DOSE:

200 mg

oral

DMAE

(daily)

BODY WEIGHT:

125 lb

Some background: I've suffered from severe depression for around 7 years now. I have tried psychotherapy as well as prescription anti-depressants. Neither of these methods assuaged my condition in the past.

I haven't heard of DMAE until recently, from a fellow on the internet. My interest was piqued, and I did much subsequent research on the supplement. It was touted as a 'smart drug' that improves concentration, acting as a mood elevator as well. As a hopeful future mathematics major, I decided to give it a try. Concentration was exactly what I needed most. $7.99 at the local health food store, so what did I have to lose?

It is claimed that the drug takes a few weeks to build up in your system, like any other anti-depressant. For the first week, I took 100mg every morning. At first I experienced a mild, dull pain in my upper abdomen. After three days it dissipated. I didn't see a marked increase in concentration, or any more clarity of thinking than usual. Yet, I did begin to remember practically every dream from each previous night. I figured I should just increase the dose after the first week ran its course.

The second week I upped the dosage to 200mg every morning. I still did not see any increase in concentration, and my dreams continued to be as vivid and memorable as ever. Though by mid-week, through no outside provocation, I became extremely depressed. This was one of the more intolerable episodes in the recent past. I could literally do nothing but lay on the couch with my cat and cry or just stare into space.

For another half-week I have continued to take my 200mg daily DMAE dose. I figured the depressive fit was partly complicated by an onset of PMS or just an extreme longing for my long-distance fiance. Since only two or so weeks elapsed I figured the drug didn't have time to reach full efficacy yet. That final half-week, however, changed my mind completely about the supplement. I stopped caring about everything. I felt atrocious and I didn't know why. I started skipping classes, and instead of enjoying the beautiful spring days I'd go home to my basement and sit around aimlessly. (As a sidenote, I've only missed 2 lectures this whole semester, so cutting classes is out of the norm for me.) I didn't even want to talk to my fiance anymore...

This was different from regular depression. It lacked a true FEELING of melancholy that runs as an undercurrent. Mostly DMAE just made me feel bad, but without the heart hurting behind it. A purely mental type of bad, which, in my opinion, is even more unsavory.

DMAE is not recommended for people with manic depression, since it can exacerbate the depressive episodes. I've always figured I was somewhat bipolar, but my therapists have been disinclined to believe it. (Unlike my friends, who have seen my manic phases first-hand.) Never again will I take this supplement; if I'm hurting I'd like to at least feel that I am hurting, and not just be forced to wander in a crummy mental state.

Exp Year: 2010	ExpID: 84788
Gender: Female
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Dec 19, 2016	Views: 2,734
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DMAE (151) : General (1), Performance Enhancement (50), Depression (15), Health Problems (27), Various (28)