this with hesitation. What would the depression-world war two generation be like if it had prozac or aroma therapy? Would Doctor Phil have made things better and would Dr. Spock have helped raised a more well adjusted society to deal with such problems? I don't know, but pass the oxycontin and prozac because my wrist hurts from typing and I am depressed about missing my 3:00 therapy appointment.........
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Postby DawnC71 » Fri Jul 30, 2004 9:19 am

Dont mean to sound stupid but what is ETOH, svizz.....I dont know what it is and I would like to make sure I dont get it...it sounds pretty nasty.
Cheers,
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Postby Stiv » Fri Jul 30, 2004 10:53 am

Trust me Dawn you KNOW what ETOH is. It's the high falutin term for BOOZE, Ethyl Alcohol. And Shivers and Svizz are correct, it aint the best way to medicate. It DOES make the depression worse. A Bad cycle "I drink because I'm depressed because I drink because I'm depressed."

But I have to say that the SSRI's aint a walk in the woods either. Bad GI side effects and for certain types of anxiety are awful. Give me real Gabba meds any day.

Regards,
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Postby Anthrogrl » Fri Jul 30, 2004 7:07 pm

Jumper, I think we are getting better also, at least we are addressing issues, rather than pretending they do not exist. However, so many people are looking to others to fix themselves that I think personal responsibility is going right out the window. Most of us are not sheep but it seems that there is an inordinate amout of people who do not think for themselves. I have no problem with seeking help, but there is a point where it is just ridiculous. For example: Cut the extra large, super-sized, french fries out of your diet and perhaps you might begin to address being overweight. I don't think I'd need Dr. Phil to spell it out for me.
On another note, I miss our talks. I head to Texas soon...hope all is well. Be safe!
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Postby Texas Carnie Roadshow » Fri Jul 30, 2004 9:43 pm

I remember a time when I was that old Soviet guy sitting in a dark room, in front of a table that held maybe 1 or 2 papers, a full ashtray, a glass, and a bottle of vodka.
That was a little less than 5 years ago.
I don't want to go back to that.
Last edited by Texas Carnie Roadshow on Fri Jul 30, 2004 11:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby patriot » Fri Jul 30, 2004 10:18 pm

You paint an excellent picture TCR. It reminds me of a an evil-doer in a Bond movie.
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Postby DawnC71 » Sat Jul 31, 2004 2:22 am

Oh well luckily I dont drink that much. I drink too much coffee though. But ironically I cannot sleep without it. I dont sleep well anyways, but I definitely have trouble without coffee. I think I am pretty addicted to caffiene.
I drink a ton of water to compensate though. So I should not get any type of caffiene poisoning if that is ever even possible.
I drank 18 shots of espresso one time when I was working at Starbucks, and it gave me a wicked ass headache though.
If caffiene were illegal I do believe I would kill to get it.
Cheers,
Dawn
Passion is necessity. It is not diligence, or simply being committed to a goal. Passion consumes you while you chase down your goal. Passion should always be your natural state of mind for it is what sparks momentum and sets the pace.
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Postby DawnC71 » Sat Jul 31, 2004 2:24 am

Just kidding...I would not kill for it...but I would sure be growing some hydro-ponic coffee bushes in the basement.
Cheers,
Dawn
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coffee is life

Postby Jumper » Sat Jul 31, 2004 5:06 am

Coffee is life...I drink it like it was booze. Well maybe not that much, but it is a big part of my daily existance. I have the obssesive compulsive thing going on though so I tend to take all and anything that makes me feel good or wired to the limit. Tobaco is my other vice, that brown fucking dragon of death. I love it and will take that bastard to the grave, if I have my way. Ha ha.
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Postby Texas Carnie Roadshow » Sat Jul 31, 2004 5:07 am

Don't drink it like it was booze.
Why settle for substitutes?
Drink Booze Dammit!
When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? To surrender dreams - -this may be madness; to seek treasure where there is only trash. Too much sanity may be madness! But maddest of all - -to see life as it is and not as it should be.
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Ahh alcohal and its magical properties

Postby Jumper » Sat Jul 31, 2004 5:27 am

Oh believe me, I love the booze. I just didn't love it though, I had a Jerry Springer obsession with it if you know what I mean. That is why me and the booze have parted ways, she stays over there at the bar and I stay in the coffee shop minding my own business. The prefered drink now is Red Bull on ice. It makes for a great bar and night club drink for us alcoholics that strive to integrate with the rest of society. Especially helps when I have to drive the drunk fucks that I came with back home....
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Postby nick » Sat Jul 31, 2004 4:51 pm

I drank 18 shots of espresso one time when I was working at Starbucks, and it gave me a wicked ass headache though.


LMAO. That reminds me of France. My buddy had 7 and I thought he was a freaking whack job. He was, well, pretty messed up after that. Wondering what the hell you were thinking Dawn. lol.

I drink copious amounts of coffee when climbing, in the mountains, or just outdoors in general. It's the only way to go, that and tea. MSR makes these really sick expresso makers for when you're out in the bush. Coffee is one thing you do NOT want to be without when you're in the bush. Talk about motivation and when you're really cold coffee, tea and scaulding hot noodles go a long way.

To answer Jumpers question it would seem that if you were in physical pain that you're mind would be able to adapt to that pain. But then if you were sick in the head that you would also find ways to cope with it. Kinda a paradox. I suppose it would depend on the severity of the condition. Either way it would suck.

Speaking about burns, I almost caught myself on fire yesterday. "Gram I don't think you should press the button more than....." POOF! "Ah fuck, are my eyebrows gone?" A few moments after making sure all facial hair was intact I proceeded to go about cooking my hotdogs. I thought my head was on fire though. Quite funny when you think about it. Coulda really sucked though.

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*Don't let your grandmother help you.
*Read the directions if you don't know what to do.
*If all else fails, go back to the Weber charcoal grill. Better taste IMHO.
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Not mutually exclusive

Postby jonas » Sat Jul 31, 2004 4:57 pm

I'm experiencing both right now and they both SUCK equal ass.

And 2C...I just had a nice "sit down doodie call" small pleasures eh bro?

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