RLS not a cause of Depression

[Guest guest]

Dear Group,

I was curious to see how you all respond to Dr. 's comment on RLS not

causing Depression. Now I ain't no rocket scientist but I equate this

statement with one like: Hammers do do cause bumps on the head, only the force

of the object and the object itself is what causes it. I mean, C'mon! I think

RLS CAN and Does cause Depression in some of us and you can't convince me

otherwise!

Ed-Cyberphilly

[Guest guest]

Yo Jodi,

I believe that " clinical depression " can be caused by a variety of stresses,

of course one being RLS/PLMS. I can't see why " clinical depression " couldn't

be caused this way. It's just that I get very defensive of RLS and it's

peripheral/associated problems. Call it " clinical " , call it whatever you want,

RLS causes depression. Before you know it if we give into the assumption that

RLS does not cause clinical depression then the insurance companies would deny

a lot of us certain treatments. Nuf' said for me!

Ed-Cyberphilly

[Guest guest]

---EJude958@... wrote:

> Dear Group,

>

> I was curious to see how you all respond to Dr. 's comment on

RLS not

> causing Depression. Now I ain't no rocket scientist but I equate this

> statement with one like: Hammers do do cause bumps on the head, only

the force

> of the object and the object itself is what causes it.

Well put. Anyone who says that prolonged sleep deprivation (from RLS

or any other reason) doesn't cause depression knows not what they are

talking about. I don't know who this Dr. is, but he/she is

obviously not qualified to make such statements.

--, 52, western NY State.

[Guest guest]

I believe there is always a reason why depression is triggered. Don't get me

wrong, I have antidepressant and they work O.K. for the most part. I also

understand about being " down in the dumps " and this is different from the

clinical type. Although we have come a long way in the understanding of the

mind and body, much still needs to be known. The Neuro aspect of this could

trigger " clinical depression " not just the sleep depravation. Oh well, have a

great day.

Finally fall in Philly, 43 outside

Ed-Cyberphilly

[Guest guest]

Yo Jodi,

I hear you loud and clear. I will say this for the last time, " clinical

depression " as you describe as being brought on by a disposition to it could

be correct. I am sure that heart palpitations are more predisposed to some

people who feel in grave danger, more over than some. But if I got depression

I don't want the " experts " saying I have a " different kind of depression.

Predisposition sounds like a character flaw to me or something. Fire may have

not clinically killed someone, the smoke did, but that fire killed them

nonetheless. Have a great day Jodi.

Ed-Cyberphilly

[Guest guest]

Ed, I think you may have me (Kate) confused with Jodi, because I sent you

an e-mail about clinical depression. I get defensive about this subject

too, because doctors told me I was depressed and gave me antidepressants

that really screwed up my life physically, emotionally, and financially.

And my current doctor is trying to get me on Elavil, but I won't take it.

I suffer from RLS sleep deprivation, not depression. It is a different

disease requiring different treatment. Sleep deprivation gets me down, no

doubt about it. But cognitive therapy self-help completely resolved the

unhappiness I felt over my circumstances. Not antidepressants. I repeat,

antidepressants made everything worse.

My sister suffers from a clincial depression called dysthimia (sp?) and

antidepressants help her tremendously. She also has RLS but her RLS is

very minor and controlled by stretching exercises. So I realize that

clinical depression is a very serious illness, not to be taken lightly.

And people can have both conditions together. But one does not cause the

other.

As for stresses like RLS triggering clinical depression, that's like

saying too much sugar will cause diabetes. Many people eat sugar without

developing diabetes, and many people suffer stresses without developing

clinical depression. A person only develops clinical depression from

stress ( or diabetes from sugar) if they are predisposed to the illness

of depression (or diabetes) in the first place.

If you are depressed about having RLS Ed, that's normal sadness over a

difficult situation. People with clinical depression have no reason for

their chronic sadness.

>Yo Jodi,

>

>I believe that " clinical depression " can be caused by a variety of

>stresses, of course one being RLS/PLMS. I can't see why " clinical

depression "

>couldn't be caused this way. It's just that I get very defensive of RLS

and

>it's peripheral/associated problems. Call it " clinical " , call it

whatever

>you want, RLS causes depression. Before you know it if we give into the

>assumption that RLS does not cause clinical depression then the

insurance companies would deny a lot of us certain treatments. Nuf' said

for me!

>

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[Guest guest]

Ed and all,

Silly me. I just realized that since I have genetic RLS, I tend to assume

everybody does. We all know what happens when we ass*u*me. There are

different causes for RLS, and it may be that the other forms of RLS are

more connected to depression than my genetic RLS is. Please forgive me

for being narrow-minded.

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[Guest guest]

I for one think " depression " is a terrible name for an illness.

Think about it. If your endocrine system stops producing enough thyroid

hormone, they call it hypothyroidism. What if they decided to call it

" sloth " instead. After all, people who have hypothyroidism get very lazy

and fat and slothful. But no, that would be a terrible name, fraught with

overtones of personal weakness. If you were to tell your peers that your

doctor has diagnosed you with " sloth, " they would say, " You don't need a

doctor, I could have told you that. Now get off your butt and get to

work. "

So why is it that when your nervous system stops producing enough

serotonin, they call it " depression, " a word that is fraught with

overtones of personal weakness? Society expects adults to control their

emotions, if you can't control your sadness you are considered immature.

People expect you to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps. So why not

call it " hyposerotonism? " I think that would be a more accurate and

scientific name. And society would take it more seriously.

Just my 2 cents.

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[Guest guest]

Kate wrote:

>My sister suffers from a clincial depression called dysthimia (sp?) and

>antidepressants help her tremendously. She also has RLS but her RLS is

>very minor and controlled by stretching exercises. So I realize that

>clinical depression is a very serious illness, not to be taken lightly.

>And people can have both conditions together. But one does not cause the

>other.

==============

I'm inclined to agree. I have suffered from disthymia for almost 30 years.

I am now suffering from disthymia plus major depression (so called " double

depression " ). I am now going through the med experimentation crap that

every RLS patient goes through, and that I've been through too.

>As for stresses like RLS triggering clinical depression, that's like

>saying too much sugar will cause diabetes. Many people eat sugar without

>developing diabetes, and many people suffer stresses without developing

>clinical depression. A person only develops clinical depression from

>stress ( or diabetes from sugar) if they are predisposed to the illness

>of depression (or diabetes) in the first place.

=========================

I think RLS can trigger clinical depression if the other factors that Kate

points are there. I don't think RLS had anything to do with my falling into

this hole of double depression. When I was so dreadfully sleep deprived I

was down, but it was NOT LIKE THIS. What I wouldln't give to not feel any

more down that what I did then. Not to take away from the fact that being

down stinks no matter what, but I feel like I am living in hell right now

(no offence to anyone's beliefs, I'm sorry). Every hour is a challenge to

keep living through. I have no physical pain whatsoever, it's all in my

head and my heart.

>If you are depressed about having RLS Ed, that's normal sadness over a

>difficult situation. People with clinical depression have no reason for

>their chronic sadness.

==========================

I can vouch for that. A lot of stress precipitates this fall. And yes, RLS

is a stress, but it's when every detail of day to day living becomes a major

stressor, that's when you know you're toast. Clinical depression is

standing over the freezer, and not being able to decide on which frozen

dinner to serve to the kids tonight. It is when two people talk to you at

once and you burst into tears because that is just too much for you. It is

when your doctor asks you how you are doing and your mouth opens and closes

like a fish because you know and you don't know all at the same time; you

want to explain and you can't; you can point to something upsetting you and

yet there's no one thing. It makes no sense whatsoever. If my RLS were

acting up now, I probably wouldn't even care.

My 2 cents, for what they're worth.

Take care,

eve

[Guest guest]

Eve, you are so eloquent that it's a pleasure reading about your sadness. I

almost feel guilty for enjoying what you write, but I'm glad you are in this

forum.

Kate

Clinical depression is

> standing over the freezer, and not being able to decide on which frozen

> dinner to serve to the kids tonight. It is when two people talk to you at

> once and you burst into tears because that is just too much for you. It is

> when your doctor asks you how you are doing and your mouth opens and closes

> like a fish because you know and you don't know all at the same time; you

> want to explain and you can't; you can point to something upsetting you and

> yet there's no one thing. It makes no sense whatsoever. If my RLS were

> acting up now, I probably wouldn't even care.

>

> My 2 cents, for what they're worth.

>

> Take care,

> eve

>

>

Kathleen R. Fitzgerald

University of Minnesota Extension Service

Professional Education and Conference Planning

405 Coffey Hall

1420 Eckles Avenue

St. , MN 55108

1-

" Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace. "

-- Amelia Earhart

[Guest guest]

Kate wrote:

Eve, you are so eloquent that it's a pleasure reading about your sadness. I

almost feel guilty for enjoying what you write, but I'm glad you are in this

forum.

==========================

Thank you Kate. Moral support is always welcome these days.

eve