[krugen68]

I didn't know if I should tag this on the thread on drugs and OCD behaviour, but I'm intrigued by the connections.

My neuro on first diagnosis told me that statistically most PWP are non-risk takers, with low emotion swings.
Personally, I own up to mildish (and occasionally excessive) OCD behaviour patterns over most of my life - Gambling, smoking, drinking etc
I wondered if those whose experienced compulsions such as gambling shopping binges or hyper-sexuality on taking the drugs, previously had lower mostly controllable patterns, or did it come as a total character change ?

[Conductor71]

Originally Posted by krugen68

I didn't know if I should tag this on the thread on drugs and OCD behaviour, but I'm intrigued by the connections.

My neuro on first diagnosis told me that statistically most PWP are non-risk takers, with low emotion swings.
Personally, I own up to mildish (and occasionally excessive) OCD behaviour patterns over most of my life - Gambling, smoking, drinking etc
I wondered if those whose experienced compulsions such as gambling shopping binges or hyper-sexuality on taking the drugs, previously had lower mostly controllable patterns, or did it come as a total character change ?

Krugen,

There has long been the idea of a stereotypical Parkinsonian Personality marked by us being supposedly overly cautious, creatures of habit who avoid all change. This idea of us having these same traits is a lot of nothing,imho. It is a construct by researchers, but how in the word does it help advance treatments or a cure? I find it offensive that someone studies whether Hitler's "rigid or inflexible" thinking led to his ultimate defeat? How in the world does one quantify or prove that? It is nothing more than conjecture. Really, that is a stretch.

That being expressed. I will say that in looking back at my behavior, moods, etc., I was a bit on the obsessive side in having obsessive thoughts. That time in my life was dominated by anxiety and what I'd say is massive indecisiveness; change was the only thing I embraced. I felt stasis was the enemy. I moved around a lot from city to city, and in the end, though it was fun, it amounted to not much of anything more than an emotional ADHD. If I kept busy changing, I didn't have to acknowledge or address any of the emotional stuff that was holding me back or causing me pain deep down.

If there is any one thing that I'd say is definitely PD given, it is that we all seem to share a heightened sensitivity to stress.

My thoughts....

Laura

[krugen68]

Hi Laura

I guess I was thinking more along the lines that dopamine deficiency/excess leads to behavioural character traits, way before the PD is apparent.

In my case I was

a) wondering if my excessive alcohol/nicotine intake is intertwined with the PD, whether to positive or negative effect

http://www.macalester.edu/psychology...oholtobac.html

and
b) if my physiology will be susceptible to drug induced OCD, that I should avoid DAs like the plague !

[krugen68]

Originally Posted by Conductor71

Krugen,

That time in my life was dominated by anxiety and what I'd say is massive indecisiveness; change was the only thing I embraced. I felt stasis was the enemy. My thoughts....

Laura

.....I must admit to wondering how many of my actions and excesses over the years were driven by a perpetual ennui or boredom and a need for excitement, that may well have been a result of the underlying chemical inbalance..........

[Conductor71]

Hi,

Sorry about that. I wasn't entirely clear in my post. All that I wrote is looking at things from a dopamine unbalance; either too much in one area of the brain or too little. Obviously our behavior and relation to everything and everyone is altered.

I have read that anxiety and depression might be considered biomarkers for PD. And for me, I'd say unrelenting anxiety was my first real symptom. It is interesting to note that what you describe as an "addictive personality" might be an early hallmark of the disease. I don't have that particular trait, but definitely seems like it could be connected to PD given that it is all tied into our "reward center" in the brain. I could see how someone then might be more sensitive to the behavioral side effects of an agonist too.

So many variables are unknown that could factor into individualizing our treatments and improve our quality of life. Why is it all overlooked, I haven't a clue!

Laura

[sooty]

Originally Posted by krugen68

I didn't know if I should tag this on the thread on drugs and OCD behaviour, but I'm intrigued by the connections.

My neuro on first diagnosis told me that statistically most PWP are non-risk takers, with low emotion swings.
Personally, I own up to mildish (and occasionally excessive) OCD behaviour patterns over most of my life - Gambling, smoking, drinking etc
I wondered if those whose experienced compulsions such as gambling shopping binges or hyper-sexuality on taking the drugs, previously had lower mostly controllable patterns, or did it come as a total character change ?

Personally, I own up to mildish (and occasionally excessive) OCD behaviour patterns over most of my life - Gambling, smoking, drinking etc

I think that every single one of us could own up to the above sentence, weather we have pd or not!!!

Looking back at what i did i would say that i had just normal ''men ''traits'.........yes i would look at pretty women,but that was all.drink yes ,smoke yes,gamble occasionally,

Once on a higher dose of mirra,my sex drive hit the roof,now was this because of the drug or because of boredom???

Since lowering the dose of mirra my sex drive has not subsided but i am able now to control my urges.i liken it to being an alchaholic ,one one always one...................

I would also like to add that a high percentage of pwp i chat to have had probs on DA's and admit to some form of OCD,all have been on DA's.........i dare bet if we were all honest that figure would likley be near the 100% mark

As i said in my thread,its not the pd that f**** us its the meds