In a message dated 97-07-18 10:39:47 EDT, you write:
<<
hi susan
i hope you're not buried under the volume of my ramblings!
i found that last article that i posted
to be the clearest and the most detailed explanation of cd
cd is very common in the general population [10% plus, i think]
and much more so in parkies [over 50%, i think]
probably because the imbalance in brain chemistry is very similar
to get back to your messages;
>Unfortunately, my mother is a defeated woman
>who is very angry at being "chained" to a medicine regime
this sounds to me like a classic cd/denial/anger situation
but she is not 'defeated' at all
she just needs the correct treatment to get her feeling brighter
but she can't do it on her own
it's not a matter of will power
and 'pulling herself up by the bootstraps'
>makes little effort to keep herself moving
>or to help us help her get better results from her doctor
this is classic 'paralysis of will' that i mentioned briefly
when i compared it to feeling like i was trying to function
in a vat of jello!
dr. david burns describes it more professionally:
"one of the most destructive aspects of depression is the way it paralyzes
your will power. in its mildest form, you may simply procrastinate about
doing a few odious chores. as your lack of motivation intensifies,
virtually any activity appears to be so difficult that you become
overwhelmed by the urge to do nothing. because you accomplish very little,
you feel worse and worse. not only do you cut yourself off from your normal
sources of stimulation and pleasure, but your lack of productivity
aggravates your self-hatred, resulting in further isolation and
incapacitation."
>When I read the list I always applaud every time I read of s
>omeone's fighting spirit. I can't help but wonder if my
>mother's disease would progress more slowly if she actively
>fought against it instead of assuming she is beaten already.
if she is caught in the bio-chemical imbalance of cd
she literally cannot fight [yet]
in the same way that i can't walk when my pd meds kick out
>My mother, who is my PWP, is an extremely private person.
>She has never liked to discuss her affairs with anyone.
gee, i can relate to this!
[believe it or not]
i've had a 'hermit' tendency all my life
when it comes to dealing with negative emotions or assertiveness
and i wouldn't be surprised if this is fairly common in women
because of our brain-washing-staining about
being 'feminine' and 'demure' and not aggressive
i have found nothing so liberating
as the truth
my family kept a lot of secrets
and i have consciously made the decision not to repeat that habit
now, if someone asks me something
i tell them
period
no secrets no hiding no shame
no emotions to bury and fester
[and they WILL fester sooner or later, if buried, guaranteed]
it's taken me a lot of work to get here
but the view is lovely!
>the fact that she claims to be living "in a fog",
>and occasional confusion on her part
she isn't claiming to be in a fog
she IS in a chemical fog
i'm impressed that she can actually see it as a fog
it took me a long time to figure out
that what was happening to me wasn't the 'real me'
when i'm in the fog
my thinking processes start to fumble and logic is a struggle
when i'm out of the fog
i can hardly believe some of the things i had been having trouble with
>My mom was dx 8 years ago at age 70. Her difficulties in function
>have progressed at a very uneven rate. She will be fine for say 6 mos.
>and then have a leap symptoms.
this concerns me a bit
pd tends to progress slowly
and if there is a sudden change in symptoms
i have to wonder what has triggered it
if not a change in meds
maybe a change in food/supplements/routine/environment/stress?
something else?
>I hesitate to interject yet another question at this point
>since there are so many different things being discussed,
>but I am going to give it a try anyway.
and here's three loud cheers for you!
the list sometimes gets a bit shall we say 'active'
but persistence pays!
i do hope all of this is a help to you and your mom
my heart goes out to anyone suffering with cd needlessly
please keep us up to date
janet
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