Ramanisblog

Tag: Antidepressant

  • Depression Causes and Cure.

    Depression is an expression of being unhappy which you become aware of.

    Suddenly you feel that nothing is working out for you and you are at odds with yourself,doubting about your job,relationship and the meaning of Life.

    Some of the symptoms are:

    You get the feeling that whatever you are doing at present is worthless and might feel you are searching for something of which you are not sure.

    If you happen to read books and if they happen to be depressive you sink further.

    Any well-meaning advice will appear to be useless and you might feel despondent.

    What one needs to know that there are no individuals or a day with out depression.

    The degree differs.

    When the these low down feelings persist you become acutely depressed.

    What causes Depression?

    Sometimes there may be an obvious reason for becoming depressed, sometimes not. There is usually more than one cause and different people have different reasons.

    It may seem obvious why – there may be life events or changes in circumstance such as a relationship breakdown, bereavement or even the birth of a child – but sometimes it’s not clear. Either way, it can become so bad that you need help.

    Often people don’t realise how depressed they are, because the depression has come on gradually. They may try to struggle on and cope by keeping busy. This can make them even more stressed and exhausted. This can cause physical pains, such as constant headaches, or sleeplessness.”

    At the adolescent age,impatience to get things done causes anxiety which might lead to Depression.

    The inability to achieve the set goals causes anxiety which  may result in Depression.

    At an advanced age,insecurity about future,at the middle age concerns about old age might trigger Depression.

    It can also be due to some biological reasons like Thyroid,metabolic imbalance in the system.

    • “An underactive or overactive thyroid gland
    • Treatments for depression

      “There are two types of treatment available: talking treatments and medication. Both can be accessed through your doctor.”

      Talking treatments

      • Counselling helps you to talk about your feelings in private with a sympathetic professional. Your GP may have a counsellor at the surgery.
      • Cognitive behavioural therapy can help to overcome the powerful negative thoughts that are part of depression.
      • Interpersonal and dynamic therapies can help if you have difficulties getting on with other people. A relationship counsellor might be helpful if you’re having difficulties with your partner.
      • If you have a disability or are caring for a relative, a self-help group may give you support.

      Medication

      Antidepressants can be effective if depression is severe or goes on for a long time. They may help feelings of anxiety and help you to deal with problems effectively again.

      The effects of antidepressants won’t usually be felt straight away – people often don’t notice any improvement in their mood for two or three weeks.

      As well as tablets, an alternative remedy called St John’s wort is available from chemists. There is evidence that it’s effective in mild to moderate depression. It seems to work in much the same way as some antidepressants, but some people find it has fewer side effects. You should discuss taking it with your doctor, particularly if you’re taking other medication.”

      Like all medicines, antidepressants have some side effects, although these are usually mild and tend to wear off as the treatment goes on. The newer antidepressants (called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) may cause nausea and anxiety for a short while. The older antidepressants can cause dry mouth and constipation. Unless the side effects are very bad, your doctor will usually advise you to continue taking them.

      Four out of five people with depression will get better without help. The shorter the time you have been depressed, the better the chance that it will lift on its own. However, even with treatment, one in five people will still be depressed two years later.

      Support

      It may be enough to talk things over with a relative or friend. If this doesn’t help, talk it over with your family doctor.

      • Talk to someone close to you about how you feel. Going over a painful experience and crying it out can help you come to terms with it.
      • Get some regular exercise. This will help you keep fit and hopefully, sleep better. Do jobs around the house to take your mind off thoughts that make you depressed.
      • Eat well, even if you don’t feel like it. Don’t drink alcohol, as this makes depression worse, although it might not seem to at first.
      • If you can’t sleep, try not to worry about it. Do something relaxing in bed such as reading, watching TV or listening to the radio.
      • If you know what is making you depressed, write it down and think of ways to tackle it. Pick the best ones and see if they help.
      • Keep hopeful – this is a very common experience and you will come through it, probably stronger and more able to cope than before.”
      One must remember that the treatments are only supports and one can definitely beat depression only by him/herself.
      Antidepressants might help to calm the mind chemically ,but over a period of time these drugs might become habit-forming if they are Barbiturate based.
      Even Alfazolam  may be contra-indicated for some.
      Counseling is effective only if one is ready to receive advice, be it a Counselor or Relatives or friends.
      Normally under the spell of Depression,the mind will refuse.
      Normal advice is to take safe antidepressants under the advice of a qualified Physician .
      Never exceed the dose.
      In general, one must know the facts of Life.
      Life is what it is.
      Do not analyse and judge your or other’s Life.
      Learn to look at Facts ,not impressions.
      We generally carry impressions and hardly look at facts.
      Never attempt to ascribe motives for the behavior of others around you.
      Planning is fine but too much thinking and planing is unhealthy.
      This puts one under pressure because Life has to be run, with interaction with others whether one likes it or not and we can not control what others think of us nor can we control circumstances.
      Plan for a shorter period.
      Remember none knows whether he/she will be alive the next second.
      Do not think you are indispensable, the world has been here before you were born and will  be after you go.
      Never think you are the one who supports Family or you are indispensable at work either.
      Do what you have to do with out reasoning out for Life has to felt and Lived ,not analyzed.
      Those who feel that they can not reach their goals should know that any activity you undertake depends on various factors, some of them under your control,most of them out of your control.
      So do the best you can and not be anxious.
      Results will come.
      It is worth noting that if you achieve whatever you want in a very short span of Time, you will have nothing to live for.
      Life can be led joyously only when we have something unattainable as well.
      Also have Faith.
      Do not question every thing in Life for ultimately you will end up as a mental patient,probably this might take some time.
      It could be any Faith , may also be Atheism.
      Read Books that are light and Books are Optimistic.
      Be with people who are not whiners.
      People around those who suffer from Depression must not judge those who are  as they could become  one the next day.
      Be positive and talk things that are joyous and optimistic and avoid serious pontificating.
    Related articles

  • Popular Drugs make you violent, lower Libido.

    Avoid them.Surprising that Doctors still prescribe them.

    Some medications have been linked to an increased risk for violent, even homicidal behavior. A recent study identified 31 drugs that are disproportionately linked with violent behavior.

    Time Magazine lists the top ten offenders:

    1. Varenicline (Chantix): The number one violence-inducing drug on the list, this anti-smoking medication is 18 times more likely to be linked with violence when compared to other drugs
    2. Fluoxetine (Prozac): This drug was the first well-known SSRI antidepressant
    3. Paroxetine (Paxil): Another SSRI antidepressant, Paxil is also linked with severe withdrawal symptoms and a risk of birth defects
    4. Amphetamines: (Various): Used to treat ADHD
    5. Mefoquine (Lariam): A treatment for malaria which is often linked with reports of strange behavior
    6. Atomoxetine (Strattera): An ADHD drug that affects the neurotransmitter noradrenaline
    7. Triazolam (Halcion): This potentially addictive drug is used to treat insomnia
    8. Fluvoxamine (Luvox): Another SSRI antidepressant
    9. Venlafaxine (Effexor): An antidepressant also used to treat anxiety disorders
    10. Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq): An antidepressant which affects both serotonin and noradrenaline

    Sources:

    PLoS One December 15, 2010; 5(12)

    http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/02/02/top-ten-legal-drugs-linked-to-violence.aspx

    Related:

    Early anti-depressant exposure reduces socializing behaviors in rats but increases them in the long term.   There are very few human studies that have been carried out for more than a week or two.  This means the long-term effect of exposure to antidepressants agents is unknown.

    The brain imaging data suggest that antidepressants influence emotional experience and processing in healthy individuals.  There is a variety of individual variation in emotional experience and processing, but the antidepressants appear to move healthy individuals along this domain.

    One interesting aspect of this issue is that we know very little about the comparison of side effect patterns in non-depressed individuals.  Do healthy controls experience the same type of side effects to the same degree as depressed individuals?  We have a wealth of data comparing side effects of antidepressants compared to control within depressed populations.  But the volume of data comparing side effects between depressed individuals and non-depressed is small.
    Molecular model of the antidepressant escitalopram (Lexapro) courtesy of Creative Commons author Ben Mills.

    http://brainposts.blogspot.com/2011/01/what-do-antidepressants-do-in-healthy.html

    Antidepressants can certainly cause orgasm problems and lower your libido. In particular, the SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) group of medications, including Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil, can result in difficulties. Since you’ve completely lost the ability to have an orgasm, you should talk to your doctor about lowering your medication dose or changing to a drug with fewer sexual side effects — the antidepressant Wellbutrin, for example, which has been found to improve libido and orgasm ability. You might want to discuss Wellbutrin with your doctor to determine whether it’s right for you.

    Another option for you might be Zestra. This all-natural botanical oil is applied to the genitals before foreplay and creates a tingling sensation. In clinical trials, Zestra was proven to enhance sexual desire, arousal, and orgasm ability, and it also works wonders as a lubricant. Because it’s made of herbal botanicals, you can get it without a prescription.

    http://www.everydayhealth.com/sexual-health/sexual-dysfunction/specialist/berman/antidepressants-and-orgasms.aspx

  • Anti-depressants ‘up stroke risk’

    Aspirin is prescribed for high cholesterol,it also causes intestinal bleeding.
    Pain killers cause serious after effects.
    Scans increase the risk to cancer.
    Diuretics damage kidneys.
    Cancer inducing genes identified now;yet we have already cured it.
    Caffeine was perceived to be carcinogenic;now it reduces cancer risk also prevents heart disease.
    Take any medicine, you have the same ambivalence.
    Or take any prognosis-as many number of opinions as that of specialists.
    Is Medicine a Science?
    Post menopausal women who take anti-depressants face a small – but statistically significant – increased risk of a stroke, research suggests.
    The US study was based on 136,293 women aged 50 to 79, who were followed for an average of six years.
    Anti-depressant users were 45% more likely to have a stroke than women not taking the drugs.
    The data, published in Archives of Internal Medicine, is taken from the Women’s Health Initiative Study.
    When overall death rates were examined, those on anti-depressants were found to have a 32% higher risk of death from all causes during the study than non-users.
    The researchers stressed that the overall risk of a stroke was relatively small. Even for women on anti-depressants, it was less than one in 200 chance in any given year.

    You have to weigh the benefits that you get from these anti-depressants against the small increase in risk that we found in this study
    Dr Sylvia Wassertheil-Smoller
    Albert Einstein College of Medicine
    However, they said that because so many women were taking anti-depressants the effect would be significant across the entire population.
    It is not clear whether taking anti-depressants is solely responsible for the increased risk of a stroke.
    Depression itself is known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular problems.
    The researchers tried to take this into account in their analysis of the data – but could not rule out the possibility that it influenced the final results.
    The study found no difference in stroke risk between the two major classes of anti-depressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or tricyclic anti-depressants (TCAs).
    However, the SSRIs did appear to convey a higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke caused by a bleed in the brain.
    Lead researcher Dr Sylvia Wassertheil-Smoller, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, stressed that treatment for depression was important, and that women should not stop taking prescribed medication without first consulting their doctor.
    She said: “You have to weigh the benefits that you get from these antidepressants against the small increase in risk that we found in this study.”
    Known links
    The researchers said follow-up studies were needed before any firm conclusions could be drawn.
    Dr Jordan Smoller, of Harvard Medical School, who also worked on the study, said: “We need to study this association more to determine exactly what it signifies.”
    Joanne Murphy, for The Stroke Association stressed the study showed that overall risk for women taking anti-depressants was relatively small.
    She said “We are already aware of links between depression and the risk of stroke and we are currently funding further studies to look into this.
    “Everyone can help reduce their risk of stroke by making lifestyle changes, such as reducing their blood pressure, giving up smoking, reducing alcohol intake, improving their diet and getting plenty of exercise.”
    Ellen Mason, of the British Heart Foundation, said: “Severe depression can be debilitating and even fatal, so it is important to weigh up any small increase in the risk of stroke with the benefits of treating depression.”
    Bridget O’Connell, from the mental health charity Mind, said antidepressants produced a range of side effects that affected people in different ways.
    She said: “Many people can experience huge benefits from taking antidepressants and it’s important they work with their GP to identify both the plus points and the drawbacks, and weigh up what treatment is best for them.”
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8408783.stm

  • Sedatives, Mood-Altering Drugs Related to Falls Among Elderly: UBC Study

    Nothing can replace physical work ,open air, sea and sky for curing depression and insomnia.Any drug,whether habit forming or not,barbiturate based or not, will cause only serious side effects.One may note people above fifty normally fall in the bath room and in most cases it is the onset of further disorders coming to the fore.Safe it is for the elderly not to lock the bathroom/toilet from inside and keep people informed in advance that the room is engaged.It is the safest prevention from calamity.I have known at least two cases of people around 50,in robust health, having had a fatal heart attack while they were in the bathroom.
    Beware.
    ScienceDaily (Nov. 24, 2009) — Falls among elderly people are significantly associated with several classes of drugs, including sedatives often prescribed as sleep aids and medications used to treat mood disorders, according to a study led by a University of British Columbia expert in pharmaceutical outcomes research.

    The study, published Nov. 23 in the Archives of Internal Medicine, provides the latest quantitative evidence of the impact of certain classes of medication on falling among seniors. Falling and fall-related complications such as hip fractures are the fifth leading cause of death in the developed world, the study noted.
    Antidepressants showed the strongest statistical association with falling, possibly because older drugs in this class have significant sedative properties. Anti-psychotics/neuroleptics often used to treat schizophrenia and other psychoses and benzodiazepines such as valium were also significantly associated with falls.
    “These findings reinforce the need for judicious use of medications in elderly people at risk of falling,” says principal investigator Carlo Marra, a UBC associate professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences. “Safer alternatives, such as counseling, shorter-term or less-sedating therapies, may be more appropriate for certain conditions.”
    The UBC study examined the effects of nine classes of drugs. It updated, expanded and analyzed 22 international observational studies from 1996-2007 investigating falls among people aged 60 years or older. The analysis included data on more than 79,000 participants and both prescription and over-the-counter medications.
    Narcotics (painkillers) were found not to be statistically associated with falling among the classes studied, a finding that requires further research, says Marra, a Canada Research Chair in Pharmaceutical Outcomes in the Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation based in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and a member of the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, part of Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute.
    Other medication classes studied include anti-hypertensives (used to reduce blood pressure); diuretics; beta-blockers used to treat heart conditions; and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen. “Elderly people may be more sensitive to drugs’ effects and less efficient at metabolizing medications, leading to adverse events, which in turn lead to falls,” adds Marra, who is also a research scientist at the Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences at Providence Health.
    Prescribing medications to seniors has increased substantially over the past decade, according to the study. For example, the BC Rx Atlas, recently published by UBC researchers, shows that more than one in seven people aged 80 or older filled at least one antidepressant prescription in 2006. In addition, determining which medication classes are associated with falls remains a challenge since seniors are often on multiple medications for multiple health conditions, with new drugs entering the market on a regular basis, says Marra.
    In follow-up research, he aims to explore how pharmacists can identify patients at risk of falling and educate them about medication use to ensure their safety.
    Co-authors include: Dr. Karim Khan; John Woolcott; Kathryn Richardson; Matthew Wiens; Bhavini Patel; and Judith Marin.
    Research was supported (in part) by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research.
    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123171410.htm