Are you S.A.D.?

A place to discuss health and fitness, healthy diets. A fit body makes for a fit mind.
PeterB
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Re: Are you S.A.D.?

Post by PeterB »

Its interesting to me that the only case of S.A.D. I have encountered which was not self diagnosed, was not that of a patient, it was in fact a colleague. I conclude from this ( possibly wrongly ) that its not very prevelant. Not that this is of comfort to those who experience it.
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BubbaBuddhist
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Re: Are you S.A.D.?

Post by BubbaBuddhist »

Back to SAD (and what an interesting journey it has been) I ponder if it is part of an overall uber-cycle of a larger condition. I have a tendency toward it and I'm a textbook bipolar II. But lots of stressors/stimulants can trigger a mood shift; seasonal shifts among them. Bipolars respond to all kinds of treatment. I responded well to an off the label medication that is usually used for migraine and epilepsy. Perhaps SAD is a side effect of a larger condition?

J
Author of Redneck Buddhism: or Will You Reincarnate as Your Own Cousin?
PeterB
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Re: Are you S.A.D.?

Post by PeterB »

I think John that " normal" is in fact a spectrum...Most of us will fit one niche along that spectrum in relation to arousal/depression and possibly another in relation to extravert/introvert etc.
We are a complex of genetics, environment, and presumably, karma.
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BubbaBuddhist
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Re: Are you S.A.D.?

Post by BubbaBuddhist »

Yeah, Pete--but it ain't "normal" to hear voices when people aren't around and not sleep for four days at a time. :lol: Well, it is in my world. Your results may vary. Beats watching Friends reruns Bwhahahahahaha!

J (and J)
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PeterB
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Re: Are you S.A.D.?

Post by PeterB »

Well thats one end of the spectrum... :smile:
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bodom
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Re: Are you S.A.D.?

Post by bodom »

alan wrote:I asked you to look at the science. This is a medical problem, and should be treated as such.
I'll take your advice on matters where you have more knowledge and experience; this is not one of them.
Regards,
Alan
Alan is this one of those times we should be paying attention and thinking for ourselves as yout advised in another thread? Venerable Bhikkhu Pesala is highly renowned and you should take heed to whatever wisdom he has to offer. Please dont be rude when someone offers you help, even if its advice you dont want to hear. This is a buddhist forum. You are bound to get buddhist views on any question asked or subject raised. If you are looking for solely "scientific" or medical based responses you might want to look at another site or forum, one devoted entirely to this subject.

:anjali:
Last edited by bodom on Sun Mar 28, 2010 10:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
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Ben
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Re: Are you S.A.D.?

Post by Ben »

Bubbabuddhist wrote:Alan, no disrespect, but I suspect Venerable Pesala has raised a good point worth consideration. I suspect Stream-entry would be an effective cure for any mood affective conditions. Any discussion here?

J
I think you're right john.
A few years ago I was in contact with a research hub at Macquarie University. They were trialling the use of mindfulness meditation in a cohort of cancer patients who suffered from depression. When I spoke to them, they only had the preliminary findings in. What they were discovering was that the patients who practiced mindfulness meditation came off their anti-depressants before their non-meditating co-patients, and they suffered less relapses of depression. And they were essentially "newbies" practicing a watered down form of vipassana. I imagine the effects of continuous daily practice of samatha and/or vipassana would have profound impacts on mood disorders.
kind regards

Ben
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Cittasanto
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Re: Are you S.A.D.?

Post by Cittasanto »

Hi Ben,
I believe Goenkas site has some research into this??

There is ongoing research obvioiusly with other mood disorders, but these such as manic depression are helped with stress reduction techniques (i.e., MBSR, MBCT etc,) and from personal experiance, the whole of the teachings are more than helpful.
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But if he is equally unable to refute the reasons on the opposite side, if he does not so much as know what they are, he has no ground for preferring either opinion …
...
He must be able to hear them from persons who actually believe them … he must know them in their most plausible and persuasive form.
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alan
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Re: Are you S.A.D.?

Post by alan »

Hi Bodom.
I was under the impression this was a sub-forum of the Lounge. Was that incorrect?
The post was for people who have this condition, and to share my excitement at feeling better. I've read through the post again and will stand by my response.
Cheers,
Alan
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bodom
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Re: Are you S.A.D.?

Post by bodom »

alan wrote:Hi Bodom.
I was under the impression this was a sub-forum of the Lounge. Was that incorrect?
The post was for people who have this condition, and to share my excitement at feeling better. I've read through the post again and will stand by my response.
Cheers,
Alan
While I am happy that you are feeling better, right speech is to be practiced Irregardless of where you post, especially when directed to monastics.

:anjali:
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.

- BB
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Ben
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Re: Are you S.A.D.?

Post by Ben »

Time to get back on topic, please!
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

e: [email protected]..
meindzai
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Re: Are you S.A.D.?

Post by meindzai »

alan wrote:I hate McDonalds too. But how does this relate to my original post?
Oh dear... :rolleye:

My fault. I forgot to review what the actual thread was about. I came to post about this and saw the title S.A.D. and thought it meant "Standard American Diet." That is the term I and others use for the way most people eat here. I was trying to use a current thread rather than create a new one..and..oh nevermind... :embarassed:

Moderators, feel free to split this thread.

[OK - Here's the topic on the Standard American Diet - http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=4008" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - Thanks. Retro.]

-M
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retrofuturist
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Re: Are you S.A.D.?

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,

Some of you may know that I've been in the process of procuring an S.A.D. light that will actually work here in Australia, and after many complications that I'll spare you the details of, it arrived here a few days ago. Here's the officially sanctioned photo of the particular model I got...

Image

Now, whether or not it's simply that I'm no longer depressed that this had yet to arrive at the post office :tongue: but even just after a few days I'm feeling so much better already. The depression, along with all the other symptoms like lack of concentration, lack of energy, mental fog, and so on have all promptly vanished!

I know I had a few people to give updates to, so I thought I'd just do a public update here. So am I S.A.D.? No, not today... but lucky you didn't ask me this time last week!

Metta,
Retro, presently being blasted in the face by blue light :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
alan
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Re: Are you S.A.D.?

Post by alan »

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retrofuturist
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Re: Are you S.A.D.?

Post by retrofuturist »

:thumbsup:

Thanks Alan.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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