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Janet, I agree with you regarding clinical depression. When someone gets clinically depressed they have already passed the point of pulling themselves "up by their own bootstraps", Sinead is confusing being discouraged with CD a common but often serious error. Clinical Depression is an illness which can be as or more debilitating as PD. It can lead to suicide or withdrawal of massive proportions with the person suffering with it having no idea that it is occurring since one's perception is altered by the illness. I practiced psychiatry for about 23 years prior to my disability with PD. I also have been treated for CD and have a number of people in my immediate family who have had severe depressions. Sinead, I think that if your cure works for someone then it is unlikely that they have CD but rather they are dysphoric and blue. The signs and symptoms of Clinical depression: (Not all need to be present) 1. Dysphoric (blue) mood 2. General feeling of pessimism- glass is half empty rather than 1/2 full 3 . Change in appetite especially loss of appetite and weight loss 4. Sleep disturbance (either too much or too little ) especially earlyAM awakening** 5. Low energy ** 6. Tearfulness 7. Loss of interest in most activities 8. Decrease in ability to experience anything as pleasurable (e.g. loss of libido) 9 Low self esteem sometimes the point of suicidal thoughts 10. Decreased concentration** 11. Feelings of hopelessness** 12. Motor agitation or slowing** 13. Irritability **may be confused with PD symptoms As noted before as many as 50% of PD patients may develop clinical depression and the reason may be related to the loss of dopamine caused by the PD as well as the situation we find ourselves in. If you have many of these symptoms you should be under the care of a mental health professional who understands PD and ask your neurologist for a referral to such a person. Charlie Charles T. Meyer, MD ----- Original Message ----- From: "janet paterson" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, May 09, 2000 10:32 AM Subject: Re: depression /cd / bootstraps > At 02:00 PM 2000/05/09 +0100, "Sinead Aungier <[log in to unmask]>" wrote: > >The best cure for depression is to be busy because when you're busy you're > >not thinking about how you feel. But also don't overdo things or you'll > >tire yourself out. I'd also recommend eating well and getting plenty of > >vitamin C and not letting your body overheat especially at night. > > > if this is advice for those suffering clinical depression [cd] > i'm afraid it's not very good advice > > dr. david burns describes the single most debilitating symptom of cd > as 'the paralysis of will' - 'keeping busy' just aint in the picture > > a friend also told me that > the reason people with cd walk around with their heads hanging down is > they are looking for those 'bootstraps' they are supposed to 'pull themselves up' with > > a little education goes a long way > > janet > > janet paterson > 53 now / 41 dx / 37 onset > 613 256 8340 / PO Box 171 Almonte Ontario K0A 1A0 Canada > come visit my website "a new voice" at: > http://www.geocities.com/janet313/