Monitoring Research Regarding Olanzapine
Discovered and produced by Eli Lilly, Olanzapine was approved for use in humans in 1996. Built off Clozapine, Olanzapine promised a better treatment for those with mental disorders like Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and even certain types of Depressive Disorders. Considered a second generation of the class of medications called "Antipsychotics" it was considered atypical as its pharamacological properties differed from those of the first generation. Not only did it impact dopaminergic neurons, but also, seroternergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic neurons. With a broader treatment range than those of its predecessor, it has the unique ability to treat both positive and negative symptoms of Schizophrenia. Olanzapine is great for use in treatment resistant Schizophrenia however, it does have a rare although rather dangerous side effect known as agranulocytosis, which is a dangerous decrease in white blood cells.
Researching a Rare Syndrome: Catatonia
Catatonia is a rare psychomotor syndrome that causes abnormalities of mind and movement. This syndrome is considered rare as there are many medications in our modern day to treat it, such as benzodiazepines or barbiturates. Sufferers of this syndrome manifest with abnormal stupor, excitement, and severe motor patterns. It is very much a syndrome that is mostly lost to time, as such, there is very little research into this syndrome. Personally, while I did not suffer from catatonia I do know of my cousin's cousin who suffers from catatonic schizophrenia. One night she was wondering the halls of her house with a knife in hand whispering menacingly to threats that did not exist, her family locked themselves in their rooms at night due to the fear they've experienced. However, another time she was driving and became involved in a car accident because she went into a catatonic stupor, frozen and trapped in her body, she lost control of the car and hit another car and finally came to a stop when the car fell into a shallow pit. When she was found the paramedics were perpelexed as to why she was frozen, police assumed she was frozen in fear, however one keen eyed paramedic noticed symptoms of catatonia and in her car found benzodiazepines which is used to treat catatonia. She was IV'ed midazolam and quickly came back to life freed from the frozen stupor she was in, confused as to what had happened, because as she said she was, "elsewhere" mentally. I found Karl Ludwig Kahlbaum's monograph Die Katatonie oder das Spannungsirresein, to be the best source for defining the motor, mood, and psychiatric disturbances of catatonia. My true heart and passion lies with those who suffer from diseases like these, misunderstood in a world so hostile to understanding.
Hiking
One of my favorite hobbies besides being a bookworm whose obessed with obscure psychiatric disorders and pharamacological studies. I enjoy walking and hiking, something I picked up when I was 17. I would spend hours walking at night throughout my town, typically I would start at 7 in the afternoon only to return home at 2 in the morning. I also have hiked in several national parks, such as Joshua Tree and the Sequoia's. There is something so primitive to walking through nature exploring and thinking about my place in the universe, feeling as if something or someone is out there, that maybe my life has something of a meaning to it, yet knowing nothing in the end. Being someone who suffers from anxiety, I moved from relying on medications to keep me sedated to hiking away into the wilderness and spending much of my time writing in my private journal, reflecting on who I have become and accepting the imperfections of life. Doing this helps me accept that it is okay to not know the "true" meaning to life. In fact, I follow the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, meaning "forest bathing," it was developed in Japan in the 1980s as a way to therapeutically fight off life's stresses. Engaging yourself with the wilderness, you are to engage your senses into feeling, smelling, seeing, and taking in the wilderness around you.
Reading
Another one of my favorite hobbies is reading. Whether it is reading on my phone from Wikipedia or from a book, reading has always been important for me. Being someone with an active imaginaiton I enjoyed reading scary stories or end of the world scenarios. A particular book that I have always loved is Scary Stories to tell in the Dark, since I was a child I was always terrified of the book series. There is something so menacing to the drawings that I do not even dare to Google them. Other books I have loved are Hunger Games, but I not only dabble with fiction. Nonfiction books have been my main source of reading into my teenage years and my early adult life. Because of my connections to the great folks at the Reedley College Library I was gifted hundred of textbooks that were due to be thrown away. Now I have an entire library from everything chemistry to anatomy. I spend much of my time away from my computer now that my major forces me behind the screen of a computer that I use to enjoy playing video games on. Now I can only associate technology with dependence and the ownership of knowledge in the form of books is something that cannot be taken from me, it is something that once I have read I can bring easily into memory due to me keeping my mind sharp and staying away from substances like alcohol and marijuana. It is something I show off to friends when they come over although more often than not, I can tell that they are not as interested in the topics that I enjoy. There is something bittersweet in having very close friends only for them to not really enjoy the same subjects you do. Most of my life I put others off due to my excessive talking, being referred to a walking Google search engine because of my ability to absorb information and inability to truly connect with others.
Weight Lifting
The most impactful of all my hobbies has to be weight lifting. I began exercising when I was 12 years old, although I focused more on stamina training, now I focusing on strength training and building the physique that I want. One of my inspirations is Mike Mentzer and Tom Platz, I started taking weight lifting seriously when I was 22 and by 24 I had gained 100 lbs. I went from barely weighing 90 pounds and being severly malnourished to blossoming into human machine. I have learned a lot due to weight lifting, for example I use to workout 4 hours a day, 7 days a week and kept it up for a year and a half. This led to a partial tendon tear in my distal bicep tendon. Once recovered I realized the importance of keeping my workouts short and only working out 4-5 times a week with an off week every 3 weeks. This lead to massive gains in physique and strength. I have a personal record of bench pressing 250 lbs, squatting 350 lbs, and deadlifting 675 lbs. Due to having gifted insertions I have a great physique and this lead to getting more attraction from my girl friends, I said no to most when they asked me out because I was so focused on building myself I didn't realize that I was missing another half of myself. This led to me finding my girlfriend by mere chance, finally someone who didn't want me solely for my looks but someone who will listen to me rant about proteins for hours. When there have been times were I get angry or upset she brings me down and humbles me. I never knew someone who stands at 4'10 weighing 90 lbs could have so much influence over me. We are celebrating our 2nd anniversary soon and our mutual love for weight training is something that brings us together. She's my other half that I finally found and I can't wait to be a father soon, training my kids to weight lift early on.
