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A Guide to Antidepressants

June 1st, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

by David B Smith

Many people often have misconceptions about what antidepressants can help do.

First of all, they are not perky pills; they don’t artificially bring on a feeling of pleasure, euphoria, or unrealistic well-being. Neither do antidepressants insulate you from life, make you not care about essential things, or make you insensitive to pain or loss.

What antidepressants do is counteract depressed persons from declining into the blackest depths of depression when something goes amiss. They can still feel wounded, pain, and concern, but they feel these the way people normally do when they don’t have depression. They also can help depressives sleep better, boost their energy, and buildup their ability to concentrate.

The way antidepressants work is interesting. There are two chemicals, serotonin and norepinephrine, that have to do with the transmission of impulses between nerve cells in the brain and seem to be associated with depression. It would appear as if depressed people use up these chemicals at an accelerated rate than other people. Antidepressants help to conserve these chemicals, apparently leading to feelings of reduced anxiety, more security, increased self-worth, assertiveness, and resilience.

There are a assortment of types of antidepressants, but they fall into a number of straightfoward categories. These are tricyclics, MAOIs, and lithium, and the newer medications: hetereocyclics and Prozac and Prozac-related drugs.

Until rather recently, tricyclics were the standard treatment for depression. These medications include imipramine (Tofranil), amitriptiline (Elacil), Vivactil, Norpramin, Pamelor, and Sinequan. Still in popular use today, 40 to 70 percent of depressed patients improve substantially with tricyclics.

Although they are quite effective medications, there are some drawbacks to their use. They as a rule take several weeks of regular administration to be efficient, which is problematic to handle when people are especially distressed. In addition, it is relatively easy to take a disastrous overdose. In general, tricyclics should only be used on a short-term basis. They are not addictive, but they must be used with care, especially with people who have cardiovascular disease.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) include Marplan, Parnate, and Nardil. They are a different class of drugs and cause a different reaction in the brain. These drugs are helpful from some people who do not respond to tricyclics. These drugs can have unpleasant side effects, but the main disadvantage of MAOIs is that they can also cause a stroke if certain foods containing the compound tyramine  are consumed while they are being used.

Lithium is generally the treatment of choice for bipolar disorder. In the correct dose, lithium reduces by about 50 percent the chances of another manic episode within a year. Mood swings become scarcer, shorter, and less dangerous. The success rate for lithium treatment is 70 percent, and 20 percent of people become symptom-free. It is generally seen as a maintenance drug. Once the patient is on Lithium, they are on it for life.

One of the most well-known drugs on the market today is Prozac. It has been followed into the marketplace by many other new antidepressant medications like Zoloft and Paxil, two near cousins, Effexor and Serzone, and some more distant cousins, notably Wellbutrin, Desyrel, and BuSpar.

Unlike tricyclics, which affect the levels of both serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain, Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil affect only serotonin. Hence they are known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, meaning that they counteract or slow down the reabsorption of serotonin. Effexor and Serzone affect both serotonin and norepinephrine, and the others have more complicated effects. All, however, have been shown to be helpful in the treatment of depression. The choice of which of these medications to use for a particular person has to do with their dosage and side-effect profile. Paxil, for example, seems to have a soothing effect on anxiety that Prozac lacks. Effexor has the reputation of being more energizing than Prozac.

Compared with tricyclics, the side effects of Prozac and its cousins are usually small. Tricyclics can give you dry mouth, make you constipated, and actually slow you down, whereas Prozac has none of these problems and gives you a little more energy. However, there are some side effects with the newer antidepressants which should be mentioned. Most notable among these is a reduction of interest in sex and trouble maintaining an erection. Although the male performance problems usually go away after a few weeks, many people on SSRIs report a continued diminished interest in sex, which can certainly add to marital problems.

For more info on antidepressants visit (www.christianswithdepression.com/giving-up-antidepressants.php) A Guide to Antidepressant medications

Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety Panic Disorder: Learn to Spot Them!

June 1st, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

by Cathy Shermann

To treat the condition properly, it is important to know signs and symptoms of anxiety panic disorder.  A wrong diagnosis can easily lead you to improper treatment which may just be as dangerous as leaving the real condition untreated.

Not a Heart Attack - For people who have experienced it the first time, they are likely to think that they have gone through a heart attack.  It is important to know the signs and symptoms so you don’t confuse it with having a heart attack, and instead end up not being treated properly for the right ailment.

How is it defined? Panic disorder is a medical term used to describe the psychiatric condition that is characterized by frequent or habitual panic attacks in combination with significant behavioral changes, of at least a month of continuing and enduring worrying about the concern and fear of having another panic attack.

What is a panic attack?  Since panic disorder describes frequent panic attacks, then you should know what a panic attack is.  A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense anxiety that brings about feelings of fear, unease and discomfort.  Its onset is generally abrupt, and could occur without any obvious triggers.

Signs of the Condition - Here are some signs and symptoms of a panic attack.  Physically, the person may experience dizziness leading to panic, tightening of chest and throat, shortness of breath, choking, racing heart, tingle sensations, nausea, lightheadedness, crying, sweating, trembling or shaking, abdominal pains, hyperventilation, hot or cold flashes, exhaustion, physical limpness or weakness, and repeated tensing of muscles.

Fearing the Fear - Mentally, the individual experiences strong and/or frightening realizations of reality, loss of cognitive ability, loud internal dialogue, racing thoughts, obsessive worrying, nervousness and the overwhelming fear that something terrible is about to occur.  Also, the person feels like he is “going crazy”, facing impending doom, and out of control.  He feels anti-social and feels like he is being threatened by something, although there is nothing threatening around him.  The sufferer also has feelings of death and dying.

There are, of course more signs and symptoms.  Keep in mind that these sensations, as terrible and uncomfortable as they are, will pass.  A panic attack is not medically dangerous, and is instead physically harmless.  However, if you want to get rid of these sensations, then you have many options of treatment nowadays. You can get treated easily now.  There are some books and programs that teach you techniques on how to cope and deal with a panic attack once you experience an episode.  However, you can always choose to permanently get rid of the panic attack.  You can do this by learning how to stop the fear of another panic attack.  Since a panic disorder is accompanied with lasting worry, concern and fear of having another attack, then what you can do is stop the fear in its tracks.  Learn how to stop fearing another panic attack.

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Post Natal Depression

May 30th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

by David B Smith

Depression is a problem that a myriad of persons struggle with today, but it tends to burden pregnant women and new mothers in a very specific and harsh way. The change in a woman’s life and body associated with the birth of a child often results in a particularly hazardous form of depression , referred to as postpartum depression.

Physically, when a woman becomes pregnant, her body undergoes huge changes in shape and mass. Moreover, an assortment of hormones come into play that up to this point have been dormant. Inexplicable mood changes and bouts of depression are regularly reported amongst pregnant women and women who have just given birth, while, equally inexplicably, other women remain absolutely unaffected. Dramatic and regular shifts in mood though, from extreme highs to extreme lows, can occur with little warning or explanation, though it is hardly surprising really, when one recognizes what the body has been enduring, along with the vast mental burden connected with the woman’s new role as a mum.

It is impossible to foretell exactly who will be affected by Postpartum depression. It can happen to the most capable, sensible and sensitive mother. Even women who have not experienced it with their first child may find that they are astounded by a dramatic beginning of depression and anxiety after the birth of the second or third baby. Postpartum depression is a highly volatile manner of depressive illness, but it is important to distinguish it quickly when it does occur so that it can be dealt with successfully.

Postpartum depression is a serious condition, but thankfully it is also a treatable one. You are best advised to ask for help swiftly when your partner, friend, family member or you yourself identify the signs. This can decrease the risk of the further development of the illness and its destructive consequences.

For many women, admitting that there is a problem is challenging and every so often embarrassing. While in most Western countries modern families have countless choices as to how and who raises the children, there still persists an unshakable belief that all the skills connected with motherhood have been hotwired into women’s brain, and thus should surface naturally. This is rarely how new mothers experience birth and the first stages of motherhood, but it can still be difficult for new mums to overcome the stigma they associate with their perceived helplessness and confusion after birth.

The essential thing for new mothers to register this, if they do feel depressed, suicidal or even homicidal, is that they are not going crazy but are going through experiences that are particularly common to women in their form. Partners and parents should go out of their way to help such women to accept such negative feelings when they arise, so that they might be put in perspective.

Mood swings, even extreme mood swings, in pregnant women or young mothers are nothing to be ashamed of, but if left undiagnosed and untreated, they can lead to undesirable and destructive behaviour. Accepting that there is a problem is where the healing of Postpartum depression begins.

For more information on post pardom depression visit (www.christianswithdepression.com/post-partum-depression.php) Post Pardon Depression

Understanding Depression in Males

May 30th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

by David B Smith

It is estimated that there are over three million men in the united states alone that suffer from depression. However, only a tiny percentage of those men are ever expected to come clean the fact that they are depressed. The problem is tied up with the male image of Western culture. The man is understood to be “the rock” upon which others depend on, and any signal of weakness is likely to be seen in terms of ‘femininity’. Healing commences when men recognise that suffering from depression doesn’t make them any less of a man.

For many generations men have worked on perfecting their techniques for concealing their feelings. Perhaps this has been born of the need to be able to get on with their work in any event dispite the demands they might be under. Men also promptly turn to drugs, alcohol, sex, or more work, moreso than women, as mechanisms for avoiding having to address undesirable feelings They believe that they can get over their depression by trying to give themselves something else to concentrate on. This cannot, of course, really fix the issue.

Men are less expected than women to seek out treatment for their depression, though women are often just as unlikely to disclose that there is a problem. This is why the aid of family and fiends is so critical in the healing process.

Men can cover their depression well. Unlike women, they really do want to be left alone and not for purposes of reaching out eventually in good time. Men will hide their depression because they feel humiliation and concern. Many of those who are dear to a man who has committed suicide will say that they didn’t have a clue - a heartrending indication of the power of some men to hide their feelings. Such men fight silently and alone against their depression until it absolutely overwhelms them.

A man’s friends need to be informed of the symptons of depression. Does it seem like he is endeavoring to change to much? Is he oversleeping, not sleeping at all, demonstrating frequent tension or stress, and even anger. Exploring these issues with a male partner or family member can be tricky. If a man is sincerely battling depression, you may need to plod slowly.

Be careful not to push too hard or too quickly when it comes to finding help, as you may be met with fury and denial. In the first stage of depression, the subject is in pain but generally truly does not know why. People will blame circumstances. Adolescents will blame their home lives, and married men will generally blame their wives. Be aware while the man may recongise that their pain is not normal, this does not mean that they will be at once open to the idea of therapy.

If you want to help someone seek treatment, they are going to have to make that verdict themselves. All you can do is tell them that you are worried about them. Do more listening than talking. Show your support by telling them that you love or care for them. Ideally, make them feel that this is something that the two of you are going to take on together, and that they are not alone.

For more information on Understanding Depression and Men, visit (www.christianswithdepression.com/overcoming-depression.php) Understanding Depression

Medications for Anxiety-Millions Are Hooked

May 25th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

by Robert Allen Byrnes

What in the world can sufferers of unrelenting panic attacks,
generalized anxiety attacks, social anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder do to restore sanity to their lives! If
you are one of the 40 million or so Americans who fit any one of those
categories, stay with us to find some answers. Even in this very first
paragraph we are offering you hope, information, and direction.

Let me warn you, these tongue-twisting names may floor you, but just
remember, it’s what they do for you, not their difficulty in pronouncing
that counts. Our purpose is not to impress you with our medical
knowledge, but to help you make important decisions about your health aided by
information from the ADAA. We begin with these cautionary reminders:
anxiety medications do not cure, they reduce symptoms basically so that
other therapies may be administered; they should be used only with your
doctor’s permission and care; and it is not for you to abruptly decide
to stop any of the medications for anxiety, you do that at the
direction of your doctor.

We’ll introduce you first to the antidepressants whose function is to
alter something called serotonin, a neurotransmitter. These
antidepressant drugs are the….You can check that name with your doctor - we’ll just call them SSRIs. The three SSRIs that you probably recognize are
Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac and what they do is to treat all the disorders
listed in our first paragraph. How they do it is to increase the output
of serotonin level to the brain which should decrease your anxiety
level.

Tricyclics (TCA) are also antidepressants and these medications for
anxiety are Sinequan (Doxeprin), Anafranil, and Vivactil, which, like the
SSRIs, alter serotonin but also norepinepherine. Social anxiety is
missing from the list of disorders treated by TCAs. Of all these
classifications, SSRIs are the only ones federally approved; but generic
equivalents are available for each of them.

Finally, the MAOI which are the first or the oldest of the
antidepressants are Marplan, Nardil and Parnate, and are classified as inhibitors,because they work by blocking or inhibiting the influence of an
important brain enzyme. The MAOI are generally prescribed by doctors in the
treatment of panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder and social
anxiety disorder.

Medications may be part of the therapy process either at the beginning
or introduced later if other therapy is not doing the job. And it may
be a good option for you, but it’s important to understand that
medications are effective only if taken according to your doctor’s
instructions. Please don’t neglect to make a list of questions for your doctor,
including both long term and short term side effects.

As with all of us under medication of any sort, a common fear is one of
being over-medicated to the extent of becoming addicted. Although this
fear could certainly be realized due to careless oversight of what is
happening with your anxiety medications, it doesn’t have to be. Both
you and your doctor are responsible for seeing that side effects of the
medications used are properly monitored and that the correct medications
have been prescribed.

Although this has not been a scholarlyy treatise on medications for
anxiety, now you should know that anxiety disorders are very treatable,
and should hopefully know a litttle more about what the medications are
and how they work. The good news for you anxiety sufferers is that
these interventions are very effective in bringing the relief you’re
seeking.

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Looking to Understand your Depression Better?

May 25th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

by Mark Hall

Depression is one of the most crippling, but misunderstood disorders
ever encountered; to make matters worse it is now recognized that there
is more than one type of this illness. The cause is often (but not
always) about issues that have not been rectified; all of us occasionally
become depressed over certain events. Initially, it is important you
recognize you have issues, and to get professional medical guidance to help
you; it is also important to discover just what has caused the problem
in the fist place.

Feeling low and angry at life affects all of us occasionally in
particular when something awful has happened; it is unlikely however, a doctor
would diagnose depression if they did feel this way as it is generally
a temporary experience. Probably the most likely cause is stress,
often owing to family or other relationship problems which for one reason
or another cannot be readily solved; as far as a person who is depressed
is concerned: their problems have gone a stage further and need to be
dealt with differently. In many incidences like this, a person believes
that if they ignore the problem it will just resolve itself but this
rarely happens; a person end up feeling more helpless than they did
before, and it becomes a vicious circle that must be broken.

Probably the second most common cause is a person’s place of work and
could be the result of confrontation, stressful work, intimidation or
even harassment; in all probability this will lead to a situation where
the person who is depressed may even have a panic attack. Often, the
person who is having work problems will end up unhappy and even have
periods of sick leave as they become less able to perform their work duties;
it may be necessary to work through the issues with a professional to
get back on track again. Strangely, not all depression is self induced
because it can be the result of medical treatment for an unrelated
condition; this can produce symptoms that mimic exactly those of someone
who is depressed.

Usually, as soon as the medication is stopped, the chemical imbalance
will correct itself and the person will return to normal but they still
need to make their doctor aware of the situation and to keep a check.
Where the cause for the depression cannot be found, the task of curing
the condition becomes much harder; this type of situation makes
resolving the issues all the more difficult. Cases like this usually mean that
the person does not recognize the cause of the problem themselves; if
they cannot associate the cause with their condition then the way
forward is made very hard.

One type of is called Manic Depression although the correct term is
Bipolar Disorder; unfortunately, new studies have found that owing to new
overlap theories it can actually take up to five years before a person
could be correctly diagnosed as suffering from this condition. This is
not normally something that will just go away on its own so it requires
the patient to take a certain amount of control and seek professional
help in curing what is generally a long term condition. Often, once the
depressed person makes this first move towards medical help, there is
a sense that something might finally lift; starting medical treatment
as early as possible will enable you to make those first steps to being
free of its grip.

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