Sludge, I know there are physiological changes to the brain due to the beast. Isn't there a change in the chemistry of the brain as well? I know they throw SSRIs around a bunch to try to undo synaptic changes. Didn't work for me. None of them. But I know some that praise them.
Maybe it's some have happened upon a chemical (med) that restored brain function enough to function. I found the med for me but the problem with it is altho it allows me to function now, I'm burning days off the far end. Tough trade off. But my choice.
Sarg
Delayed reply-
But, yes, there are chemical changes. However, in the current , scant research on combat PTSD brain chemistry, there is a trend showing two important factors in determining what these changes are.
The first is the changes that are a direct result of our physical brain differences. Our hippocampus, amygdala, and frontal lobes have been proven without a doubt to exhibit these changes not because of the stressor incidences, but because of military training. I refuse to use the word abnormal, as the researchers and Docs do, because I can personally run mental circles around "normal" mouthbreathers. I am damn certain that is true for the bulk of us on here too. Somewhere on here there is another thread that I present that information ad nauseum, so I won't inflame my carpal tunnel by re-presenting it.:LOL:
The second proven factor is the trickiest of the bunch though. Not only are our brains different from the "normal" folks, our combat brains are different from non-combat PTSDers. In fact non-combat PTSD combat veterans show the same differences as we do, but they don't have PTSD. SO what makes us different from our comrades in arms? That quest segways us to the topic we are discussing- brain chemistry. In turns out that in a statistically significant way that , as much as I hate to admit it, we that show symptoms are more often than not predisposed to these chemical FUBARs. That isn't to say that any of us were a little nutty beforehand, but that there are structural, genetic and psychological trends in our pre-military lives that lie silently in wait. As we all know, the switch that turns them on only needs some prolonged stressors to make our wiring short out permanently. Currently heavy alcohol use, heavy pot use, and heavy use of certain standard over the counter and prescribed drugs appear to be precursors, but more research is needed. I will not get into my opinions or present supporting data in this thread as that is a completely different topic that will turn into yet another PTSD and Pot discussion, which in my mind is a moot waste of time and effort.;)
Think of it like this- you know that outlet at Christmas that has 49 plugs and plug extenders crammed in to it? The one that gets hacked together every December for the last 20 years? Yeah, that one. Just because it has never been a problem, all it takes is a bit of wind and water at the right time on the right day to cause a miniscule power surge that blows the whole mess to hell and turns your house into an inferno. Combat PTSD brains and non-combat military brains are exactly like that house with the crazy mess of Christmas plugs in it. It is just those of us with PTSD were at the right place at the right time to catch that power surge, and the others were not.
Now that may not be the best example, but it's what I got off the cuff. It can also be argued because there is ongoing research that demonstrates a likelihood that the single "power surge" may not always be the case. As some of you reading this, self included, can attest to, sometimes it takes a few surges over lots of years for the hardwiring to go FOOOM!
The problem with those two issues becomes evident when standard drugs and therapies are used. There is verified research (also presented somewhere around these forums) that shows the bulk of the drugs and the therapies that work for PTSD, do little or nothing effective for military combat PTSD... There are tons of real scientists, not MDs or whatever the Brain Pickers title themselves as these days, working on the issue, but turns out they are having trouble finding combat vets willing to participate. Something about PTSD combat vets being anti-social or some shit...:ROFLMAO:
Frustrating, I know. Welcome to the world of research science!
