QUESTION:
Dear Dr. Heller,
I suffered a cerebral infarction a couple of years ago on the left side of my brain. Could this be a reason for my constantly being unhappy? I feel depressed most of the time but I try to pull myself out of it for my children's sake. I had an MRI taken a year after my stroke and everything looked fine though there were still a few parts of my brain which the doctor described as being dead. Could my previous condition also contribute to my moodiness?
ANSWER:
Damage to the brain's frontal lobes can definitely cause depression and
unhappiness. The antipsychotic medication Zyprexa could be of great help to you.
Finding all the diagnoses before the stroke and comprehensively treating them is crucial
as well.
