Wednesday, August 25, 2010
We have an uncomfortable relationship with any medication that alters our brain chemistry. Not only are we wary of anything that alters this chemistry (even if it’s out of whack) because we see our brain as the center of our personhood, but we also seem to think that we should be able to somehow fix [...]
Fewer than two-thirds of people with depression ever seek treatment. One reason is that many people still do not consider depression an illness that can or should be treated by a medical professional. However, more than 80% of people with depression can be successfully treated. Treatment for depression usually utilizes medication or therapy or both. [...]
(HealthDay News) — There appears to be no difference among antidepressants in raising a kid’s risk of suicidal thoughts, a new long-term study shows. The research supports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s decision in 2004 to mandate a “black box” warning on all antidepressants for an increased suicidality risk in children and adolescents who [...]
Finding the effective antidepressant for the depressive is at this point far from an exact science, although the outlook is improving as we discover more about depression. Doctors for the most part take their best guess based on their experience and the prevailing wisdom. They consider the type of depression the patient suffers from, other [...]
If you or someone you know is beginning treatment for depression, you probably have done some research. Of course, you’re being treated by a doctor who will advise you and do the prescribing, but like any smart patient, you want to be informed. Chances are that one thing stands out: the choice of drugs for [...]
The other day, I took an impromptu break at work to buy something to drink. “I’m just so dehydrated,” I told my boss. “My blood pressure medication does that to me – maybe yours is having the same effect.” Aha. That was probably it. Due to my elevated blood pressure, my doctor had strongly suggested [...]
