depression

[Beverly Forte <bforte@xxxxxxxx>]

I am a behavioral medicine psychologist who was diagnosed with PD 9 years
ago while in graduate school. I was experiencing depressive symptoms before
my diagnosis. In addition to sadness and fatigue I was experiencing severe
sleep problems. After my diagnosis, I took a subtherapeutic dose of an
antidepressant to help stabilize my sleep problems. Do those of you feeling
"depressed" also have sleep problems? If so, I would suggest dealing
directly with the sleep. Lack of sleep alone can greatly contribute to
symptoms that look like PD progression - like fatigue, memory slippage,
irritability, sadness.There a medical and nonmedical remedies for sleep
problems. Those of you who need antidepressants, don't beat yourself up.
Depressive symtpoms are caused by low neurotransmitters. You can wait to
build them on your own as you deal with other issues or you can get a jump
start with medication. I believe it is OK to take meds when needed.

After my diagnosis, I continued to feel sadness - I was a self-employed
single parent in just finishing my PhD in psychology. But it was not the
psychology or the medication that has brought me to my current point of joy.
Thank you Chuck for your story of faith in using PD as a teacher for
spiritual growth. My story is similar. I thank God that I slowed down enough
to find out what living was about, even if it took PD to slow me down. My
faith in God's infinite Love gives me the peace of living in the NOW with
celebration and joy. I do not "cope" with my PD, I live and love abundantly.
My witness of joy, even on tough days, has touched the lives of others. They
look at me and feel blessed that they only lost a job or wrecked their car!
And for those that try to feel sorry for me I say "Please don't worry about
me! You could just as easily die of heart attack tomorrow!"

May God bless each of us. And Chuck, just because there's no record of a
healing of PD, there's no reason you or me or anyone else might not be the
first. Spiritual medicine is powerful. My prayers are with you.

Beverly



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Date: Sunday, May 07, 2000 11:02 PM
Subject: PARKINSN Digest - 7 May 2000 (#2000-397)