Positive Choices

Anxiety and Depression.  A faith-based approach

Introduction

Anxiety

Types of anxiety.

Generalized anxiety disorder – most common.  Persistent and obsessive worry

Panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia)  there are physical symptoms

Social anxiety disorder

Specific phobias (specify animal, environmental , situational)

PTSD – started with the military

Acute stress disorder – like the CampFire

OCD – with poor insight

Depression

Loss of interest

Sleep disturbance – lack or too much

Feelings of worthlessness

Difficulty concentrating

Suicidal thoughts /dark thoughts

Three kinds of mental health disorders:

Thought disorders

Schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional

Mood disorders

Anxiety, depression

Behavior disorders

Employers care about

Neuroanatomy

Frontal lobe – decision making part of brain

Parietal lobe – ability move

Occipital lobe – visual

Temporal lobe – emotions

Limbic system – affects the way we feel

Neurotransmitters

Amino acid  – glutamate-excitatory 

Monoamines – dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin

Neuropeptides – neuropeptide Y

Adrenal hormones – cortisol 

GABA – gamma amino butyric acid

Synapse mechanisms

Neurotransmitters are a mechanism to jump the synaptic cleft

Can change the nerve pathway

Dopamine

Pleasure, euphoria

Methamphetamine leaves more Dopamine in the cleft

Nicotine binds to presynaptic neuron – releases more Dopamine

Cocaine – blocks removal of Dopamine in the synapse

Mesolimbic pathway – drugs of abuse, reward areas

These are the Dopamine pathways

Affected by food

Glutamate – excitatory hormone

1.  too much —> Alzheimer’s, MS, ALS, schizophrenia

2.  Associated with treatment resistant depression, bipolar

3.  Ketamine antagonizes – Ketamine is an antidepressant

4.  Exercises decreases cerebral glutamate 

5.  MSG – yum food

6.  High protein foods

7.  Beans, celery, kale, cabbage

Substance Abuse/Alcohol Abuse

Mental Health

1.   Renaissance, Image of God, true to life (life in good control) 

2.   Impressionism  (light, textures, colors), subject less important

3.   Cubism  (no emotions, flat), Picasso

4.   Post modern (no direction), Andy Warhol

Medications can move you to impressionism, but not to mental health with meaning and purpose.

Genesis 1.   God made man in the image of God.

Not only our appearance, also in our mental health

Random chance, organize letters, make words.

Highest level of meaning is meaning and purpose.

Goal is mental health with meaning and purpose.

Jeremiah 29:11

Goals for this week.

1.  No Alcohol

2.  Limit MSG

3.  Put some energy into your spiritual life.  Read Jeremiah 29:11 daily and claim as promise.