RE: Meet your happy brain chemicals and boost them! Oxytocin, Endorphins, Serotonin, Dopamine and more
Happy Happy Brain Chemicals. For the most part I have happy brain chemicals. And I probably know way more about them than I would like.
I have one unhappy brain chemical, orexin. Sometime, probably when I was an early teen, I had an auto immune event and all my orexin transmitters quit. Not all, and not all at once, but the end result is Narcolepsy.
It has been a serious pain where I sit at times, and a thing to work around that affects my life daily. The only known treatment is direct injection in the hypothalamus (a somewhat risky adventure itself) of synthetic orexin. Best case scenario is 6 months relief, least case is less than 2 weeks.
Thanks for a wonderful post about things it's good for everybody to think about. It really is easier to smile than frown, particularly if you help yourself out just a little.
I am glad you have your narcolepsy under control and can enjoy your travels. I have not heard of that treatment. Over here, people with narcolepsy just take pills and hope they do not fall asleep all the time and yet still they do so driving is not an option.
Thank you for your lovely words 💚
I am unmedicated. Completely. I volunteered for the brain injection for the good of the community. I wasn't chosen/
Motorcycles are mystical in the community. I know of 4 riders that have N yet can ride a motorcycle at will. The four of us are convinced that it is because the bike is inherently dangerous and all riders have a slow and steady adrenaline drip. I have had to stop and take a 'nap', but I have always had plenty of time to do so. It's weird, I know.
I can also drive a car, but my 'stop' window is much smaller. I have about 5 minutes of 'feedback' before I have an attack. It's not perfect, but I've not had any sort of accident yet. 25 years with the diagnosis.
Sigh. I am convinced the pills will kill you. I took them for 10 years. I am way better served today.
I always knew I was one in ten thousand. I didn't think it would manifest itself this way :)