Who are we? Coming of age on antidepressants

Richard Friedman, MD, has recently written an article in the New York Times on our troubled relations antidepressants. He opens his article asking how antidepressants may affect psychological development and patient identity database.

  This is an interesting question, some were discussed in the past, but worth another attempt.Unfortunately, Friedman Explorer of this question.Ce that it Explorer, however, is the difference between what we know about the drugs, and what we don't know: scarcity of long-term efficacy study and long-term safety studies. 

On the one hand, he observes, there is almost no good effectiveness study spent two years terminaison.Et point a brief commentary on warning on suicidality, where it considers that the risk of suicide is actually small enough, the risk of the disease is greater.  Suicide, he wrote, is the third leading cause of death among youth.

Friedman follows the ambivalent model many psychiatrists muse on their land.  It offers one or two paragraphs on the benefits of antidepressants, followed by another on risks or unknown.And mandatory on requiring more data, requiring better monitoring.

SSRIS are the most studied class of drugs in the history it was more studies, data and Yes, more followed, to something that other SSRIS.  In addition, it is more debate, both in psychiatry and the general public on the effects of these drugs - not only in biological terms, but socially and whose existence is. 

  The problem is, that Friedman, insufficient information.  The problem is the opposite: too much information and too little context.

The question is not "do they cause suicide."  The question is: a pill can interfere with complex behavior? If it can cause suicide you, why does it cause you to bake a cake? How a pill cause a series of complex behaviours occur resulting in suicide?  Or, conversely, how a pill changes your mind want to do?

The question is not "are antidepressants better than placebo for treating depression?The question is: that means "treatment for depression?A simple example is that most SSRIS are tested against a scale (e.g. HAM - D) which has three (17) questions about insomnia, but none on Hypersomnia.Is it conceivable that a drug may treat insomnia and thus consider artificially good treatment of depression?Or better than something that treat insomnia?You bet.

Most psychiatrists will agree that depression that results from not clear cause, "" I have nothing to depression, but I'm "") differs from depression due to a cause (e.g. divorce.)Surprisingly, there is however almost no study differentiate the efficacy of a drug in these two scenarios, whether Zoloft is preferable for depression divorce for the non-raison depression; or if the Prozac Zoloft divorce better, depression, etc.Tout is regroupée.tous depressions are the mêmes.tous SSRIS have the same efficacité.Il is almost never asked if consistent efficacy of SSRIS is not due to the fact that that they are all tested against the same scales; and if the new had been invented (e.g. a Hypersomnia questions) some SSRI would be "better" than others.

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Five myths about antidepressants

We have an uncomfortable relationship with any medications that alters the chemistry of our brain. We are not only careful anything that alters the chemistry (even if it is out of whack) because we believe that our brain is the focus of our personality, but also seems to believe we should be able to correct these imbalances in ourselves, either with pure force or will somehow or alternative methods.

Think about it: there is another group of drugs that has so much disinformation or contempt that revolve around it? I take medication for hypertension and Ms, as well as antidepressants and never nobody heard saying, "you know, only making pop a pill of arterial hypertension and multiple sclerosis will not solve all problems".

Below I have dealt with five common myths, which are those that are more likely to keep people treat treatment with antidepressant.

Antidepressants are addictive.
Antidepressants are not addictive in the way that most people would use the palabra.No convient to suddenly stop antidepressants. While your mind and body not crave medication per, in the same way that crave nicotine or a street drug, could suffer the symptoms of withdrawal, especially if you were taking a high dose. The best argument to make against antidepressants still addictive is that there is no market street for them.

Antidepressants are happy pills.
Antidepressants are not "uppers."Unlike drugs such as ecstasy or speed enhancing mood who leads them, antidepressants but improve mood in people with a disorder of the State of mind, since it is correcting an imbalance in brain chemistry.If someone is not depressed take antidepressants, the only change you will notice is the possible side effects.

Antidepressants are a "quick fix" or "crutch" and not really solve the problem.
Rápida.La is one thing that antidepressants are not majority have a minimum of one week for trabajar.Y are not meant to "fix" their depression, per is.Most people with depression need to address environmental problems than to or contributed to his depression.Antidepressants lift his State of mind enough, are then able to make healthier lifestyle choices which could improve mood and participate fully in therapy.

Antidepressants change his personality and keep you have normal mood States.
Antidepressants normalized mood of people with mood disorders (therefore the word "disorder") .Ellos fix the chemistry of the brain that is out of whack, does not change the underlying personality of a persona.Si the antidepressant is effective, shall return the person to a normal state.

Once you start taking antidepressants, you're in them for the rest of his life.
It is not people verdad.Mayoría is able to stop the treatment with antidepressant after six meses.Para a small percentage of people who have had one or two major depressive episodes, long-term use can be recommended.

If you or someone you know has been afraid of taking antidepressants for depression listen to any of these myths, do some research and talk to your doctor about questions or concerns you may have.

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