Tag Archives: antidepressants

Fathers and postnatal depression

A new study from the University of Melbourne in Australia has revealed a vital link between postnatal depression in new mothers and the behaviors of the baby’s father. Traditionally, new mothers presenting at their family doctor or at early parenting centers with symptoms of postnatal depression have been prescribed antidepressants. While the medication may assist the mother in the short-term, the long term problem regarding what is causing the depression in the first place is not addressed via drug intervention alone. In addition, breastfeeding is not recommended while taking antidepressant medication, and both mother and child may miss out on … Continue reading →

Positive Thoughts for the Day (6)

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Staying positive has important ramifications for mental health. If we constantly think depressing, negative thoughts, we will eventually end up with a depressing, negative life experience. As simplistic as is sounds, thinking positive thoughts can literally change your life. In fact, research has shown that positive thoughts affect brain chemistry in a manner similar to antidepressants. With that in mind, here is your dose of antidepressant medication for the day! Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars. Les Brown Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson Take rest. A field that has rested gives … Continue reading →

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Treatment Options

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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an emotional disorder which occurs after the experience of a physical trauma: commonly war, physical assault (particularly rape), car accidents, natural catastrophes, and even the unexpected death of a loved one. For the disorder to manifest the victim of the event must feel intense fear and helplessness, coupled with an expectancy of dying or being seriously injured themselves. Sufferers of this debilitating condition will do anything to avoid places, people, or circumstances that remind them of the original traumatic event. Loss of memory surrounding many of the details of the actual event may also occur, … Continue reading →

What is the best treatment for depression?

The answer to this question is the same as the answer to “How long is a piece of string?” The short answer is that there is no simple answer. Every person who suffers from depression is different, and the depression they experience is due to different causes. Therefore there is no single, generic answer to this question. The first aspect of depression to consider when advocating treatment is the severity of the depression. Where depression is mild, the use of antidepressants is best avoided. Seeking the root cause of the depression and making appropriate life changes is more useful in … Continue reading →

When Antidepressants aren’t the best option (3)

Antidepressants can make an enormous difference to the quality of life of sufferers of both depression and anxiety. But as we discussed in When Antidepressants aren’t the best option (1) and (2), there are cases when antidepressants should not be prescribed, or should be used in conjunction with other therapies. Let’s look at another case study. Collette’s children have both left home and her husband, Bryan, sustained mild brain damage in a workplace accident and no longer works. A former nurse, Collette is responsible for the daily care of her husband plus her usual chores. But because of Bryan’s head … Continue reading →

When Antidepressants aren’t the best option (2)

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Antidepressants can be, quite literally, lifesavers. Yet as we saw in When Antidepressants aren’t the best option (1), these drugs aren’t always the best treatment for depression. Let’s look at some scenarios where antidepressants are being prescribed inappropriately. John’s wife died three months ago, and he has lost interest in his hobbies, moves aimlessly around the house starting tasks but seldom completing them. He is not sleeping well, wakes early in the morning, and has all but lost his appetite. John is showing many of the early signs of depression and his doctor has supplied him with a prescription for … Continue reading →

When Antidepressants aren’t the best option (1)

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In Feeling bad about taking Antidepressants? we looked at dispelling the guilt that many people feel about using these drugs. In many cases, antidepressants are the treatment of choice. But they are not a magic panacea. Far from it. This blog, we will look at scenarios where the misuse of antidepressants can do more harm than good. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) gives clear outlines regarding a diagnosis for depression, which were previously discussed in the article Depression: Symptoms and Treatment. When a person satisfies the criteria for depression, antidepressants are often prescribed. In particular, if … Continue reading →

Feeling bad about taking antidepressants?

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There is no question that antidepressants are overprescribed by many doctors. The same goes for tranquilizers. The rate of antidepressant and tranquillizer intake in First World countries has reached alarming proportions: clearly better education, more money, and improved lifestyles have done little to make us happier as a species. However, despite the generalized overconsumption of antidepressants, there are many cases where antidepressants are definitely the treatment of choice. Yet many people feel guilty about taking them, often delaying treatment until they are so sick that not only are antidepressants required, but often hospitalization as well. We often give ourselves a … Continue reading →

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Symptoms and Behaviors

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As noted in What is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? this condition in its most severe form is one of the most distressing conditions of all mental illnesses. OCD varies in severity, but in it most serious form, the suffer will usually also suffer from generalized anxiety disorder (an all-pervasive, yet unspecific fear), panic attacks, avoidance of certain places and situations, together with major depression. The “obsessive” part of OCD refers to the constant stream of intrusive thoughts and images which bombard the sufferer’s mind, which despite the best attempts by the sufferer, are almost impossible to eliminate. The “compulsive” component of the … Continue reading →

Antidepressants—a Cure for Cancer?

Nobody likes the thought of having to take antidepressants, but apart from helping to alleviate severe depression, recent studies have given users of antidepressants something to smile about at last. Preliminary laboratory studies at the University of Birmingham Medical School have noted that more than 50% of lymphomas (cancers of the white blood cells) have responded favorably to the use of antidepressant medication. With millions of people around the world taking antidepressants, and the World Health Organization predicting that depression will become the world’s most diagnosed disease after heart disease within the next 20 years, this finding represents a beacon … Continue reading →