While the article reproduced below is fairly technical, dealing as it does in brain chemicals, I thought it was worth reproducing here because it has some interesting observations from independent researchers currently working in the area of depression and mental health. The article states “… supportive close relationships are known to protect against the development of mental illnesses and to promote recovery in those affected by psychiatric conditions. The opposite is also true: dysfunctional relationships can be triggers for those at risk of these conditions.”

Alicia and I have seen time and time again that this is indeed true, especially that close relationships are beneficial for those struggling with conditions such as depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The simple truth is that being with loved ones makes us feel safe and secure, not threatened or exposed as can be the case in wider society and this is beneficial for any of us but especially for recovered and recovering depressives and stress related disorders.

Serotonin: A critical chemical for human intimacy and romance

Philadelphia, PA, 14 April 2011 - The judgments we make about the intimacy of other couples' relationships appear to be influenced by the brain chemical serotonin, reports a new study published in Biological Psychiatry.

Healthy adult volunteers, whose levels of serotonin activity had been lowered, rated couples in photos as being less intimate and less romantic than volunteers with normal serotonin activity.

The approach involved giving amino acid drinks to two groups of volunteers in order to manipulate blood concentrations of the amino acid tryptophan, which is a vital ingredient in the synthesis of serotonin. One group received drinks that contained tryptophan. The other group received drinks that did not contain tryptophan. They were then asked to make judgments about sets of photographs of couples. Differences in the judgments made by the two groups reflected changes in their serotonin activity.

"Serotonin is important in social behavior, and also plays a significant role in psychological disorders such as depression," explained Professor Robert Rogers of Oxford University, who led the research. "We wanted to see whether serotonin activity influences the judgments we make about peoples' close personal relationships."

The volunteers who received the drink without tryptophan consistently rated the couples in the photos as being less 'intimate' and 'romantic' than the participants who received the control drink.

This finding is an important reminder that our relationships with other people are influenced by processes beyond our awareness and control. But we should not be surprised by this revelation. Serotonin function drops in association with episodes of depression, where the capacity for intimacy also is often compromised.

Understanding the powerful influence of these chemicals is important as supportive close relationships are known to protect against the development of mental illnesses and to promote recovery in those affected by psychiatric conditions. The opposite is also true: dysfunctional relationships can be triggers for those at risk of these conditions.

The results raise the possibility that lower serotonin activity in people with depression and other psychiatric conditions could contribute to changes in the way they perceive personal relationships, or even in their ability to maintain positive personal relationships.

"Although this is only a small study, the same patterns may well extend to the way we perceive our own relationships," said Professor Rogers.

"The ability to chemically influence the capacity for intimacy could be very important. Reduced capacity for intimacy can be a vexing symptom of many psychiatric disorders and an important target for treatment," noted Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry. "Drugs that ameliorate the impact of serotonin deficits might play a role in the treatment of this symptom."

Although much more research is necessary before a drug might come to market that can help promote intimacy, it is clear for now that our chemistry has an impact on nearly aspect of our lives, from our most public actions to our most private, as we see here with human intimacy and romantic feelings.

Notes to Readers: The article is "Serotonergic Activity Influences the Cognitive Appraisal of Close Intimate Relationships in Healthy Adults" by Amy C. Bilderbeck, Ciara McCabe, Judi Wakeley, Francis McGlone, Tirril Harris, Phillip J. Cowen, and Robert D. Rogers. Bilderbeck, McCabe, Wakeley, Cowen, and Rogers are affiliated with Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom. McGlone is affiliated with University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom. Harris and Cowen are from King's College, London, United Kingdom. The article appears in Biological Psychiatry, Volume 69, Number 8 (April 15, 2011), published by Elsevier.

 A little while ago I was asked to speak to parents and teachers at a large private school in Sydney on ADD/ADHD. Many schools in Australia and the US have a serious drug problem due to the over prescription and school-yard sale of Ritalin, a form of speed.

I told the audience that I didn't believe that Ritalin, and similar drugs were the only, or even the best, form of treatment for the apparent ADD symptoms that their children presented. As with other audiences where I have said the same thing, most of them were looking for something which would 'fix' their kids without looking too closely at the family dynamic or taking too much time away from the earnest business of making a living or teaching a class.

For some reason Western Australia has the highest proportion of its child population diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD) of any Australian state. Twice the number of WA kids (6% of the entire school-age population) are on anti-ADD drugs (mostly Ritalin) there as compared to half that number in New South Wales. Is there something in the Western air which leads children there to breathe in the disorder? I think not.

“I hate you!” Linda screamed one second before the plate of spaghetti Bolognaise flew from her hand towards her husband’s head. Paul ducked just in time, but the next missile, a wet dishtowel, hit it’s mark and blinded him temporarily.

In the ten years of their marriage Linda and Paul had survived numerous such incidents. Linda would fly into uncontrollable rages, sometimes, it seemed, as a result of Paul’s equally frequent depressive episodes.

Mood disorders come in many forms, some of them deeply disguised. Psychologists have labels for many of them: generalized anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder (manic depression), unipolar disorder (serious depression), dysthemia (chronic but milder depression), post traumatic stress disorder (an extreme anxiety disorder), and so forth. A lot of recent research has suggested that they are all forms of depression. Other researchers have found that the incidence of depression in the US doubles every twenty years.

A mood disorder can cloak itself: depression, for example, can manifest itself as a “physical” illness. Studies have shown that 80% of people who visit physicians are suffering from depression. Unfortunately a bit less than half of all doctors are able to recognize these “somatized” mood disorders for what they are which leads to increased suffering on the part of their patients and large bills for unnecessary medications.

The why of this depression pandemic lies in a highly dysfunctional society that puts huge stressors on families and makes it nearly impossible for children to get their developmental and personal needs met.

PTSD is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood. Here we list the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and what you can do to get help.

Symptoms of Trauma

• Difficulty in concentrating
• Changes in appetite or sleep patterns
• Erratic behavior
• Lack of enthusiasm for activities previously considered fun
• Irritability, lethargy, and the desire to stay away from people

These symptoms usually only last a month or so.

Symptoms of PTSD

• Re-experiencing traumatic events (ie, obsessive recollections, flashbacks, nightmares)
• Avoidant symptoms (fear of being with people)
• Signs of hyperarousal (easily startled, irritable)

PTSD usually sets in up to several months after the most recent trauma, and can last years or even a lifetime.

What's Needed

For PTSD, be sure to seek professional help. However, all trauma needs friendly support:

• Encouragement to be with people
• Encouragement to express feelings and fears
• Exchange of needs instead of second-guessing what will help
• Lots of safe exercise, such as walking, and preferably with friends
• Lots of safe exercise, such as walking, and preferably with friends
• Sticking to routines, especially social ones, at home and work
• Reality checks from friends especially around safety (money, job) issues