Brain Sad
Chapter One
The Sydney Morning Herald
October 23rd, 2011
WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT DEPRESSION
Depression, also known as Cerebral Dysphoria Syndrome (CDS), is quickly becoming one of the most notoriously deadly diseases of the decade. What was originally seen as a severe case of neurosis paired with flu like symptoms is now being named to be one of the most brutal brain related diseases since Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA or Stroke). Dr. James Madison explains.
‘CDS is mainly caused by an inflammation of the brain caused by a viral infection, sharing similar symptoms to that of Encephalitis,’ he clarifies. ‘But unlike Encephalitis, we see the prefrontal cortex begin to shut down due to this inflammation, causing the patient to lose the ability to think about and reflect upon decisions, therefore losing their ability to make rational choices. This can result in disinhibition and emotional lability, where the patient is unable to control or suppress impulsive behaviour.’
Dr. Madison goes on to describe the symptoms of CDS.
‘Symptoms can be almost undetectable, usually starting with mild headaches which evolve into migraines. This is usually partnered with muscle aches as well as insomnia. But unfortunately, by the time the migraines and other symptoms become severe enough for the patient to seek a medical opinion; the inflammation process is already too far along to be able to treat.’
The survival rate for Depression is extremely low at this point, with only three out of every five thousand patients surviving the illness. Acclaimed neurosurgeon, Dr. Nancy Fillmore, tells us why exactly CDS is referred to as Depression.
‘CDS starts firstly in the prefrontal cortex, causing the patient to become apathetic and instinctual as the reactive brain takes over,’ she says. ‘This causes mood swings, complete personality changes and a depressive state of mind, where the patient’s tolerance level to anything critical or “mean” significantly depletes. As a result, it has been nicknamed, Depression.’
We also asked Dr. Fillmore for details on how death is actually caused by CDS.
‘While the disease starts in the prefrontal cortex, as time goes on, we see the inflammation spread from this section of the brain to a section called the medulla oblongata. This section of the brain controls vital, unconscious functions such as the heart and lungs. As the infection spreads to this part of the brain, the medulla oblongata begins to dysfunction, firstly resulting in shortness of breath, erratic heartbeat and other symptoms, finally resultant in the shutdown of these vital organs, which of course leads to the complete shutdown of the entire body.’
Minister of Health, David Wheman, warns Australian citizens to keep tabs on their health.
‘We’ve already seen over a thousand deaths nationwide since CDS was discovered in July last year and more and more cases are appearing. Please, if you believe you are experiencing any symptoms of Depression, seek medical advice.’
Doctors have been working frantically for a cure, but have so far only succeeded in developing Cerdepitol, a drug which slows down the inflammation process, usually extending the patient’s life by anywhere from six months to two years. Although it’s not a solution, it has at least given people living with Depression extra time to spend with family and friends...
Lois’s eyes trailed away from that day’s newspaper as she heard her daughter enter the room.
“What’re you reading, Mum?” Harper asked.
“Just today’s paper,” replied Lois, folding The Sydney Morning Herald in half and placing it on the coffee table.
“Anything interesting?”
“Nothing that concerns us, baby girl.” She stood up and hugged her daughter. “How was school today?”
“Eh, it was okay. I hate year eleven.” Harper pouted her trademark seventeen year old pout.
Lois laughed and sat with her daughter on the couch. “Tell me what’s going on.”
So Harper spilled today’s particular school drama and her mother listened attentively, the newspaper left forgotten upon the coffee table.
* * *
Prefrontal Cortex.
Medulla Oblongata.
Cerebral Dysphoria.
Depression.
Terminal.
These words hit Harper like harsh, icy waves against a rocky cliff face. They rolled over her, suffocated her with their ultimate meaning. One plus one would always equal two, just as Depression and its human carrier always equalled terminal.
Terminal…
The word hadn’t quite sunk in yet. Harper knew it by its dictionary definition, but what it meant for her? Well, she choked upon it, unable to swallow the finality. It sat at the back of her throat, half of it blocking her airway, the other half feline, gripping the pink flesh of her tongue. She couldn’t feel her body anymore. It wasn’t so much a feeling of being numb as it was a feeling of being utterly detached.
Terminal…
She heard the word echo around her head. A head that was filled with poison. A poison brain which was, at this very moment, leaking into her bloodstream.
How much blood could a poison brain poison if a poison brain could poison blood?
Her mother’s nails were digging into her flesh, piercing the tender skin, but it didn’t hurt. It was funny, actually. She had never really hurt. The migraines were bad, but bearable once hushed by the stern hand of aspirin. And the muscle aches were nothing more than that: aches. Dull pain that was easy enough to push into a mental drawer so you could deal with it later. There were no searing moments of flaring agony. There was no fits partnered with a foamy mouth and lolling tongue. There was no food speckled vomit or losses of consciousness. No extreme weight loss. No hair loss. No blood.
No severity.
Harper felt cheated. Depression had tricked her. Lulled her into thinking she was feeling nothing more than the stress of university or the beginning of the flu. Depression hadn’t played fair. It had dealt her an unjust hand. It had rigged the game.
It had rigged her life.
It had ruined her equation. The perfectly mapped out formula that was her existence. Nineteen years she had run smoothly. But once you added Depression, everything that mattered cancelled out.
Was she now destined to become just another statistic? Just another number within the thousands that Depression had already claimed?
She felt her chest tighten and within her
(poisoned)
head she heard the tolling sound of heavy church bells.
Dong...
Dong...
Dong.
And then everything went black and silent, as if her body were preparing her for what lay ahead.
October 23rd, 2011
WHAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT DEPRESSION
Depression, also known as Cerebral Dysphoria Syndrome (CDS), is quickly becoming one of the most notoriously deadly diseases of the decade. What was originally seen as a severe case of neurosis paired with flu like symptoms is now being named to be one of the most brutal brain related diseases since Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA or Stroke). Dr. James Madison explains.
‘CDS is mainly caused by an inflammation of the brain caused by a viral infection, sharing similar symptoms to that of Encephalitis,’ he clarifies. ‘But unlike Encephalitis, we see the prefrontal cortex begin to shut down due to this inflammation, causing the patient to lose the ability to think about and reflect upon decisions, therefore losing their ability to make rational choices. This can result in disinhibition and emotional lability, where the patient is unable to control or suppress impulsive behaviour.’
Dr. Madison goes on to describe the symptoms of CDS.
‘Symptoms can be almost undetectable, usually starting with mild headaches which evolve into migraines. This is usually partnered with muscle aches as well as insomnia. But unfortunately, by the time the migraines and other symptoms become severe enough for the patient to seek a medical opinion; the inflammation process is already too far along to be able to treat.’
The survival rate for Depression is extremely low at this point, with only three out of every five thousand patients surviving the illness. Acclaimed neurosurgeon, Dr. Nancy Fillmore, tells us why exactly CDS is referred to as Depression.
‘CDS starts firstly in the prefrontal cortex, causing the patient to become apathetic and instinctual as the reactive brain takes over,’ she says. ‘This causes mood swings, complete personality changes and a depressive state of mind, where the patient’s tolerance level to anything critical or “mean” significantly depletes. As a result, it has been nicknamed, Depression.’
We also asked Dr. Fillmore for details on how death is actually caused by CDS.
‘While the disease starts in the prefrontal cortex, as time goes on, we see the inflammation spread from this section of the brain to a section called the medulla oblongata. This section of the brain controls vital, unconscious functions such as the heart and lungs. As the infection spreads to this part of the brain, the medulla oblongata begins to dysfunction, firstly resulting in shortness of breath, erratic heartbeat and other symptoms, finally resultant in the shutdown of these vital organs, which of course leads to the complete shutdown of the entire body.’
Minister of Health, David Wheman, warns Australian citizens to keep tabs on their health.
‘We’ve already seen over a thousand deaths nationwide since CDS was discovered in July last year and more and more cases are appearing. Please, if you believe you are experiencing any symptoms of Depression, seek medical advice.’
Doctors have been working frantically for a cure, but have so far only succeeded in developing Cerdepitol, a drug which slows down the inflammation process, usually extending the patient’s life by anywhere from six months to two years. Although it’s not a solution, it has at least given people living with Depression extra time to spend with family and friends...
Lois’s eyes trailed away from that day’s newspaper as she heard her daughter enter the room.
“What’re you reading, Mum?” Harper asked.
“Just today’s paper,” replied Lois, folding The Sydney Morning Herald in half and placing it on the coffee table.
“Anything interesting?”
“Nothing that concerns us, baby girl.” She stood up and hugged her daughter. “How was school today?”
“Eh, it was okay. I hate year eleven.” Harper pouted her trademark seventeen year old pout.
Lois laughed and sat with her daughter on the couch. “Tell me what’s going on.”
So Harper spilled today’s particular school drama and her mother listened attentively, the newspaper left forgotten upon the coffee table.
* * *
Prefrontal Cortex.
Medulla Oblongata.
Cerebral Dysphoria.
Depression.
Terminal.
These words hit Harper like harsh, icy waves against a rocky cliff face. They rolled over her, suffocated her with their ultimate meaning. One plus one would always equal two, just as Depression and its human carrier always equalled terminal.
Terminal…
The word hadn’t quite sunk in yet. Harper knew it by its dictionary definition, but what it meant for her? Well, she choked upon it, unable to swallow the finality. It sat at the back of her throat, half of it blocking her airway, the other half feline, gripping the pink flesh of her tongue. She couldn’t feel her body anymore. It wasn’t so much a feeling of being numb as it was a feeling of being utterly detached.
Terminal…
She heard the word echo around her head. A head that was filled with poison. A poison brain which was, at this very moment, leaking into her bloodstream.
How much blood could a poison brain poison if a poison brain could poison blood?
Her mother’s nails were digging into her flesh, piercing the tender skin, but it didn’t hurt. It was funny, actually. She had never really hurt. The migraines were bad, but bearable once hushed by the stern hand of aspirin. And the muscle aches were nothing more than that: aches. Dull pain that was easy enough to push into a mental drawer so you could deal with it later. There were no searing moments of flaring agony. There was no fits partnered with a foamy mouth and lolling tongue. There was no food speckled vomit or losses of consciousness. No extreme weight loss. No hair loss. No blood.
No severity.
Harper felt cheated. Depression had tricked her. Lulled her into thinking she was feeling nothing more than the stress of university or the beginning of the flu. Depression hadn’t played fair. It had dealt her an unjust hand. It had rigged the game.
It had rigged her life.
It had ruined her equation. The perfectly mapped out formula that was her existence. Nineteen years she had run smoothly. But once you added Depression, everything that mattered cancelled out.
Was she now destined to become just another statistic? Just another number within the thousands that Depression had already claimed?
She felt her chest tighten and within her
(poisoned)
head she heard the tolling sound of heavy church bells.
Dong...
Dong...
Dong.
And then everything went black and silent, as if her body were preparing her for what lay ahead.
♠ ♠ ♠
Hey guys! Just going to give you a quick rundown in case some of you are confused at what is going on. I originally wrote this story as a major work for Extension 2 English when I was in year 12. It's probably one of the stories I'm most proud of and am really excited to share with you all.Basically, my idea was to discuss depression as if it were a physical illness instead of a mental one and how society would react if it was something that manifested in a physical sense. So instead of being something that only the person struggling with depression could really define to others and try desperately to explain, in this story it is now something with physical symptoms that get worse over time and ultimately end in death.
I hope this clarifies my idea a bit more for anyone who wasn't sure what I meant. I really hope you enjoy and I would love to hear your feedback. Ta!