MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'antidepressant'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:50:24 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107600&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F08%2Fbipolar-disorder-missed-when-presenting-with-depression%2F Coming as a surprise to more than a few mental health professionals, a new study out today suggests that bipolar disorder is often missed in patients who present only with major depression. The study examined 5,635 adults seen at community and hospital psychiatry departments in a number of different countries. The discrepancy was reported because of the use of “bipolarity specifier criteria” that are broader than the DSM-IV criteria, the standard for diagnosis of mental disorders by mental health professionals. Using the broader bipolar criteria developed by the researchers found an additional 31 percent of patients who could have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. So what’s really going on here? Are professionals really “missing” bipolar disorder? Or have ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107600 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:49:39 +0100 5107600 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107601&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F08%2Fantidepressants-overprescribed-in-primary-care%2F Antidepressants have long enjoyed a reputation as being a quick and “easy” treatment for all types of depression — from a mild feeling of being a little down, all the way up to severe, life-debilitating depression. But like all medications, they have side effects and instances where they should not be prescribed. Hence their continued need for a prescription after seeing a doctor. So what does it mean when primary care physicians are handing them out like candy? It suggests that your family doctor doesn’t really understand how antidepressants work, or what they are approved to treat. In short, it suggests that antidepressant medications are being over-prescribed by well-meaning doctors who are simply not using very good judgment. Melissa Healy, writing for the LA T... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107601 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:35:31 +0100 5107601 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096341&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F04%2Fdoctor-is-my-mood-disorder-due-to-a-chemical-imbalance%2F Dear Mrs. ——– You have asked me about the cause of your mood disorder, and whether it is due to a “chemical imbalance”. The only honest answer I can give you is, “I don’t know”—but I’ll try to explain what psychiatrists do and don’t know about the causes of so-called mental illness, and why the term “chemical imbalance” is simplistic and a bit misleading. By the way, I don’t like the term “mental disorder”, because it makes it seem as if there’s a huge distinction between the mind and the body—and most psychiatrists don’t see it that way. I wrote about this recently, and used the term “brain-mind” to describe the unity of mind and body.1 So, for lack of a better term, I’ll just refer to “psychiatric illnesses.” Now, this notion of... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096341 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:35:19 +0100 5096341 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077772&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F28%2F12-weeks-to-feeling-better-try-psychotherapy-today%2F It’s time for psychotherapy to stop beating around in the bushes and get a new marketing campaign going for itself. It’s time for organizations like our own, the American Psychological Association, the American Counseling Association and others to join together and have people understand a simple, basic message — 12 weeks is all most people need to start feeling better when faced with a mental health issue. Psychotherapy still gets a bad rap because of a basic misunderstanding of the process it entails, or prejudice around thinking that if you need to see a therapist, something’s really wrong with you. It doesn’t have to be this way. Just like the endless pharmaceutical commercials on TV for antidepressants and ADHD medications, psychotherapy could be remindin... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077772 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:06:58 +0100 5077772 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4747887&cid=t_100465_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FScX2CHW6fmI%2F Welcome back, everyone. Nice to see you again after a much-needed break. Hope your own time off was pleasant. Now, of course, the routine of meetings and deadlines has returned. To cope, we are brewing a mandatory cup of stimulation - our flavor today is Wild Mountain Blueberry. Please join us as we catch up with the recent news of the world. And so, here are some tidbits to help your day get started. Stay in touch… FDA Staff Raises Safety Concern With Merck Hepatitis C Drug (Reuters) Vertex Hopes FDA Panel Will OK Its Hep C Treatment (Boston Globe) AstraZeneca To Demolish R&D Facility (Delaware Online) Eisai Aricept Patch For Alzheimer’s Fails To Win FDA Approval (Bloomberg News) Sun Pharma To Sell Merck Diabetes Drugs In India (Reuters) Dr. Reddy’s To Sell Pfizer A... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4747887 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:01:51 +0100 4747887 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4642677&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F26%2Fwhen-should-i-come-off-my-antidepressant-6-things-to-consider%2F The question of whether or not you should start taking antidepressants is complex and difficult to answer. But even fuzzier is the question of when or if you should stop. Last May, NPR ran a piece called Coming Off Antidepressants Can Be Tricky Business. Joanne Silberner writes: Several top psychiatrists say there’s just not enough data to say for sure when to try coming off an antidepressant. Drug companies generally test their new products for a few months or up to a year. They don’t spend much time looking into how to taper off their products. The dense informational inserts that come with prescription drugs have a lot of information on how to take the product, but no information on how to stop. According to the Johns Hopkins Depression and Anxiety White Papers, antidepress... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4642677 Sat, 26 Mar 2011 12:58:36 +0100 4642677 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4575245&cid=t_100465_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F9SFnI_wDtgA%2F If music soothes the savage beast, what could music do for doctors? Back in the 1960’s, at least two drugmakers decided music was a good way to sell their meds to the prescription pad crowd. But there had to be a hook. And so both Merck and Abbott Labs had RCA Victor create custom-made LP’s featuring mood music, and the albums were given to docs in order to promote…mood-altering drugs. Get it? The other day, we wrote about a 1966 Merck LP, which was called ‘Symposium in Blues’ and featured songs by several blues artists in order to pitch the Elavil antidepressant (look here). As it turns out, three years earlier, there was ‘Music to Nudge You to Sleep,’ which featured Arthur Fiedler conducting the Boston Pops Orchestra. This collection was used to ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4575245 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 12:43:02 +0100 4575245 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4566341&cid=t_100465_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FiXB4lCeMd9Y%2F Back in 1966, the world was different. There were no digital downloads. People used to listen to music on hi-fi equipment that would spin long-playing records, or LPs, which were made of vinyl. And Merck - which used to call itself Merck, Sharp & Dohme - was selling an antidepressant called Elavil. So what better way to promote its pill than on a special album of blues songs, yes? You know, if you’ve got the blues - and, therefore, may listen to the blues - then perhaps you would also consider a pill to take those blues away. And what better way to bring your pill to the music lover’s attention than with ‘Symposium in Blues,’ an LP that was released on the RCA Victor label? Among the artists to be heard were Leroy Carr, Leadbelly, Joe Williams and Washboard Sam... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4566341 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:49:57 +0100 4566341 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4545012&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F03%2Fdoes-semen-make-women-happy%2F Seems to me the basic conflict between men and women, sexually, is that men are like firemen.  To men sex is an emergency, and no matter what we are doing we can be ready in two minutes.  Women, on the other hand, are like fire.  They are very exciting, but the conditions have to be exactly right for it to occur.” ~ Jerry Seinfeld I just couldn’t decide if he was really sponge worthy. ~ Elaine, Fictional character on the TV show. Seinfeld There seems to be rather compelling evidence that semen may be a natural antidepressant for women.  The intriguing feature about this finding is that it emerged from research with lesbians. In the September issue of Scientific American an article (see source below) focused on the many virtues of semen.  No kidding.  It would seem an art... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4545012 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:10:54 +0100 4545012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394749&cid=t_100465_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F1ZHiWpuTtoc%2F A decade ago, the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry published a paper concluding the Paxil antidepressant, which is sold by GlaxoSmithKline, was “generally well tolerated and effective for major depression in adolescents.” But the study has since been discredited amid charges that primary and secondary outcomes were conflated, selective results were reported and ghostwriting was involved (background here and here). The details became known more than two years ago as documents emerged from investigations (see this) and lawsuits charging GlaxoSmithKline hid the risks of its Paxil pill. By then, the FDA required Glaxo to place a Black Box warning about suicidality in youngsters and UK regulators recommended the drug not be given to those under 18 years... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394749 Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:46:52 +0100 4394749 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4241766&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F08%2Fpsychotherapy-continues-decline-as-depression-treatment%2F Perhaps we’ve seen the rise and fall of psychotherapy treatment. At least when it comes to depression, the most common mental disorder diagnosed today. The numbers don’t lie, according to multiple nationally-representative surveys conducted over the past two decades. At the start of the 1990s, psychotherapy was the treatment of choice for depression, with 71.1 percent of depressed people saying they had been treated with psychotherapy. By 1997, with the newer SSRI antidepressants firmly taking hold in prescribers’ toolboxes, that number had dropped to 60.2 percent. When the latest research when conducted, they found 53.6 percent of depressed people surveyed in 1998 were in psychotherapy. When they looked again in 2007, that number had dropped to a new all-time low —... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4241766 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:45:51 +0100 4241766 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4098053&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F24%2Fdr-ken-duckworth-on-living-with-bipolar-disorder%2F Aside from my own psychiatrist, Dr. Smith, there are few doctors that can explain a confusing and complex condition like Bipolar Disorder with such clarity as the medical director of NAMI, Dr. Ken Duckworth. Three years ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing him when I was the Patient Advocate for the Bipolar Center of Revolution Health. At the NAMI National Convention in DC last month I attended his talk on treating bipolar disorder. This is what he had to say about some simple steps that those of us living with bipolar disorder can take to stay well. 1. Start with the four basics: sleep, stress, exercise, and cognitive therapy. One of the reasons I respect Dr. Duckworth so much is that he insists that we participate in our own recovery. Medication will only help us to a certain extent... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4098053 Sun, 24 Oct 2010 12:36:19 +0100 4098053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3994012&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F22%2Fantidepressants-useless-an-interview-with-glenn-treisman%2F I’m still bothered by all the hype awhile back about antidepressants not working any better than sugar pills (otherwise known as placebo) because I know that the people who need treatment — possibly those that will go on to take their lives — read that story and decided there was no hope in medicine. That’s why I like to publish insightful articles like the one I found in John Hopkin’s newsletter, “Hopkins Brain Wise.” They included an interview with Glenn Treisman, professor of psychiatry and internal medicine who is best known internationally for his care of HIV-infected patients who also suffer from a psychiatric illness. Here’s the interview… Q. These studies are dangerous, you say. Dr. Treisman: Ten to 20 percent of people with ma... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3994012 Wed, 22 Sep 2010 10:30:52 +0100 3994012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3961845&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F12%2Fprozac-and-potatoes%2F In her national bestseller “Potatoes Not Prozac,” Kathleen DesMaisons offers a seven-step dietary plan for sugar-sensitive people like me. I’ve tried to implement her suggestions into my diet because, as a recovering drunk and depressive, sugar can throw me into an emotional mess that gets downright ugly. A diet rich in fiber and protein is crucial to my mental health — but for me, it’s Prozac AND potatoes. Here’s what DesMaisons proposes: Keep a food journal. The journal keeps you in relationship to your body. It reminds you of the connection between what you eat and how you feel. Maintain your blood sugar level. Stay steady and clear. Always have breakfast. Eat three meals a day at regular intervals. Eat brown things (whole grains, beans, potatoes, a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3961845 Sun, 12 Sep 2010 14:32:51 +0100 3961845 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954307&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F10%2Fstard-results-re-analyzed-but%2F At the end of August, a small journal by the name of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics published an article that sought to re-analyze the data published in the groundbreaking $35 million STAR*D clinical study. The new analysis suggested that the STAR*D researchers weren’t as forthcoming about some of their results and methodological choices as they should have been. This led to an overstatement of their results, according to the new study’s researchers. STAR*D was a significant antidepressant milestone study, because it was government-funded (not industry-funded), had a very large sample size, followed patients for a year, and was led by a team of stellar researchers. In other words, it is the gold standard as far as studies go. If STAR*D couldn’t find much significance fo... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954307 Fri, 10 Sep 2010 10:15:10 +0100 3954307 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3911739&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F08%2F27%2Fect-the-electric-personality-change%2F Patrice was misery incarnate. Unlike some of my depressed patients, who lived the proverbial life of quiet desperation, Patrice did not hide her suffering. She wept. She moaned. She regaled our walk-in clinic with a kind of biblical keening, which, understandably, attracted the attention of our clinic director. He took me aside one day and said, as gently as possible, “You really need to do something with that lady.” He was right, of course, and thus far I had done little to help Patrice, despite months of treatment. Aside from being poor and dealing with some physical limitations, Patrice had no discernible cause for her chronic depression. Her marriage was good, and despite her straitened circumstances, Patrice lived in a modest but comfortable home. Unlike many depressed patients, P... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3911739 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:26:14 +0100 3911739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3798610&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F28%2Fwithdrawing-from-psychiatric-medications%2F This article offers only the most basic of introductions to this topic, because others have covered this area far more extensively than I have. A great place to start is this psychiatric drug withdrawal primer. While not succinct, it does contain all of the information you’ll need to know to successfully end your psychiatric medication treatment. I cannot emphasize this enough — discontinuing psychiatric medications on your own is not recommended. You should enlist your doctor in your efforts to stop the meds. (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3798610 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:30:19 +0100 3798610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3695626&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F24%2Fomega-3-treatment-for-depression%2F Can omega 3 help treat depression? According to new research, the answer is yes. In one of the largest studies on omega-3 supplements done to date, Canadian researchers found that for people who don’t also have an anxiety disorder with their depression, the popular omega-3 fish supplements helped improve depression symptoms. The improvements the researchers found in this study were similar to improvements found in studies of antidepressants, suggesting that for some people, omega-3 may be an inexpensive antidepressant alternative. From October 2005 to January 2009, 432 male and female participants with major unipolar depression were recruited to take part in this randomized, double-blind study (neither patients nor researchers knew which capsules patients received). For eight weeks,... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3695626 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 13:02:07 +0100 3695626 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3662738&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F15%2Fpsychologist-says-antidepressants-are-just-placebos%2F I will dutifully report on yet another professional’s opinion about the research literature on antidepressants. This time the “antidepressant is just a placebo effect” argument comes from a psychologist. Irving Kirsch, a professor of psychology at the University of Hull in the U.K., says that antidepressants are nothing more than fancy and expensive placebos. He, of course, does not say this in a vacuum. No, of course not. He’s saying this in promoting his new book, The Emperor’s New Drugs (which, you know, is a “funny” play on the phrase “the emperor’s new clothes”). Read on for a quick deconstruction of his argument (his argument as presented in an interview online, anyways). The crux of the issue for me comes down to a question s... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3662738 Tue, 15 Jun 2010 11:55:54 +0100 3662738 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3621754&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F02%2Fssri-antidepressants-linked-to-cataracts-miscarriages%2F It’s not been a good news week for SSRIs, a popular and common class of antidepressants that are widely prescribed by family physicians, interns and psychiatrists alike. A study released in the journal Ophthalmology showed that in seniors, SSRIs can increase the risk of developing cataracts in your eye by 15 percent in general. But researchers found it was even worse for some specific kinds of antidepressants — Fluvoxamine (Luvox) increases the risk by 39 percent, venlafaxine (Effexor) increases the risk by 33 percent and paroxetine (Paxil) increases the risk by 23 percent. A separate study also published this week found that taking SSRI antidepressant medications (and the SNRI Effexor) significantly increased — by 68 percent — the risk of miscarriage. Read on for t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3621754 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:22:09 +0100 3621754 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3592408&cid=t_100465_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FdHy_o-316kw%2F Here’s a finding that’s likely to cause a sticking point for Pfizer. Acupuncture worked as well as Effexor in combating hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms that can accompany breast cancer treatments, and its benefits last longer without causing side effects, according to research presented at an American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology meeting in Boston After 12 weeks of treatment, symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats were reduced for 15 additional weeks for women who had undergone acupuncture, compared with two weeks for those who had taken Effexor, which is best known as an antidepressant. “It was a more durable effect,” lead researcher Eleanor Walker of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit tells Reuters. The patients who were treated wit... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3592408 Mon, 24 May 2010 12:12:17 +0100 3592408 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3585671&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F20%2Fneither-blame-nor-indulge%2F Andrew Solomon offers this brilliant paragraph in his classic, “The Noonday Demon” about the relationship between medication and therapy, when we should make Herculean efforts to break free from depression or rather lie listless on our beds as victims of a loathsome illness: The conflict between psychodynamic therapy and medication is ultimately a conflict on moral grounds; we tend categorically to assume that if the problem is responsive to psychotherapeutic dialogue, it is a problem you should be able to overcome with simple rigor, while a problem responsive to the ingestion of chemicals is not your fault and requires no rigor of you. It is true both that very little depression is entirely the fault of the sufferer, and that almost all depression can be ameliorated with rigo... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3585671 Thu, 20 May 2010 16:56:02 +0100 3585671 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3564256&cid=t_100465_167_f&fid=38576&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drbriffa.com%2Fblog%2F2010%2F05%2F14%2Fantidepressant-effect-of-omega-3-fat-appears-to-depend-on-the-specific-type-of-omega-3-fat-used%2F Fish is sometimes described as ‘brain food’ – why? Well, at least part of the explanation may rest in the fact the certain types of fish are rich in so-called omega-3 fats that appear to have benefits for the brain. There is some evidence, for instance, which suggests that omega-3 fats can normalise brain function [...] (Source: Dr John Biffa's Blog) Dr John Biffa's Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3564256 Fri, 14 May 2010 11:00:42 +0100 3564256 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3556156&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F12%2Fan-overmedicated-nation-thats-not-the-real-problem%2F “Our country is over-medicated.” I get that a lot, usually right after I tell someone that I write a mental health blog. Not as a hobby. As my job. Part of me agrees, the part that doesn’t want to get into a long and frustrating conversation, where I explain that it’s really not that simple… That the issue is fairly nuanced and complex. Are some people overmedicated in this country? Yes. Absolutely. I devote a few chapters of my book, Beyond Blue, to describing the dangerous phase in my recovery led by a doctor whom I call “Pharma King.” I was taking something like 16 pills a day, enough to drop my head into my cereal bowl every morning for about three months. And I wasn’t at all uncomfortable with how the nurses at the outpatient psych prog... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3556156 Wed, 12 May 2010 10:05:32 +0100 3556156 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3546894&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F09%2Flife-lessons-from-a-mentally-ill-mom%2F This is my 22nd Mother’s Day. Or my first, depending on how you look at it. You can read my experiences with being a birthmom here and here. Part 3 is rather happier: This is the first Mother’s Day following my ridiculously blissful reunion with my wonderful son and his equally wonderful parents. It’s hard to say much, mostly because the memories of those few days in December are so intensely personal and the emotions still so raw. I’m not quite ready to let the world in on them. What I will say is that, as magical as it all was, and as healing as it all was, it wasn’t a cure-all. Right now, I’m on my third antidepressant combo in two months, trying to get out of the most recent episode, just so you know that even really joyous events don’t instantly cure longstanding... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3546894 Sun, 09 May 2010 09:55:17 +0100 3546894 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3533905&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F05%2Fsex-on-antidepressants%2F Awhile back a reader asked me if I’d cover the topic of intimacy complications with regard to antidepressants. Ah. Yeah. Every time I write about this controversial topic, I usually get hammered by the left, right, and center. This is obviously delicate ground, so let me tread lightly. In a recent Johns Hopkins Health Alert called “The Challenge of Antidepressant Medication and Intimacy,” I read this: While sexual dysfunction is a frequent symptom of depression itself (and successful treatment of depression may eliminate it), antidepressant medication can sometimes worsen or even cause sexual problems. In fact, sexual dysfunction is a potential side effect of all classes of antidepressants. Between 30% and 70% of people who take antidepressant medications experience sex... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3533905 Wed, 05 May 2010 10:42:29 +0100 3533905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3504954&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F26%2Ftop-25-psychiatric-drugs-in-2009%2F A few years back, we published the Top 20 Psychiatric Prescriptions for 2005. Four years later and we thought it’s about high time we updated that list with the help of the healthcare intelligence firm IMS Health, which tracks prescription data in the U.S. We published the new list this morning, Top 25 Psychiatric Prescriptions for 2009. There’s a few interesting observations we can make based upon this data and the intervening four year span between the two lists. First, anti-anxiety medications like Xanax, Valium and Ativan remain some of the most commonly prescribed psychiatric medications. And it’s no wonder — they are fast-acting and have a short half-life, meaning their effects typically wear off in a few hours. Xanax remains the most commonly prescribed psych... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3504954 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:35:14 +0100 3504954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3504950&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fmy-three-shrinks-podcast-52-friendly.html In Dinah's post Fly Those Friendly Skies she talks about the new FAA policy regarding pilots on antidepressant medication. We found out something about pilot life span. Retired pilots live five years longer than their non-flying peers.We talk about the New York Times article In Therapy: Cell Phones Ring True. The article discusses what therapists learn about their patients through their cell phone conversations and pictures.Roy introduced us to the Lanny-yap blog, where we found a picture of Roy's dog, Eddie. This blog has a reference to a Scientific American article on anisomycin, an experimental medication that has been used in rats to wipe out fearful memories. Shades of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)!Finally, we talk about a prospective study of 16,000 adults who started ... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3504950 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 01:00:00 +0100 3504950 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3502831&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F25%2Fultrawellness-or-ultra-hype-antidepressant-as-demagogue%2F Mark Hyman, MD, is a “practicing physician and pioneer in functional medicine,” according to his bio on the Huffington Post where he recently penned the nonsensical, “Why Antidepressants Don’t Work for Treating Depression.” I say “nonsensical” because this article is based upon a study that came out 3 years ago, so writing this article to educate the public seems not to be its primary purpose. Exhibiting sound reasoning and logic also doesn’t seem apparent in this article, since generally a scientist or doctor would not dismiss an entire class of medications — antidepressants — based upon a single study. Or when there are many different types of antidepressants and sub-classes — SSRIs, tricyclics, MAOIs, SRNIs, etc. The stud... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3502831 Sun, 25 Apr 2010 15:45:16 +0100 3502831 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3443760&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F06%2Fgood-ole-exercise-for-depression%2F Time and time again we hear about the importance of regular exercise for our bodies. But not only does such exercise help our bodies — it does wonders for our minds as well. The latest finding comes from two researchers who found that simple exercise can be helpful with some people’s depressive mood: [The researchers] based their finding on an analysis of dozens of population-based studies, clinical studies and meta-analytic reviews related to exercise and mental health, including the authors’ meta-analysis of exercise interventions for mental health and studies on reducing anxiety sensitivity with exercise. The researchers’ review demonstrated the efficacy of exercise programs in reducing depression and anxiety. And this is good news, since not everyone can afford psychoth... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3443760 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 01:32:27 +0100 3443760 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3436286&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Ffly-those-friendly-skies.html We've talked before about whether having the diagnosis of a mental illness should prevent a person from pursuing certain careers. We've also mentioned that pilots, in particular, can not be on psychotropic medications. One concern is that a depressed pilot might not seek treatment because s/he fears losing her job. Is it better to have a pilot with untreated mental illness, or one on medication?In The Wall Street Journal, Shirley S. Wang and Melanie Trottman write that the FAA has reconsidered this policy and will allow pilots to fly if they are being treated with Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro, or Prozac. They write: The new policy doesn't mean pilots who want to begin taking one of the medications can get in the cockpit right away. Before being granted a waiver by a physician certified by the ... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3436286 Sun, 04 Apr 2010 02:45:00 +0100 3436286 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3436289&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F03%2Ffaa-still-stigmatizes-depression-mental-illness%2F The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday cleared pilots who have depression to regain their flying privileges, with one tiny caveat — they have to be taking one of only four “approved” antidepressants. I can only express my extreme disappointment at this decision, because while it has the potential to help pilots take to the air again if they were suffering from depression, it fails to recognize other effective treatments for depression. Apparently the FAA doesn’t recognize the effectiveness of psychotherapy in the treatment of depression. This despite something on the order of four decades’ (or more) worth of research demonstrating its effectiveness for everything from mild to severe depression. In fact, if anything, there’s more resear... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3436289 Sat, 03 Apr 2010 20:27:15 +0100 3436289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3398987&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F24%2Fsurrender-to-the-brain-when-the-reframing-gets-old%2F I sometimes wish I didn’t have fodder for this blog, that I could graduate to writing a Happiness Project like Gretchen Rubin, and give you tips that could increase your happiness level. Alas, after weekends like last, I know that I will have the content to write a blog on depression for many more days. In Beyond Blue the book, I describe my analogy of recovery from depression and bipolar, from anxiety and addiction, as a four-story apartment: the first level is staying alive, the second staying out of the psych ward, the third status quo, and the fourth gusting toward better health. Although I wish I could say the majority is spent in the penthouse on the deck, the truth is that I stay mostly on the third, going up for a quick visit to the fourth some afternoons, and taking the esca... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3398987 Wed, 24 Mar 2010 09:34:04 +0100 3398987 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3362422&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F13%2Ffive-things-a-loved-one-should-know-about-bipolar-disorder%2F Today I have the pleasure of interviewing Bruce Cohen, M.D., Ph.D, who is Director of the Harvard University McLean Psychiatric Hospital and Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is also the coauthor, with Chelsea Lowe, of the recently released book Living with Someone Who’s Living With Bipolar Disorder: A Practical Guide for Family, Friends, and Coworkers. Cohen lives in the Boston area. Question: I have always maintained that the best thing a person can do to support a bipolar loved one is get educated. But if you could offer folks a crash course, what are the five most important things you think a loved one should know about bipolar disorder? Dr. Cohen: Getting educated is good advice. Here are five important things everyone dealing with bipolar disorder should kno... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3362422 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 10:30:11 +0100 3362422 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3318434&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F01%2Fthe-myth-of-depressions-upside%2F Jonah Lehrer’s essay on “Depression’s Upside” in the Feb. 28, 2010 New York Times Magazine raises many important questions about depression, and what, if anything, we can “learn” from suffering a bout of serious depression. Alas, the article obscures almost as much as it illuminates, and I fear that its net effect may be to perpetuate what I call “The Myth of Depression’s Upside.” But first, let’s be clear: a “myth” is not the same thing as a lie. A myth is a transgenerational story we tell ourselves, which often has a grain of truth to it, and which usually serves some unifying function in our culture. It is a myth that George Washington threw a silver dollar across the Potomac River — there were no silver dollars ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3318434 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:30:47 +0100 3318434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3259026&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F10%2Fnewsweeks-take-on-antidepressants-more-reactions%2F Since Newsweek published its article on antidepressants last week, we’ve seen a wide range of opinions posted about it online. Psych Central blogger and journalist Christine Stapleton asks, Am I treating my depression with expensive Tic Tacs? She reacted strongly to the main premise of the article — that antidepressants are nothing more than expensive Tic Tacs. It’s a personal but very real reaction from someone who has battled depression and has found relief in antidepressants — like millions of other Americans. Indeed, it echoes my own arguments. Research can inform us about many things in general, but they can never tell us anything about how a specific individual will benefit (or not). Christine posted a followup entry today, Antidepressants: JAMA, Newsweek an... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3259026 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:18:19 +0100 3259026 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3243842&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F05%2Fnewsweek-do-antidepressants-work-for-many-people-yes%2F I admire Newsweek writer Sharon Begley’s work … especially when she explains ways we can try to rewire our brain. But I found last week’s cover story irresponsible. If, for no other reason, than its title and subtitle: “The Depressing News About Antidepressants: Studies Suggest That the Popular Drugs Are No More Effective Than a Placebo. In Fact, They May Be Worse.” Then I may as well kill myself. That’s how I would have read the article four years ago, before I started questioning all the information available today on mood disorders and drug treatment, before I started working with a physician from Johns Hopkins who could help me tease out the hope from articles like this, so I wasn’t tempted to take my life upon reading there was no way out of ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3243842 Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:39:19 +0100 3243842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3235896&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F03%2Fkids-and-depression-parents-call-to-action-part-3%2F How To Monitor and Stabilize Depression in Teens and Children Each time I write a prescription, I have a certain amount of trepidation. Although I know that medications can help, I am also aware of their limitations. It is also important to be vigilant as to whether there are other key factors that are causing a teenager to be overwhelmed (i.e., trauma, substance abuse). However, when children and adolescents are having difficulty functioning because of how impaired they are, medication can be critical. If a teenager is so depressed that she is thinking of tying a phone cord around her neck or jumping out a window, or if she finds it impossible to find the energy to get out of bed, or can’t concentrate long enough to read one page and her grades are dropping, an antidepressant along with... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3235896 Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:43:40 +0100 3235896 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3235898&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F02%2Fkids-and-depression-parents-call-to-action-part-2%2F What Is Psychiatric Treatment? Although we occasionally read about psychiatrists who are accused of overprescribing medications, and antidepressant usage is hotly debated, in most cases a patient’s quality of life is a psychiatrist’s number one priority (as it is with all medical doctors), and restoring a patient to optimum health is our goal. Parents whom I see for the first time are often rightfully concerned about treatment; they want to know what I can offer their child and how they can convince their child to see me. Teenagers are understandably reluctant to see a “shrink” or talk to a stranger about their problems. At a time when they are incredibly self-conscious and want to blend in, teenagers can worry that people will think “they are nuts.” How parents communicate wi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3235898 Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:33:29 +0100 3235898 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3231598&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F01%2Fkids-and-depression-parents-call-to-action-part-1%2F As a child psychiatrist, I help teenagers struggling with depression, bipolar disorder, and suicide. It’s also my job to communicate with parents during what is often a very difficult and scary time. More than anything, parents want their children to be okay, and I often encourage them by stressing that mental illness is highly treatable, and adolescents are capable of extraordinary growth. With treatment and proactive parents, hope does persist and, with some time and commitment, life can and will go on for children and parents alike. When I do interviews or public readings parents often ask me about warning signs in children for depression and even suicidality. They may be worried about a daughter who is withdrawing, or a son who sleeps for hours on end and is failing in school. These ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3231598 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:45:11 +0100 3231598 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3227831&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F01%2Fare-antidepressants-really-that-ineffective%2F The more researchers delve into the research behind antidepressants — the class of drugs commonly prescribed to treat depression — the more they find that perhaps the majority of antidepressants’ treatment effect is based upon the simple belief that the drug will help. Newsweek’s Sharon Begley has a lengthy article discussing the growing body of evidence that calls into question decades’ worth of prescriptions. It’s a story that we’ve covered previously, that TIME covered nearly a year ago, and that Therese Borchard had a response to. It seems to be journalists’ favorite “go to” story now in mental health, because there’s a black-and-white controversy — do antidepressants work or don’t they? People mistakenly be... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3227831 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:10:49 +0100 3227831 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3212600&cid=t_100465_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F9IFhmov3U9k%2F Women who take several widely used antidepressants may experience delayed lactation after giving birth and may need additional support to achieve breastfeeding goals, according to a study to be published in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. The drugs in question are SSRIs, such as Glaxo’s Paxil, Pfizer’s Zoloft and Eli Lilly’s Prozac. “The breasts are serotonin-regulated glands, meaning the breasts’ ability to secrete milk at the right time is closely related to the body’s production and regulation of the hormone serotonin,” the University of Cincinnati’s Nelson Horseman, a study co-author, says in a statement. The drugs “can affect mood, emotion and sleep they may also impact serotonin ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3212600 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:34:08 +0100 3212600 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3175939&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F14%2Fthe-false-dichotomy-psychiatry-versus-psychology%2F Ever since grad school, I’ve always bristled at the arbitrary battle lines drawn between the various professions who treat mental disorders. Psychiatrists battle with psychologists, psychologists battle with clinical social workers, and so on. These turf battles do little to help people in need, who only want the best possible care available. But don’t tell that to the evangelists within the respective fields. I actually get embarrassed when I hear psychologists talk in semi-private groups about how they need to get the word about their “superior” abilities to treat mental illness. Research simply hasn’t borne out this attitude. Until it does, I have always looked at the value that each profession brings to the field and respect each for what they bring. So ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3175939 Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:33:29 +0100 3175939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3149114&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F06%2Fplacebo-as-good-as-paxil-tofranil-for-most-depression%2F From the “What the…?!” file, new research we reported on today found that two antidepressants — Paxil (still commonly prescribed) and Tofranil (not commonly prescribed) — seem to only really work for the most severe kind of depression. When prescribed for mild to moderate — the vast majority of depression diagnosed today — these two antidepressants did not any better than a sugar pill placebo. The researchers for this new study pooled together the results of six previously published research studies that compared the effects of antidepressants to placebo for 718 adults with varying levels of depression — from very severe depression, to moderate depression, to mild depression. Three of the studies looked at paroxetine (Paxil) and the others l... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3149114 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:06:39 +0100 3149114 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3146048&cid=t_100465_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FfyVFbpTfLW0%2F If you are experiencing mild or moderate depression, chances are antidepressant medications won’t be any help to you, say researchers. These medications are only useful to those who are living with severe depression. Millions of prescriptions for antidepressants are being written now that they’ve become so available and more accepted as treatment in today’s society. However, there have been many criticisms about how often the medications are being prescribed and for whom. It is often suggested that, although there are people who can truly benefit from antidepressant medications, there are those who would be able to manage by discussing their depression with their doctor or a counselor and making lifestyle changes. Jay C. Fournier, M.A., of the University of Pennsylvania, ... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3146048 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:42:45 +0100 3146048 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3142649&cid=t_100465_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FVblMNVYGTwM%2F People who live with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are often faced with trial-and-error to find treatments that work for them. One type of treatment that can be successful for some people with IBS is using antidepressant medications. This isn’t to say that IBS is related to depression, but some antidepressant medications have other properties, such as providing pain relief from chronic pain. In the case of IBS, the antidepressants may work because there are chemical transmitters in the brain that are also present in the colon. When it comes to antidepressants, some people swear by the supplement St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum). Because of the antidepressant properties found by some people, researchers wanted to see if St. John’s Wort would be a reasonable treatmen... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3142649 Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:55:08 +0100 3142649 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3059754&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F12%2F05%2Fwhen-antidepressants-fail-to-work-brain-stimulating-techniques-for-treatment-resistant-depression%2F Let’s talk about the huge elephant in the living room of most homes of people who suffer from depression: the fear of treatment resistant depression. What if antidepressant medications fail to work? Are you totally screwed? Confined to a life flipping burgers, not that anything is wrong with that? U.S. News and World Report ran an intriguing article last month, “Chronically Depressed? What to Do When Antidepressants Don’t Work.” Reporter Sarah Baldauf discussed several brain stimulating techniques available to help people with treatment-resistant depression and mood disorders. She first presents the problem we face today: Some 27 million Americans were taking an antidepressant in 2005, more than twice the number almost 10 years earlier, thanks largely to the arrival... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3059754 Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:32:41 +0100 3059754 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3056698&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F12%2F04%2Fconsumer-reports-on-antidepressants%2F Consumer Reports, the consumer magazine that reviews common products like refrigerators and vacuum cleaners and rates them, also dabbles in trying to educate consumers in other areas, like health. Earlier this week, they published a review article on the effectiveness of the commonly-prescribed class of medications for depression, antidepressants. The impetus for this article was apparently the Olfson (2009) Archives of General Psychiatry study that examined data from household surveys. You know, the one we reported on back in August, noting that antidepressant use was up 75 percent. A day later, I wrote this blog entry discussing the new study, and perhaps the more important data point the study found — psychotherapy use was down 35 percent in the same time period (1996-2005). The ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3056698 Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:21:28 +0100 3056698 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2950796&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2009%2F11%2F02%2Fexercise-and-mental-health%2F A recent review about the relationship between exercise and mental health in the elderly discussed the results of clinical research and biological explanations for the effects of exercise on mental health. Exercise is studied in the elderly in depression, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. We’ve discussed the topic of exercise and depression before on this blog. The conclusion was that exercise is more effective than no treatment and that for mild to moderate depression it is efficacious and for severe depression it should be added to other treatments in the treatment program. In this more recent review on exercise and mental health the focus is on the elderly. Data on elderly patients are scarcer. Nevertheless investigations have shown that aerobic exercise at ... Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2950796 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:27:31 +0100 2950796 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2939359&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F29%2Fvideo-depression-is-like-a-pumpkin%2F This is one of my earliest videos but one of my favorites. It is my version of the Zoloft commercial, where the egg chases the butterfly, until he (the egg) poops out. Then, after he takes his meds, he’s back catching butterflies again. Except that I don’t have Pfizer’s budget, and I’m somewhat technologically challenged. And no, I don’t think meds are the cure all. So, in the spirit of October, I present to you (maybe Pfizer will pay me millions to write their next commercial?) … Depression Is Like a Pumpkin. Click through to view the video… (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2939359 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:09:55 +0100 2939359 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2899002&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F16%2Ffriday-flashback-for-october-16-2009%2F This articles note the tripling of Ritalin prescriptions over 5 years (1990-1995), and not surprisingly, prescriptions for ADHD medications have grown exponentially since then. Is ADHD a serious problem in children? Absolutely. But can it be too-quickly diagnosed without a thorough mental health evaluation of the child? Yes, even today. 5 Years Ago on Psych Central A Patient’s Suicide, a Psychiatrist’s Pain Five years ago we highlighted this story from The New York Times, where a psychiatrist describes his first experience with one of his patients committing suicide. While not for the feint of heart, it remains a poignant story worth reading. FDA Orders Strong Antidepressant Warnings The first black box warnings hit antidepressant medications 5 years ago, and despite warnin... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2899002 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:03:19 +0100 2899002 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2862627&cid=t_100465_122_f&fid=35055&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsarasotaneurology.com%2F2009%2F10%2F04%2Fcaffeine-natures-own-wonder-drug%2F Much has been said and written about caffeine over the past half century. There have been over 20,000 studies conducted looking at the various effects and benefits of caffeine over this period of time. Numerous studies have demonstrated the tremendous health benefits that can be derived from regular daily consumption of caffeine, most commonly delivered through the consumption of coffee or energy drinks such as Red Bull or similar beveragage. All of these have a high caffeine content.  In almost any way that caffeine is consumed, there are certain health benefits that it delivers. Despite all the negative press that has been attributed to caffeine, there has never been a study that has shown that caffeine has long term negative health effects, quite the contrary. The vast majority ... Sarasota Neurology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2862627 Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:36:58 +0100 2862627 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4060671&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34859&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.davemsw.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2Fgenerics_versus_brands_are_they_really_the_same.php This is a topic that gets scant attention leaving the consuming public largely in the dark. Even though I work in the field, I've not hear this information except from my own reading. Fortunately, SSRIs are not as susceptible to problems crossing from brands to generics or between generics. But buproprion in other forms may not be as good as Wellbutrin. Image via WikipediaMedical News "Antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs have become blockbusters for the firms that developed them, making them hot markets for generic competition. Moreover, the effectiveness of these drugs is measured in the same way as anticonvulsants -- either they work or they don't. Consequently, psychiatry is another specialty that has had to think about how to handle the variability in potency among generics. Mic... Ψ Dare To Dream... blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4060671 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:53:11 +0100 4060671 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2807659&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F18%2Fsuicide-rates-unchanged-but-lots-more-think-about-it%2F Thanks to Philip over at Furious Seasons, we find that suicide rates for 2006 (the last year the government has data for) remain virtually unchanged from 2005 and 2004. Despite the dire warnings we heard about the decline of antidepressant medications (due to an FDA-mandated “black box” warning) leading to a huge spike in suicide rates, it appears not to be the case. The real story here is that the pundits and experts warning of such spikes were all wrong, and that the suicide rates have basically remained stable for the past few years. Antidepressant medications are a valuable treatment option for the millions of Americans who take them. But they are not the only treatment option, and most people realize that (if not at first, then eventually when they get frustrated by the l... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2807659 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:06:40 +0100 2807659 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2790299&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F13%2Ftest-predicts-depression-medication-response%2F Did you know that as much as some doctors and researchers like to think that medicine is a science, it is very much an art too? You can see that no more clearly than in the decision process doctors use to prescribe a specific psychiatric medication. Ask a psychiatrist what their usual depression treatment regimen is, and they’ll usually talk to you about using one or two different antidepressants they are most familiar and comfortable with prescribing — not which medication is best for the patient. Why is that? Wouldn’t you like to prescribe the most effective medication for a particular patient based upon their brain’s chemical structure and likely reaction to it? We sure would, but until recently, we had few ways to determine how a person might react to particular... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2790299 Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:35:31 +0100 2790299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2757824&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F02%2Fa-how-to-guide-to-getting-doctors-to-prescribe-your-drug%2F Lexapro is an antidepressant medication that is pretty much the equivalent to the now-generic version, Celexa. It is primarily prescribed to treat depression by primary care physicians and psychiatrists. It is a popular antidepressant. And it’s also a big money maker for its manufacturer, Forest Laboratories. So you have to wonder, how do drug companies “educate” docs about the greatness of their products? How does one get an antidepressant to become “popular.” Embarrassing documents released through an investigation by the Senate’s Special Committee on Aging into the drug manufacturer’s marketing practices describes the process in grueling detail: Under “Lunch and Learns,” the company intended to spend $36 million providing lunch to doctors ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2757824 Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:20:51 +0100 2757824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2747980&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=35451&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jung-at-heart.com%2Fjung_at_heart%2Fhappy_pills.html The other day I ran across an article in Scientific American that seems to fit my own musings on the issue of meaning in symptoms. In this article the authors suggest that "depression is not a malfunction, but a mental adaptation that brings certain cognitive advantages", quite in line with my ongoing interest in meaning.  That cognitive advantage is the tendency among those suffering from depression to dwell on problems by thinking intensely at length about them.  "Many other symptoms of depression make sense in light of the idea that analysis must be uninterrupted. The desire for social isolation, for instance, helps the depressed person avoid situations that would require thinking about other things. Similarly, the inability to derive pleasure from sex or other activiti... Jung At Heart blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2747980 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 13:43:43 +0100 2747980 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2670890&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F04%2Fantidepressant-use-up-psychotherapy-use-down%2F A new study we reported on yesterday shows that over a nearly ten year period from 1996 to 2005, antidepressant use went up 75 percent (if going by the researcher’s percentages, not “doubled” as many mainstream news organizations are reporting), while psychotherapy use decreased. How much did psychotherapy use decrease? Over 35% in the same time period, amongst those who were being treated with an antidepressant. While that’s an astonishing statistic in itself, it comes with a few disclaimers. Antidepressants are, by far, the most prescribed psychiatric medication in society today. And the vast majority of those prescriptions (more than 80 percent) are made by general practitioners — not psychiatrists. That’s important to note, because while a psychiatr... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2670890 Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:45:55 +0100 2670890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2667496&cid=t_100465_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FUL6jimY09JY%2F Whether depression is being diagnosed more often or it’s becoming more accepted to seek treatment, use of antidepressant medications has doubled in the United States since the mid-1990s. Major depression strikes twice as many women as men, about 10% to 25%, and it often runs in families, usually starting somewhere between the ages of 15 years and 30 years. Depression can be treated through counseling, psychotherapy, and medications. Often, medications are used to stabilize someone so he or she can get a good start with psychotherapy, although some people must stay on medications for the long term. According to a study published in the newest issue of Archives of General Psychiatry , about 13 million people were taking antidepressant medications in 1996, but in 2005, the number rose ... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2667496 Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:33:59 +0100 2667496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2637863&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fcan-black-box-warnings-kill.html I'm going to write about a story I saw on-line about a depressed mother who poisoned her small child. It's a terribly tragic story, and please keep in mind that I only know what I read in the article Here, and I've never examined anyone involved. The question being asked at the trial is that of whether the mother, who was depressed, was legally sane and knew it was wrong to kill her child, and that's not what I'm going to write about. I didn't pick a graphic to go with this blog post, because I couldn't think of any photo that would be appropriate to such an angst-ridden topic.I'm pulling a few sentences from the newspaper article to use as a springboard for discussion:They said Sparrow told a nurse practitioner she was considering using sedatives to kill herself, her daughter and her dog,... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2637863 Sat, 25 Jul 2009 01:32:00 +0100 2637863 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2598285&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F14%2Fgroup-exercise-helps-addicts%2F Even before I read Kate Dailey’s Newsweek post, “From Excess to Exercise: Group Helps Men and Women Live Sober Through Sweat,” I was a firm believer in group exercise as a way to treat addiction. For a variety of different reasons: The bond and community element is much like those that form in 12-step groups, The exercise itself has an antidepressant effect: the dopamine release can help to minimize the craving for alcohol and drugs, A kind of discipline is learned that will benefit the recovery from addiction, A sense of empowerment is achieved. I relied on group exercise just as much as my meetings when I was newly sober. A few of us would take long bike rides on the weekends that helped me grieve the loss of my best friend (liquor). I look back with fondness on thos... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2598285 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:55:23 +0100 2598285 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2511162&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F18%2F10-ways-to-manage-your-weight-on-psych-meds%2F Awhile back, a Beyond Blue reader asked me to address the problem of weight gain and medication. “How do you deal with this yourself?” she asked me. I’ll be perfectly honest. It’s a battle. As someone with a history of an eating disorder, I’ve had to work very hard on getting to place where I eat when I’m hungry. For that reason, I won’t go near drugs like Zyprexa, because the 20 pounds that I gained in one month made me feel ALMOST bad as my depression. I totally understand that body image is important to your self-esteem. I wish I wasn’t so shallow, but look at the ads around us. What’s the message that they’re screaming? “Thin people are beautiful. Overweight people aren’t.” I hate that. So, since this is F... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2511162 Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:27:39 +0100 2511162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2447695&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F01%2Fthe-bad-mom-club-whos-in%2F It’s been three years since I published “The Imperfect Mom: Candid Confessions of Mothers Living in the Real World,” but the controversy over who is deemed a suitable mother and who’s not hasn’t changed an iota. A week or so ago when the story broke abut the Park Avenue lawyer who couldn’t take her kids’ bickering and so threw them out of her car and drove off, my name was circulated in some media circles as a mother who would be willing to talk about the parenting moments that aren’t going into the scrapbook. The story behind my compilation is rather humorous in retrospect (quite terrifying in real time) … A fellow preschool mom asked me to watch her son for two hours, so I took him and my son (both two years old at the time) to ge... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2447695 Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:17:33 +0100 2447695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441689&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F28%2F12-depression-busters-for-new-moms%2F It’s supposed to be the most exciting time of your life… And everyone is telling you how lucky you are to have a beautiful baby, but all you can do is cry. You’re pretty sure none of your new-mom friends are feeling this way. But they might be. Because 15 to 20 percent of new moms, about 1 million women in the U.S. each year, experience some form of postpartum depression. Truth be told, my baby days were the most difficult and painful hours of my life. I was a hormonal and stress train wreck. Looking back now–my youngest is five–I see that a few alterations in my lifestyle might have helped matters. I’ll share them with you, so that you don’t have to feel so bad … or, you know, all alone. 1. Say it … “Yikes.” Take a moment... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441689 Thu, 28 May 2009 10:00:22 +0100 2441689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441693&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F26%2Fwhy-antidepressants-do-live-up-to-the-hype-i-see-a-cup-half-full%2F I always get a little irritated with articles like the one recently published in Time magazine: “Why Antidepressants Don’t Live Up to the Hype” by John Cloud. Why? Because I know that somewhere out there is a person who is desperately in need of treatment for severe depression, but an article like that could be the deciding factor not to pursue it. I know that because I’ve been there. Three years ago a friend who was opposed to my taking medication handed me a copy of O Magazine’s article, “The Valley of the Dulls: On Taking Antidepressants,” which featured interview after interview with folks who claimed that antidepressants zapped their creativity, personality, cognitive functions, and range of emotions. I was on my way to a psychiatric consul... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441693 Tue, 26 May 2009 11:56:51 +0100 2441693 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405422&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F10%2Fa-letter-to-new-moms%2F Blogger Katherine Stone at Postpartum Progress, will host the first annual Mother’s Day Rally for Moms’ Mental Health this Mother’s Day. This online event will feature 24 open letters to new mothers on the importance of maternal mental health. Each hour, on the hour, for 24 hours straight, Postpartum Progress will post a different “Letter to New Moms.” The writers, survivors of and experts on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, will share their humor, experience, tips and ideas, focusing on the mental health of women during pregnancy and postpartum. Here’s my letter, but make sure you visit Postpartum Progress to read the other 23! Dear New Mother, I have just one piece of advice for you: don’t try to be a martyr. Consider your own needs along wi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405422 Sun, 10 May 2009 15:00:29 +0100 2405422 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2389929&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F06%2Fcould-getting-your-hands-dirty-make-you-happy%2F Midweek Mental Greening Although I don’t live near it anymore, one of the things I love about my old city’s community mental health center is the center’s greenhouse. The center’s patients, or clients, grow and sell the flowers, ferns, and other plants within the greenhouse and any money raised goes toward the continuing operation of the center’s various programs. I don’t have any firsthand experience with the center’s greenhouse (although I do keep promising myself to stop in the next time I’m in the city), but I’ve heard great things about it. Of course, that’s not surprising. We already know how mentally and emotionally beneficial activities like gardening can be (and if you need a refresher course, check out Thrive’s Carry on Gardening website, including the g... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2389929 Thu, 07 May 2009 01:40:06 +0100 2389929 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2389936&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F04%2Fantidepressants-during-pregnancy%2F This study joins three others that have also found a similar threefold risk of preterm births when a mother is taking an antidepressant. But there’s hope for expecting mothers who are currently on an antidepressant and want to avoid the possibility of a preterm birth: [W]e found that partial exposure to either SSRIs or depression did not increase the risk for preterm birth. Similarly, [other research] reported that mothers who discontinued SSRIs before the third trimester (similar to our group with partial exposure) had a preterm birth rate comparable to the rate for comparison subjects, while mothers with third-trimester exposure (82% treated throughout pregnancy) had an increased rate. In other words, it appears that discontinuing antidepressant medications only for the third tri... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2389936 Mon, 04 May 2009 22:35:21 +0100 2389936 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2386953&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F03%2F6-ways-to-prepare-for-withdrawal-from-an-antidepressant%2F This year, I celebrated my 2nd anniversary of being Paxil-free. (The “hurray!” I feel compelled to type here is a complete understatement of my joy.) Back in 2004, I started taking the drug under the advice of my primary care physician for panic attacks and anxiety. After growing (very) disenchanted with its frustrating side effects, I decided to quit. A row of split and shaved Paxil fragments, lined up in descending size, that I took near the end of my taper. Here’s the CliffsNotes version of my withdrawal attempts. First attempt: Cold turkey. (Bad idea.) Second attempt: Wean by 50% each week by splitting pills into halves and quarters until I’m down to zero within a month or two. (Also a bad idea.) Third attempt: Wean at 10%-25% dosage by splitting/shaving pills ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2386953 Sun, 03 May 2009 16:03:09 +0100 2386953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2376217&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F29%2F12-steps-to-sanity%2F People often ask me what I did to get better. To tell you the truth, I’m not all that sure. I spent much of my deep depression wandering aimlessly, completely lost, not knowing which voices to follow. I acted on everyone’s suggestions. Some worked. Others didn’t. I compiled the exercises that made me feel better into a personally designed 12-step mental health program, related to but different from the 12-step program practiced by addicts and their kin. They are ways to boost my neurotransmitters into action–getting those lazy bones passing messages from one neuron to the next–and to inspire nerve generation and cell reproduction in the amydgala and hippocampus regions of the brain. Step One: Find the Right Doctor Some depressives are lucky enough to find a g... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376217 Wed, 29 Apr 2009 10:00:26 +0100 2376217 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348543&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F16%2Fpostpartum-depression-advocacy%2F I’ve spent a good deal of the day writing advocacy for postpartum depression. I’ve been in communication with the wonderful and passionate Katherine Stone, author of the blog “Postpartum Progress” and postpartum depression advocate. It’s been a great way to learn and stand up for women with pregnancy-related depression disorders. The MOTHERS act is currently going through congress. It is a bill that supports research for the causes of postpartum depression as well as education and helping families with appropriate services. There is a great deal of controversy about this act. Those who support are hopeful it will provide better support and services for women who need it. Those who oppose fear that postpartum depression will be overdiagnosed, leading to a great... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348543 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 21:26:36 +0100 2348543 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4060686&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34859&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.davemsw.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2Fbiochemical_roots_of_depression_challenged.php Image via Wikipedia Not surprisingly,the biochemical theory regarding "chemical imbalance" is under attack again. The theory has always been an oversimplification of actual research data. All the research has said is that (1) anti-depressants have worked on average slightly better than placebo and (2) anti-depressants and therapy works slightly better than one or the other alone. Key to understanding what this means are the words "on average", "placebo" and "slightly better". On average, some people did not benefit from anti-depressants, and some did. Some experienced more benefit than others. Anti-depressants, I believe, are over prescribed mainly because clients don't want to invest the time and emotional energy in therapy. People don't want to see themselves as, in part, responsible ... Ψ Dare To Dream... blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4060686 Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:31:23 +0100 4060686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2287230&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F23%2Ffda-approves-symbyax-for-treatment-resistant-depression%2F Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Symbyax for the acute treatment of treatment-resistant depression (TRD). It is the first drug approved for this indication. Symbyax is a combination pill that combines olanzapine (Zyprexa) and fluoxetine HCl (a long-acting form of Prozac) in a single capsule. Symbyax is manufactured by Eli Lilly and Company. According to the company’s press release: The new Symbyax TRD indication is for acute treatment of adult patients with major depressive disorder who have not responded to two separate trials of different antidepressants of adequate dose and duration in their current episode. Zyprexa, in combination with fluoxetine, is now approved for the acute treatment of TRD in adults. Symbyax was the first drug approved by the FD... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2287230 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 21:02:51 +0100 2287230 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2287236&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F22%2Fdespite-controversy-lexapro-approved-for-kids-depression%2F Lexapro, an antidepressant already approved to treat major depression in adults, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat depression in children ages 12 to 17. This happened just weeks after the drug’s marker, Forest Laboratories, was charged by prosecutors of illegally marketing this and another drug (Celexa) to children and paying kickbacks to doctors for prescribing them. Digging into the studies that resulted in the FDA’s approval demonstrates a clearly mixed picture of Lexapro’s effectiveness in children: The FDA on Friday approved Lexapro’s use for adolescents based on favorable results in two clinical trials, one involving adolescents taking Lexapro and another involving children and adolescents taking chemically similar Cele... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2287236 Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:28:25 +0100 2287236 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2287237&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F20%2Fdepression-they-just-dont-get-it%2F I’ve learned in 12-step support groups that if you decide to share something important with a loved one, or try to mend a broken relationship, you should do so without any expectation of a response. I wish I had followed that advice the day I sent a family member an incredibly personal piece that I wrote about my severe depression (suicidal thoughts and all), and the first moments of dawn, hoping that it would make us closer. Her response was one word: “Thanks.” I felt like Princess Leia in “Star Wars” when she cries out to Han Solo (before he leaves for some empire war): “I love you!” And he says back, “I know!” But part of my disappointment was my own fault. I sent the piece to her with an agenda. This is what I wanted to hear: &#82... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2287237 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:08:02 +0100 2287237 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2227166&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F02%2Fmad-as-hell-anger-and-the-economy-part-two%2F “The hardest part of all this is my loss of security and my lack of control over my own finances and future. I feel vulnerable and completely powerless to change any of this. It angers me that other people are determining my fate. Especially since they are doing such a pathetic job of it.” ~Dawn Carter’s comment on Mad As Hell Part 1 In last week’s post I said we have a right to our anger if it’s there. Here’s the rub: How do we keep it from going nuclear, or imploding into depression? Anger Management is about doing the following three things effectively: 1) The healthiest way to express anger is in an assertive, direct and not aggressive manner. How? ➢ Clearly define what you are angry about and tell, directly, those who need to know. “I am really angry because now ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2227166 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 10:00:14 +0100 2227166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2222495&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F26%2Flexapro-maker-accused-of-fraud%2F Yet another story about a drug maker getting into trouble for its off-label marketing practices for a psychiatric medication, this time to children and teens. The drugs? Lexapro and its older sibling, Celexa. The manufacturer of them? Forest Laboratories. The New York Times has the story: In a civil complaint filed by the United States attorney’s office in Boston, federal prosecutors alleged that former top executives at Forest concealed for several years a clinical study that showed that the drugs were not effective in children and might even pose risks to them, including causing some to become suicidal. From 2001 to 2004, Forest heavily promoted results from another clinical trial it had financed that showed that the drugs were effective, without disclosing the negative study to those... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2222495 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 19:00:36 +0100 2222495 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2169824&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=35044&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadultaddstrengths.com%2F2009%2F02%2F09%2F12-ways-to-be-miserable%2F Post from: Adult ADD Strengths 12 Ways To Be Miserable Here are my notes from a talk given by Vancouver based Dr. Randy Paterson, author and psychologist at Changeways private clinic at the Vancouver Wellness show Feb 7th 2009 Here are my notes on his talk. People often engage in actions and behaviors that if you keep asking them “and if you get that, what will that get you?” the ultimate result is often “If I get that I’ll be happy”. One way to figure how to achieve more happiness is to find what works to make people the opposite of being happy, being miserable, and then do the opposite of that in order to become happier. In this talk he’s discussing how to be miserable, not necessarily full blown depression. Pete’s note:Adults with ADHD have much... Adult ADD Strengths blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2169824 Mon, 09 Feb 2009 06:10:57 +0100 2169824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2167560&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F07%2Fdepression-forgetting-who-i-used-to-be%2F After I had my first child, I had a great deal on my mind. My new daughter needed surgeries and extra medical care early in her life. This was a huge adjustment for me and my husband. She needed so much so often, when could I rest? The thought of returning to work was looming in my mind. All of this took a toll and eventually spilled out into postpartum depression. How could I get myself back? First and foremost, I got through everything by focusing on my daughter. She needed to be fed, changed, held, and so on. She didn’t understand what I was dealing with and still needed me anyway. As long as I could keep going enough to get her what she needed, I could let go for a while. After several weeks of feeling utterly burdened, I began to wonder about how things were “supposed&#8... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2167560 Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:12:02 +0100 2167560 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2156429&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F02%2F03%2Fefficacy-of-antidepressants%2F Two studies published last year (Turner et al., 2008; Kirsch et al., 2008) began to shake the foundation of the research that has established the efficacy and usefulness of modern antidepressant medications — those psychiatric drugs most commonly prescribed to people to treat depression. A recent commentary published in The American Journal of Psychiatry by two researchers with drug industry funding suggests these studies need to be examined within a broader context (Mathew & Charney, 2009). The commentary authors argue that for meta-analyses to be valid, researchers must have access not only to the published research, but also the unpublished research of nonsignificant data. After agreeing that such meta-analyses such as Kirsch et al.’s are needed and valuable, they the... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2156429 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:39:36 +0100 2156429 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2144533&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F01%2F29%2Flancet-study-ignores-significance-of-side-effects%2F A new meta-analysis study was published today in the journal Lancet which showed that two antidepressant drugs — Lexapro (escitalopram) and Zoloft (sertraline) — were more effective than their psychiatric peers. Remeron and Effexor fared better, too, than the other drugs included in the analysis, such as Prozac, Cymbalta, Luvox and Paxil. The study looked at two components important to treatment — efficacy (how much does this drug actually help reduce depressive symptoms) and toleration of the drug (how many people stop taking the drug because it simply can’t be tolerated by their body), as measured by drop-out rates. However, the study did not look at a drug’s side effects, which is a major component of finding a psychiatric drug that’s appropriate a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2144533 Thu, 29 Jan 2009 22:53:14 +0100 2144533 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2039946&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2F15%2Fssri-antidepressants-and-your-sex-life%2F As we’ve noted in the past (such as here, here, and most recently here), SSRI antidepressant medications — the most commonly prescribed psychiatric medication today — often have sexual side effects. Inability to orgasm, delayed orgasm, losing sensation in your genitals, and a lack of sex drive are all possible side effects of these common medications. Despite this being a pretty well-known issue with SSRI antidepressants for at least 10 years and maybe even as long as 20 years, apparently someone over at the Boston Globe just found out. And decided to make it front page news today. Ostensibly the report is noting that some recent studies put the rate of sexual side effects as high as 1 in every 2 patients who take it (which seems about right based upon what I’ve he... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2039946 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:25:58 +0100 2039946 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1990725&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F11%2F26%2Facp-guideline-for-medication-depression-treatment%2F Last week, the American College of Physicians (ACP) released a practice guideline in the treatment of depression through the use of medications. MedPage Today covered some reaction to it from some psychiatrists, who lamented the lack of a comprehensive treatment approach guideline to depression (the ACP guideline focused only on the use of medications). While I agree, in theory, that any guideline that focuses solely on one treatment method for a common mental disorder such as depression, while completely ignoring other treatment options, is a bad thing, I’m not sure we could’ve expected anything different from this physicians group. After all, physicians treat medical diseases, not mental disorders, and have no training or background in anything other than diseases and medi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1990725 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:54:09 +0100 1990725 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1980626&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F11%2F21%2Fdr-fred-goodwin-and-the-infinite-mind-ties-to-undisclosed-drug-payments%2F On May 9, Slate published a rebuke of the independence of an episode of the Infinite Mind, a public radio program on mental health, brain and behavior topics. The show is hosted by Dr. Fred Goodwin, a former director of the National Institute of Mental Health. In question was a program devoted to discussing the link between antidepressants and suicide — a link that has been all but accepted now by mainstream researchers and clinicians. But in a bias not disclosed during the program, all four of the experts on the program, including Goodwin himself, have financial ties to the makers of antidepressants. That information was never told to listeners during the program and only finally disclosed because of Slate’s reporting. Naturally, such a report caught the eye of Sen. Grassley... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1980626 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:03:06 +0100 1980626 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1883567&cid=t_100465_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F421640095%2F The drugmaker has decided against pursuing European approval for its depression pill after consulting with the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, which raised concerns about the med. Earlier this year, you may recall, Wyeth withdrew its application in Europe to have Pristiq approved to treat menopausal hot flashes. Wyeth is counting on Pristiq to help offset impending generic competition to its Effexor blockbuster (Pristiq is actually a version of this drug, by the way). Although already available in the US for treating depression, Wall Street has been skeptical about Wyeth’s ability to distinguish Pristiq from other antidepressants. And the FDA has yet to approve Pristiq to treat hot flashes caused by menopause. Despite the setback, Wyeth execs are not, well, gloomy. &#... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1883567 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:26:56 +0100 1883567 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1852537&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F10%2F04%2Fis-grief-a-mental-disorder-no-but-it-may-become-one%2F Pages: 1 2 3 Next »     Single Page Imagine this scenario. Your seven-year old son is riding his bike, and takes a nasty fall. He has a gash on his knee that looks pretty bad, but you get out your first-aid kit, clean the wound, put a little iodine on it, and cover it with a sterile gauze pad. Two days later, your son complains that his knee hurts a lot and that he “feels crummy.” He didn’t sleep well the night before, and his face seems a little flushed. You remove the gauze pad and notice that his knee is red and swollen, and there is a foul-looking, greenish liquid oozing out of the wound. You get that sinking, “Uh-oh!” feeling, and decide you had better have your family doctor take a look at the knee. As you are about to drive off, your friendly neig... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1852537 Sat, 04 Oct 2008 13:23:20 +0100 1852537 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1790345&cid=t_100465_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E3%2F363529488%2Fbecause-women-need-lovin-too.html Listen up, ladies! If you are currently taking antidepressants and experiencing sexual dysfunction, a new study may have the answer to your problem. And, it may have been right under your nose in the medicine cabinet of your male counterpart all along. Yes, Viagra®, the savior drug for men, may also be beneficial for women.According to CBS Evening News medical correspondent, Dr. Jonathan LaPook, sexual dysfunction affects about half of patients on antidepressants (women more than men). A small study on premenopausal women found Viagra helped to achieve the big "O". However, according to the research report published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association, it did not improve other sex aspects for women, such as desire or arousal.Although the study shows promise as a tr... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1790345 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:57:40 +0100 1790345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1700781&cid=t_100465_122_f&fid=35055&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsarasotaneurology.com%2F2008%2F08%2F12%2Foccipital-neuralgia-many-symptoms-of-headaches%2F Occipital neuralgia is a commonly missed headache diagnosis. The symptoms for headaches can be quite different. Occipital neuralgia can mimic migraine headaches but do not respond to standard migraine medications. Occipital neuralgia rarely occurs as a headache syndrome by itself. The majority of patients with occipital neuralgia have one or more other types of headache including: migraines, tension headache, rebound headache and cluster headaches. Occipital neuralgia is frequently misdiagnosed as migraine or cluster headaches. Patients with prominent face pain as part of their occipital neuralgia may be incorrectly diagnosed with tic delaroux (trigeminal neuralgia.) Occipital neuralgia is caused by an irritation of the occipital nerve as is comes through the muscles in the back of the nec... Sarasota Neurology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1700781 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:42:53 +0100 1700781 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2725088&cid=t_100465_122_f&fid=35055&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsarasotaneurology.com%2F2008%2F08%2F12%2Foccipital-neuralgia-many-symptoms-of-headaches%2F Occipital neuralgia is a commonly missed headache diagnosis. The symptoms for headaches can be quite different. Occipital neuralgia can mimic migraine headaches but do not respond to standard migraine medications. Occipital neuralgia rarely occurs as a headache syndrome by itself. The majority of patients with occipital neuralgia have one or more other types of headache including: migraines, tension headache, rebound headache and cluster headaches. Occipital neuralgia is frequently misdiagnosed as migraine or cluster headaches. Patients with prominent face pain as part of their occipital neuralgia may be incorrectly diagnosed with tic delaroux (trigeminal neuralgia.) Occipital neuralgia is caused by an irritation of the occipital nerve as is comes through the muscles in the back of the nec... Sarasota Neurology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2725088 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:43:17 +0100 2725088 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1688986&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F08%2F07%2Fpsychotherapy-meds-for-chronic-depression%2F Although we harp on this at least once every few months, it bears repeating: Psychotherapy with medication is usually the best possible treatment option for depression (acute or chronic) for nearly everyone. If you’re only doing one or the other, you’re likely not going to get well as quickly, it’s that simple. We have decades’ worth of research showing this, but here’s another one to add to the pile. Manber and colleagues (2008) re-examined previous data on 656 patients with chronic depression to see who would get to remission first. Remission in depression research is simply when a person’s depression score on a commonly used depression quiz (the Hamilton) falls below a certain number. People who had scores of less than 26 on the Hamilton fared bes... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1688986 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:50:35 +0100 1688986 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1682963&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F08%2F05%2Fplacebo-response-persists-in-depression%2F This study demonstrates that while placebos appear to still continue to work for most people taking them, they are still significantly less effective than an antidepressant. I think that antidepressants remain an effective treatment modality for depression, although as STAR*D demonstrated, patients and their doctors will usually have to try multiple medications before finding one that works for them. References: Deshauer D, Moher D, Fergusson D, Moher E, Sampson M, Grimshaw J. (2008). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for unipolar depression: a systematic review of classic long-term randomized controlled trials. CMAJ, 178(10):1293-301. Ioannidis JP. (2008). Effectiveness of antidepressants: an evidence myth constructed from a thousand randomized trials? Philos Ethics Humanit Med... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1682963 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:32:19 +0100 1682963 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1660722&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F07%2F28%2Fwhen-panic-attacks-in-the-lehigh-tunnel%2F Mapquest said it was a three hour trip. But I knew better; it would take me nearly five hours to get home for my Christmas break from school. Was I a slow driver? No, not particularly. Was there a chance of snow? Not at all; blue skies all around. Was I planning on taking a two-hour break at one of the turnpike’s service plazas? No; a fast-food meal there would take twenty minutes, tops. Was I banking on getting lost? No, I’m one of those map nerds who enjoys aiding lost friends via telephone with the full-sized map of Pennsylvania that I (seriously!) have tacked to my bedroom wall. The three-hour trip from grad school in Newark, Delaware to my hometown of Kingston, Pennsylvania was going to take five hours because I couldn’t stand driving through the Lehigh Tunnel. It’s a long t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1660722 Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:25:11 +0100 1660722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1658143&cid=t_100465_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D3764 Researchers from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine randomly assigned nearly 100 women taking SRIs whose depression was in remission but who were suffering from sexual dysfunction to treatment with Viagra or a placebo. The women took the medication one to two hours before anticipated sexual interaction, for eight weeks. While 73% of the women taking a placebo reported that their treatment was not effective, only 28% of those taking Viagra did so. Clinicians’ reports revealed that the women taking Viagra had a greater improvement in their symptoms of sexual dysfunction than did those on placebo. a Viagra May Be Effective for Sexual Dysfunction in Women on Antidepressants (Source: Malaysian Medical Resources) Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1658143 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1658143 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1640246&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F07%2F21%2Fdepressions-many-treatments%2F Therese Borchard over at Beyond Blue wrote about the disconcerting “either/or” artificial dichotomy that some researchers and doctors set up about treatments for mental conditions such as depression. Medications for depression are either evil and the root cause of all of society’s problems, or they are saviors and rescue people from a lifetime of suffering. Depression is either a problem with living and one’s life, or it’s a biological disease we simply don’t yet understand. Psychiatrist James Gordon is the subject of the ire, because he’s promoting his new book over in a Newsweek interview suggesting that alternative treatment methods are the preferred treatment approach for mild to moderate (e.g., most people’s) depression. And that antide... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1640246 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:30:31 +0100 1640246 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1537900&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F06%2F23%2Fwyeths-dr-phil-ninan-on-pristiq%2F Pages: 1 2 Next »     Single Page This is the inaugural entry of a new occasional feature we’ll have here on World of Psychology, On the Couch with Dr. John Grohol. These entries will be interviews with various movers and shakers in the world of psychology, mental and behavioral health, and psychiatry. The schedule is to do at least one a month, so if there’s someone you’d like to see interviewed, please drop us a note! Last Wednesday, I had the chance to sit down and talk to Dr. Phil Ninan, the Vice President of Wyeth’s Medical Affairs, Neuroscience on the telephone about their newest antidepressant medication, Pristiq. Pristiq is a “chemical cousin” of Wyeth’s existing successful antidepressant, Effexor (and its descendants... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1537900 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:38:20 +0100 1537900 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1531886&cid=t_100465_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fcymbalta-approved-for-fibromyalgia%2F The anti-depressant Cymbalta (duloxetine), marketed by Lilly, has received FDA approval for the treatment of fibromyalgia. While certain anti-depressants are considered first-line therapy for fibromyalgia, most notably the tricyclic anti-depressants such as amitriptyline, none had been approved by the FDA for this use until now. Cymbalta belongs to a newer class of anti-depressants known collectively as serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), which are somewhat similar to the serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), of which Prozac, also marketed by Lilly, is the most widely known. Cymbalta is already marketed for the treatment of depression, anxiety and for pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. It was first approved for U.S. marketing in 2004. Cymbalta is no... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1531886 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:43:51 +0100 1531886 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1522396&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fcomfort_eating_linked_to_antidepressant_effect_of_hunger_h.htm New research at UT Southwestern Medical Center may explain why some people who are stressed or depressed overeat. While levels of the so-called "hunger hormone" ghrelin are known to increase when a person doesn't eat, findings by UT Southwestern scientists suggest that the hormone might also help defend against symptoms of stress-induced depression and anxiety. "Our findings in mice suggest that chronic stress causes ghrelin levels to go up and that behaviors associated with depression and anxiety decrease when ghrelin levels rise. An unfortunate side effect, however, is increased food intake and body weight," said Dr Jeffrey Zigman, assistant professor of internal medicine and psychiatry at UT Southwestern and senior author of a study appearing online today and in a future print edition o... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1522396 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:05:00 +0100 1522396 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1472448&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F05%2F27%2Fotc-over-the-counter-antidepressants%2F Philip over at Furious Seasons thinks that antidepressants shouldn’t be made available over-the-counter in the U.S. (e.g., without a prescription). His entry was based upon this article over at Time magazine that interviews Josephine Johnston, an associate for law and bioethics at the nonpartisan research institute, the Hastings Center. The real question you have to ask yourself when asking, “When should a drug become commonly available without a prescription?” is weighing the risks of harm versus the benefits of access. It’s a simple equation that can be readily backed by data from empirical, published studies. With virtually all antidepressants, the risks of harm are still fairly significant. We don’t know quite why they work the way they do, they can tak... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1472448 Wed, 28 May 2008 11:36:18 +0100 1472448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1450244&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F05%2F18%2Fsexual-side-effects-of-antidepressants%2F Drug makers have long bemoaned the list of negative side effects while taking the older tricyclic antidepressants (the most prevalent of which were a feeling of “dry mouth”, drowsiness, upset stomach or constipation). None of those side effects are good things to have to deal with when taking an antidepressant. Lo and behold, the new generation of antidepressants was introduced starting with Prozac. Drug makers claimed this new class of drugs (SSRIs) had fewer and less severe side effects. Now, after being on the market for more than 20 years, we’re learning how prevalent and severe some of those “lesser” side effects are, especially the most common one experience — sexual side effects. Like losing all sensation in your genitals, or lacking any desire ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1450244 Sun, 18 May 2008 13:30:09 +0100 1450244 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1409705&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F04%2F30%2Fmore-on-infamous-paxil-study-329%2F In a rare behind-the-scenes disclosure (due to a lawsuit), the public is seeing for one of the first times the degree and depth some pharmaceutical companies will go to in order to publish positive results about their drug. Using the same peer-review process that is supposed to prevent abuses by researchers and drug companies and provide other professionals (and the public) with objective data. And the same peer-review process that is used by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve medications as safe and effective. CL Psych provides us with a further analysis of Paxil study 329, one where apparently the researchers went to great lengths to find efficacy. Why the re-examination of this study? Because another study was just published in the International Jouranl of Risk an... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1409705 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:48:46 +0100 1409705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1401403&cid=t_100465_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation.com%2Falcohol-drug-use-in-an-educated-workforce%2F This study examined alcohol and licit and illicit drug use in a highly educated medical related workforce. A comprehensive health survey of a 10% random sample of a workforce (n = 8,567) yielded a 60% response rate (n = 504) after accounting for 15 undeliverable surveys. Many respondents reported past-year use of alcohol (87%). Thirteen percent of respondents consumed three or more drinks daily; 15% were binge drinkers. Twelve percent of the workforce was assessed as having a high likelihood of lifetime alcohol dependence; 5% of respondents met criteria for current problem drinking. Overall, 42% reported using mood-altering prescription drugs (analgesics, antidepressants, sedatives, or tranquilizers). Eleven percent reported using illicit drugs (cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin, or mar... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1401403 Sat, 26 Apr 2008 12:24:58 +0100 1401403 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1376692&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F04%2F16%2Fhow-cost-effective-is-depression-treatment-in-teens%2F This study was done on teens, not adults, who react differently to different types of treatments. Teens have a lot of stuff going on in their heads and lives and CBT may not be an ideal treatment fit. Poorly trained CBT therapists also tend to have worse outcomes than experienced CBT therapists, and while researchers try their best to minimize individual therapist differences, they do exist. Nonetheless, this sort of analysis sheds some light on why insurance companies make the decisions that they do. If they can help improve their customers’ lives for a fraction of the cost, why not do it? Reference: Domino, M.E., Burns, B.J., Silva, S.G., Kratochvil, C.J., Vitiello, B., Reinecke, M.A., Mario, J. & March, J.S. (2008). Cost-Effectiveness of Treatments for Adolescent Depressi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1376692 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:47:01 +0100 1376692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1376693&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F04%2F16%2Fcp-316-311-fails-trials-pfizer%2F An experimental drug, called CP-316, 311 and made by Pfizer, was as effective as placebo (a sugar pill) in its initial clinical trials. At the interim analysis to determine efficacy, the researchers found the drug not to be working to help people with depression, and so the trial was terminated. CP-316, 311 is a selective nonpeptide antagonist of corticotropin-releasing hormone type 1 (CRH1) receptors. Hormone receptors? you might ask. Well, it turns out that the corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) system has been implicated as a possible contributing factor (or, perhaps, cause) of several psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder. Back to the drawing board for Pfizer. Reference: Binneman, B., Feltner, D., Kolluri, S., Shi, Y., Qiu, R. & Stiger, T. (2008). A 6-W... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1376693 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:03:15 +0100 1376693 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1370734&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F04%2F14%2Fthe-infitinite-minds-update-on-prozac-and-violence%2F The Infinite Mind is a long-running weekly public radio show about health issues, psychology and the mind in society, produced by Lichtenstein Creative Media and hosted by Dr. Fred Goodwin. Dr. Fred Goodwin is a Professor of Psychiatry and Director of The Center on Neuroscience, Medical Progress, and Society at The George Washington University Medical Center. He is a physician-scientist specializing in psychiatry and psychopharmacology, and is the former Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (Full disclosure: I produced LCM’s first website back in the late 1990s, but quit doing so in 2000.) The Infinite Mind is an established, well-respected program, with a mix of news updates and interviews with leading experts. Furious Seasons has an angry response to a recen... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1370734 Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:29:25 +0100 1370734 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1358536&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F04%2F08%2Fprozac-kids-and-long-term-treatment%2F Is Prozac (fluoxetine) a good long-term treatment for children and teens grappling with depression to help prevent relapse? According to a study published in this month’s American Journal of Psychiatry, the answer appears to be, “Yes.” The researchers examined 168 children and adolescents ages 7 to 18. The study looked at whether or not a person relapsed, and how quickly, as the primary outcome measure. In the group of kids taking Prozac, 42% relapsed within 6 months after being stabilized on the medication (9 months after starting treatment). In the group of kids taking a placebo, 69% relapsed in the same time period. Prozac is called a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or SSRI, and is a popularly prescribed antidepressant medication for adults and children. Us... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1358536 Tue, 08 Apr 2008 20:33:27 +0100 1358536 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1277845&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F03%2F04%2Fpristiq-versus-effexor-xr%2F What is Pristiq (desvenlafaxine)? The newest antidepressant approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which will hit the U.S. market in a few months. Pristiq is a drug similar in composition to Wyeth’s existing antidepressant, Effexor XR (which loses its patent protection in 2010, 2 years from now). It is Wyeth’s hope that Pristiq, therefore, will replace Effexor XR in a few years’ time. Why? Because Effexor XR makes $3.8 billion (with a ‘b’) a year in sales. Pristiq has shown the same level of effectiveness as many other antidepressants on the market today — about a 2 point difference in a depression rating scale, compared with a placebo. This is the same 2 point difference that research last week showed wasn’t all that clinically ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1277845 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:09:33 +0100 1277845 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1258128&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F02%2F26%2Fantidepressant-data-showed-not-as-effective-as-thought%2F Meta-analyses are great research tools, because they allow researchers to look at data across large sets of data published by multiple studies, and see if there are more powerful (or less powerful) effects that no single study has found on its own. So it’s always interesting to read something that a meta-analysis finds in the data that individual studies didn’t quite find. Today, British researchers discovered, unsurprisingly, that Antidepressant Data Showed Not as Effective as Thought. I say unsurprisingly, because the researchers made a series of decisions that pretty much guaranteed their end-result. First, they went to the original datasets and included unpublished data too. Unpublished data is usually unpublished for a reason — for instance, the study was either p... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1258128 Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:46:42 +0100 1258128 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1251111&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34788&url=http%3A%2F%2Firvingpsychiatrist.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F02%2Fron-rosenbaum-had-post-on-baseball.html Ron Rosenbaum has a post on the baseball steroid issue. A commenter talked about how Wellbutrin helped him but not so much the generic; which leads to some thoughts on Wellbutrin (bupropion). In the late eighties, a patient and I were considering his using Wellbutrin. "Is it a new drug?" he said. "Yes," I replied. "It must be better then," he said. Some truth to that. Another favorite patient story is about Wellbutrin. An older, wiry black man came for an appointment at the VA. "Doc, I usually don't take your medicine, but when I do it sure does make me feel peppy!" Some medications have deficiencies that, addressed, are useful to the manufacturer because they allow for a new formulation that works in the marketplace (and have patent exclusivity); such is the case here. Because of a slight... a psychiatrist who learned from veterans blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1251111 Sat, 23 Feb 2008 03:00:00 +0100 1251111 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1245050&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F02%2F20%2Fserotonin-violence-and-prozac%2F A lot has been written in the past week guessing as to whether Prozac, a commonly-prescribed 20-year-old antidepressant, had any connection to the violence that Steven Kazmierczak (the NIU murderer) perpetrated. Kazmierczak was reportedly previously taking Prozac (usually prescribed for depression), but had stopped taking it 3 weeks prior to the murders. USA Today has some commentary in an article in yesterday’s paper: Stopping antidepressants abruptly can be dangerous, says John Greden, executive director of the Depression Center at the University of Michigan. Prozac, designed to increase serotonin, a “feel-good” brain chemical, lingers in the body longer than similar medicines, he says. But serotonin can plummet if the pills are stopped, and the brain chemical often... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1245050 Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:42:16 +0100 1245050 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1231826&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F02%2F14%2Fproblems-with-drug-research-paxil%2F If your profit margins depends on a supposedly “gold standard” objective scientific process, guess how long it will take before you start imagining ways that process could be manipulated? If you answered, “Not very,” you’d be right. The process is peer-reviewed journal articles, of course, which are the “gold standard” for health care research. The theory is that if researchers review other researchers’ work and vet it before publication, only the good stuff will make it to publication (and if things need clarification or further disclaimers, it often comes out in the review process). So how do you manipulate such an objective process? Well, you could start at its foundation. The study data itself. The problem with today’s study da... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1231826 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 19:50:35 +0100 1231826 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1165304&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F01%2F20%2Fwill-january-21st-be-the-%25e2%2580%259cmost-depressing-day-of-the-year%2F Dr. Cliff Arnall based his findings that January 21st will be the most depressing day on a special formula that he developed, which takes into account 3 factors; the weather, failed new years resolutions and consumer debt from holiday spending. However, a writer over at the Time website has findings of his own. Bill Tancer, a columnist at Time, believes that in order to get a better estimation of what the most depressing day is we only have to look to search engine behavior. Tancer’s logic is thus; In the digital age we’re likely to turn to search engines just as often as we would confide in friends and medical professionals to gauge our psychological state. If we think we’re suffering from a real bout of the blues or a mental crisis, we’re likely to Google the sympto... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1165304 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 03:36:20 +0100 1165304 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1156807&cid=t_100465_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2008%2F01%2F16%2Fwelcome-aboard-the-clue-wagon%2F It seemed to me that even the title that caught my eye tonight was toned down, (much like the negative study results): “Suffering from an Overly Sunny View of Antidepressants?” “F-no, I’m sure not.” I thought. I’ll leave it to the experts and cooler heads to analyze and write about this. “studies on antidepressants showing negative results are published less frequently than studies that show positive results — and the underrepresentation may be generating a false sense of how effective these drugs are.” At first I just wanted to post two words. “No shit.” Bad science. Bad information. Bad Medicine. Useless medication. Bad Evil people. Read it. Decide for yourself who: Sat on the information, who profited, who suffered, who... bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1156807 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 05:48:23 +0100 1156807 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1148153&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F01%2F13%2F40-of-happiness-or-unhappiness-due-to-our-own-actions%2F 50% is set by our genetics, and another 10% is unaccounted for, at least that’s what psychology professor Sonja Lyubomirsky says in her new book “The How of Happiness”. She also says “Antidepressants don’t make people happier; they just decrease negative emotions”. Lyubomrisky’s book was featured on a recent episode of 2020 titled “Positive Psychology: The Pursuit of Happiness”. The episode also stated that those people who are the happiest in life are those that “practice acts of kindness, are able to loose themselves in what they do and avoid dwelling on their problems”. (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1148153 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 00:12:25 +0100 1148153 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1128676&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F01%2F03%2Fdepressed-and-anxious-treatment-isnt-as-effective%2F New research was published yesterday that shows that if you’ve got what the researchers call “anxious depression,” your treatment will likely be less effective than if you had just plain depression without anxiety. More than half of the people enrolled in the STAR*D trial (results of which were published in 2006) would qualify as having “anxious depression.” Anxious depression is simply major depression with a co-occurring anxiety disorder. The finding is important because it means that with proper assessment for anxiety at the time of the initial depression diagnosis, a person’s treatment may be better tailored to be more effective. The limitations of the study were that the researchers used the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale to measure anxiety, wh... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1128676 Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:30:05 +0100 1128676 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1122524&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F12%2F30%2Fman-with-bipolar-uses-youtube-to-document-ect-experiences%2F In the videos, the man, Dale Shankins, describes his illnesses and various treatments he has tried over the past eleven years to deal with his Bipolar disorder. Prior to this year, Dale says he has had about thirty ECT sessions over the course of his illness and feels that overall it has been the most beneficial of all the treatments he has tried. I watched several of Dale’s videos and found the majority of them to be pretty informative. For example, in the day two video Dale talks about how the ECT of today is different from the ECT of the past and about how ECT is negatively portrayed in the media and movies such as “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. Also in the day two video; Dale describes exactly how ECT is delivered today and how he feels after the treatments. Mr. Shankins ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1122524 Mon, 31 Dec 2007 03:54:35 +0100 1122524 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1121710&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F12%2F29%2Fcymbalta-still-good-for-pain%2F In the past ten days, a few different blog entries > have been written calling our attention to a meta-analysis that suggests perhaps Cymbalta (duloxotine) — a newer antidepressant — isn’t as good as the company claims it is for the physical symptoms of pain associated with depression. But, as regular readers of World of Psychology know, a single study does not a conclusion make. Not even a meta-analysis. The new meta-analysis, conducted by Glen Spielmans, included only five of the published studies that have examined the question of pain, depression and duloxetine (Cymbalta). Why only five, when there have been dozens of studies that have been published examining depression and duloxetine with a pain measure in them? One key to a good meta-analysis is how is it cons... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1121710 Sat, 29 Dec 2007 23:06:50 +0100 1121710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1074939&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F12%2F06%2Fdepression-more-deadly-for-diabetics%2F Depression is not only real, it has a very real impact on certain physical conditions as well. Researchers for years have known about a link between diabetes and depression. People with diabetes seem to suffer from depression more than those without. So the usual suggestion is that for anyone who has been diagnosed with diabetes, they should also be monitored for depression and referred to additional treatment for depression if it becomes an issue. But as we reported here earlier and The New York Times notes, Depression More Deadly for Diabetics. Specifically, older diabetics. The answer to this problem? Simple. Ensure people who have diabetes also get some type of focused depression management attention and treatment. Doing so will cut a diabetics risk of death in half. Which is a si... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1074939 Thu, 06 Dec 2007 17:54:38 +0100 1074939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1019344&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F11%2F11%2Fself-help-with-youtube%2F I have the same routine every week to find interesting and newsworthy topics for the psychology blog; look at a variety of web publications specializing in subjects of mental health, and Google any recent newsworthy mental health topics. The articles I write about on the blog are usually based on scientific research, which is discussed in great detail in the articles. Gathering evidence based on scientific research is important. Of course I think we all realize the limitations of such scientific research, especially where matters of the human psyche are involved; meaning what works for one person won’t always hold true for another person, especially in terms of treatment. Yesterday, while reading Dr. Grohol’s blog entry on Celebrex, I was reminded that there is a wealth of interestin... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1019344 Sun, 11 Nov 2007 16:09:24 +0100 1019344 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=948434&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F10%2F13%2Fgeneric-wellbutrin-may-not-perform-as-well-as-original%2F Budeprion XL 300 mg, a generic version of the widely-prescribed Wellbutrin XL 300 mg, appears to not perform as well in the lab as the original name-brand version, according to Consumer Lab.com. You can read the full story on MSNBC. Generic drugs are supposed to be the same formulation as the name-brand drug, and are usually offered at significant price breaks, making them very attractive to consumers. However, in recent years, more and more reports have surfaced about whether generic versions of drugs offer the same level of quality control on ingredients to ensure people are receiving the same medication. Because the only real difference in the drugs is not how they are manufactured, but by whom (and what type of quality assurance procedures they use versus the original manufacturer). ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=948434 Sat, 13 Oct 2007 12:51:07 +0100 948434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=923698&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F10%2F03%2Fmedications-and-therapy-best-for-depressed-teens%2F We reported on this story yesterday. The 439-person study didn’t just look at how people were doing after 8 or 12 weeks. It went a little further, all the way to 36 weeks, to reach its conclusions. Which is better than the usual standard, by far. (Longer-term studies, while more expensive and difficult to run, are more realistic mirrors of real-world treatments, which typically run for months and even years.) Prozac alone led to significantly higher thoughts of suicide than either of the other two groups, cognitive-behavioral therapy alone, or the combination approach. This adds to the evidence that there is an associated higher risk of suicidal thoughts with SSRI antidepressants like Prozac. But this study also shows that risk can be well-mitigated with the addition of psychotherap... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=923698 Wed, 03 Oct 2007 12:14:46 +0100 923698 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4060744&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34859&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.davemsw.com%2Farchives%2F2007%2F09%2Fapproaching_the_challenge_of_bipolar_depression_results_from_step-bd.php There is some major progress in the treatment of persons with Bipolar DO - Mixed episodes. Bipolar DO-Mixed is characterized by less serious manic symptoms, or hypomania, and significant depressive symptoms occuring at the same time. As you might expect, having a high energy level, little impulse control, impaired judgment and significant depression is a miserable condition, prone to substance abuse, suicide ideation and serious attempts. Persons with BPDO-Mixed are more prevalent in my practice than any other subtype of the disorder. That fact could be an artifact of primary finding of the following studies. Anti-depressants, when combined with mood stabilizers such as Lithium or Depakote, or atypical anti-psychotic medications like Abilify or Seroquel have been found to provide no more ... Ψ Dare To Dream... blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4060744 Sat, 22 Sep 2007 03:37:03 +0100 4060744 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=877628&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F09%2F17%2Fanother-take-on-the-ssri-and-suicide-relationship%2F Why review a study when someone else has already done so? I can think of a half dozen reasons, but none of them are convincing to me today. So I will just say that if you have an interest in the continuing debate about the relationship between a certain type of commonly prescribed antidepressants and suicide, please check out CL Psych’s Peer Review, SSRIs, Suicide, and Booze. Here’s a choice quote: The authors ran a total of zero statistical analyses to examine the relationship between SSRI prescription rates and suicide rates in the United States. That’s right, zero. Can’t be much more clearer than that. Why a respected journal like the American Journal of Psychiatry would publish such a study is beyond me. Just shows you that even peer-reviewed journals don&#8217... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=877628 Mon, 17 Sep 2007 22:21:26 +0100 877628 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=870367&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F09%2F14%2Fexperts-question-study-on-youth-suicide-rates-new-york-times%2F Confused whether or not antidepressant drug warnings have any impact? Well, you’re not alone. Today the New York Times shows just how confused the experts are on this issue as well, with two warring sides pretty clearly defined. One side, the authors of the study published last week in The American Journal of Psychiatry, say their data is very suggestive of a causative link between the FDA black box warning and an increase in the suicide rate amongst young adults. The other side points out that the study showed no such causation relationship, which in fact is true. The study published last week could not establish a causative relationship in the manner in which it was designed. While such links may be suggestive, few policymakers or researchers would base long-term, serious polic... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=870367 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:57:34 +0100 870367 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=856806&cid=t_100465_122_f&fid=35055&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsarasotaneurology.com%2F2007%2F09%2F10%2Ffibromyalgia-new-therapy-offers-hope%2F Fibromyalgia is a chronic muscle pain disorder that has no underlying identifiable cause. Sufferers have muscle pain, multiple areas of tenderness and fatigue. It is a poorly understood disorder, with many physicians not even acknowledging that it is a real illness. There is , however ample evidence that fibromyalgia is a real condition as it has been estimated that as many as 6 million Americans suffer from this affliction annually. Patients typically see several physicians and become frustrated when all their testing comes back normal. Other accompanying symptoms may include poor sleep hygiene, headache, mental clouding (fibromyalgia fog) and depression. Although this conditions rarely clears, suffers can be treated successfully with a combination of medications and regular exercise. The... Sarasota Neurology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=856806 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:06:26 +0100 856806 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=765701&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F07%2F29%2Fantidepressant-prescription-increase-for-kids%2F According to the BBC, the rates of antidepressant prescriptions for children under the age of 16 has quadrupled over the past 10 years. The article also notes that this has not corresponded with an increase in psychological problems for people in that age group. Some politicians are not seeing this as a positive thing. The drug figures were obtained by David Laws, the Liberal Democrat shadow children’s secretary. He said: “I think it is a major concern that drugs seem to be prescribed so easily these days to children of school age. “In the past, not only were there not as many of these types of drugs on the market, there was an assumption, I think, that people would try to get to the source of the problem, rather than simply prescribing drugs.” I really think tha... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=765701 Mon, 30 Jul 2007 01:58:12 +0100 765701 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=738877&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F07%2F17%2Ftreatment-and-diagnosis-trends-in-children-with-depression%2F We reported on the negative effect of prescribing behavior to depressed children earlier this month. Another study was released in June 2007 in the American Journal of Psychiatry that showed similar results. In reviewing the American Journal of Psychiatry study (Libby et. al. 2007), I noticed two items of interest. One is that the study found that pediatricians and primary care physicians accounted for the largest reductions in new diagnoses of depression in children. Isn’t that interesting? A government agency releases a warning about one specific type of treatment for a disorder and suddenly family doctors stop seeing as much of this disorder in their patients. This is a wonderful data point indicating that as much as some doctors protest that they practice evidence-based medic... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=738877 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 12:54:53 +0100 738877 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=713239&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Ffda_approves_generic_paroxetine_paxilreg.htm Detroit based generic drug maker Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories, Ltd has announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) final approval for its generic paroxetine tablets in 10, 20, 30 and 40 milligram strengths. The approval follows expiration of GlaxoSmithKline's patent on June 29. Paroxetine is indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=713239 Wed, 04 Jul 2007 08:15:00 +0100 713239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=711641&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F07%2F03%2Fdepression-treatment-reduces-suicide-attempts%2F As we reported yesterday, a new study has discovered that in the first month of treatment, suicide attempts decrease. No matter what the treatment — antidepressant drugs or psychotherapy: Suicide attempts were most likely during the month before treatment started, falling by at least 50 percent in the month after treatment began, with steady declines thereafter. This passes the smell test, since we would expect most people to be most depressed leading up to their decision to finally seek treatment. It also makes sense that, immediately after beginning treatment (e.g., one month), people feel better. Just talking to someone and taking the proactive measure of getting help makes a person feel better often, even if the same depressive symptoms are still present. The people most lik... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=711641 Tue, 03 Jul 2007 12:30:44 +0100 711641 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=700803&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F128415479%2Fnew_cost_from_antidepressants.html If you had to choose between strong bones or more contentment - which would rule?According to Oregon Health & Science University there could be a higher cost than once thought – from antidepressants. New studies show some drugs taken to strengthen emotions – may actually weaken bones!It seems that some people who take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which include antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft, are prone to increased bone loss.Researchers in this new study, reported that elderly men taking the drugs showed lower bone mineral density, while elderly women using antidepressants showed increased bone loss. It's not what people expected!Check out the details from Dr. Elizabeth Haney,  who suggests both an additional screening or extra protecti... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=700803 Wed, 27 Jun 2007 18:31:52 +0100 700803 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=695216&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F06%2F25%2Fcho-wasnt-on-meds%2F Police released some details of the toxicology report from the Virginia Tech killer’s body, and found no trace of any prescription, or illicit, medication. Nor were there any found in his home. Almost immediately after the shootings there were antipsychiatry activists claiming that antidepressants drove him to it, but that inflammatory rhetoric has now been disproven. “Tod Burke, professor of criminal justice at Radford University, said the toxicology report isn’t surprising, and anyone who thought the presence of drugs in Cho’s blood system might somehow better explain his deadly actions was trying “to make sense out of nonsense.” “Obviously there was a problem, and it was a psychological problem,” Burke said. “Even if he was on medi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=695216 Mon, 25 Jun 2007 21:31:40 +0100 695216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=690013&cid=t_100465_87_f&fid=34866&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecardioblog.com%2F2007%2F06%2F22%2Fantidepressants-helping-heart-patients-unexpectedly%2F Filed under: ResearchIt's another case of medications helping in the most unlikely of ways -- it seems some types of antidepressants can help patients avoid certain complications after suffering a severe heart attack or angina. A particular class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (or SSRIs) keep platelets from sticking together, which seems to be having a unexpected benefit for heart patients who just happen to be taking those types of drugs anyway.At this point larger studies are being called for, but at the same time there is enough evidence now for doctors to take SSRIs into account when treating patients.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments (Source: The Cardio Blog) The Cardio Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=690013 Fri, 22 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0100 690013 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=675154&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F06%2F08%2Fthe-black-box-warning-antidepressants-and-the-risk-of-suicide%2F On May 2, 2007, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered that all antidepressant medications carry an expanded black-box warning incorporating information about an increased risk of suicidal symptoms in young adults 18 to 24 years of age. The so-called “black-box warning” appears as one of the first things listed on a medication’s insert — you know, that tiny piece of paper that has something like 10,000 words on it that virtually nobody reads. So such warnings are perceived as doing more harm than good, because they scare people away from effective treatments. But it’s probably not the warnings themselves that scare people away from treatment, since few people take the time to read those book-length inserts — adding more words to an already-bloat... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=675154 Fri, 08 Jun 2007 15:18:05 +0100 675154 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=637875&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F05%2F26%2Fhow-effective-are-antidepressants-for-teens-and-children%2F According to our friends over at PubMed, a review study was done to examine the efficacy of antidepressants in teens and children suffering from depression. The results of this review are fairly astounding: In general, nine depressed youth must be treated with an antidepressant to obtain one clinical response above that achieved with placebo. To date, fluoxetine has showed the most consistent positive treatment effects. Depressed youth had also acutely responded to other antidepressants, but the response to placebo has also been high. Overall, the antidepressants are well tolerated, but 1 to 3 children and adolescents of 100 taking antidepressants showed onset or worsening of suicidal ideation and, more rarely, suicide attempts. That’s a nine-in-one ratio. So for every teen presc... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=637875 Sun, 27 May 2007 01:03:22 +0100 637875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=631534&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F05%2F22%2Fthe-psychiatrists-are-meeting%2F It’s mid-May, so it must be time for the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, or as we like to call them, the “little APA” (because it has one-third the membership of the American Psychological Association). And with its annual meeting comes the annual flurry of press releases sent to us to alert us to all the fascinating new studies announced that find that existing medications are useful for a whole bunch of other things too! Yay! Seroquel XR So a study was presented today by Charles Schulz, MD, Professor and Head, Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School about our good friend, Seroquel, in its latest form, Seroquel XR. (On a side note, XR is pharma-speak for “extended release,” but of course they couldn’t c... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=631534 Wed, 23 May 2007 01:05:01 +0100 631534 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=611827&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F05%2F17%2Fprozac-at-20%2F Twenty years ago, Prozac (fluoxetine) burst onto the antidepressant market, changing forever the way antidepressants would be prescribed, sold, and marketed. Not only did the marketing of Prozac open a new chapter in drug history (being the first SSRI FDA-approved, Eli Lilly marketed it in ways a drug had never before been marketed), it also enjoyed unprecedented positive press and even books (not only Peter Kramer’s 1994 book Listening to Prozac, but the even more compelling Talking Back to Prozac). I remember when Prozac was first released, I was still in college and it wasn’t that big an interest to me until I entered grad school a few years later. When you have clients who are taking the new “wonder drug,” you can’t but help hear about it. Then the market... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=611827 Thu, 17 May 2007 13:46:14 +0100 611827 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=599769&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F05%2F09%2Fwithdrawal-from-antidepressants%2F Vaughan has a post about a New York Times article over the weekend about a person’s experience with being prescribed an antidepressant. But most of the article describes the process of trying to get off of an antidepressant medication. Specifically, SSRI antidepressants (the most popular type prescribed) often give many people a difficult time when they try to stop taking them: In 1996, nearly a decade after the introduction of Prozac, its manufacturer, Eli Lilly, sponsored a research symposium to address the increasing number of reports of patients who had difficult symptoms after going off their antidepressants. By then it had become clear that drug-company estimates that at most a few percent of those who took antidepressants would have a hard time getting off were far too low. ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=599769 Wed, 09 May 2007 12:17:02 +0100 599769 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=592480&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F05%2F06%2Fnew-antidepressant-warnings-analysis%2F An article covering opinions on the new suicide risk warnings for young adults on antidepressant medications favors the belief that the new warnings will not significantly alter the amount of prescriptions written for this age group. Although there has been some growing public concern about the high rates of children and young adults on psychiatric medications and the hopes of some mental health advocates to reduce reliance on medication for long-term treatment, the some experts believed that rates of prescriptions have leveled-off and become stable since the warnings were introduced for children. I think that this issue provides one of the best current intersections of psychological treatment, public health, and corporate interests that exists at the present time. It highlights how diff... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=592480 Sun, 06 May 2007 14:02:34 +0100 592480 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=587685&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F05%2F02%2Fthe-next-round-of-antidepressant-warnings%2F After the previous battles over placing warnings for increased suicide risk on antidepressant medications in younger children have ended, a new front has opened up: placing a suicide risk warning for young adults on the same medications. The FDA has proposed the changes based on research that has shown some segment of young adults beginning the medications having an increase in suicidal thoughts and behavior. “Antidepressant medications benefit many patients, but it is important that doctors and patients are aware of the risks,” said Dr. Steven Galson, the FDA’s drugs chief. The proposed changes came with the endorsement of FDA expert advisers. Some experts have argued that the changes are overdue while others maintain they could keep drugs from those who need them. I ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=587685 Thu, 03 May 2007 03:17:00 +0100 587685 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=536443&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F04%2F11%2Fwill-depression-diagnoses-now-start-to-wane%2F The Last Psychiatrist has an interesting essay and commentary about a study published last week in The New England Journal of Medicine. He focuses not so much on the results of the study, which found that adding an antidepressant to existing bipolar medications didn’t much help anyone. The Last Psychiatrist focuses on the fact that the term “mood stabilizers” now goes well beyond lithium and Depakote: What’s happened here is that “mood stabilizer” now includes atypical antipsychotics; and — compare what the study was designed to show and what they spun it to show — we’ve gone from “polypharmacy is not better” to “monotherapy with mood stabilizers [read: antipsychotics] is just as good as two drugs at once.” [&... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=536443 Wed, 11 Apr 2007 14:05:34 +0100 536443 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=508228&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F03%2F28%2Fantidepressant-and-bipolar-disorder%2F In this study, we do not show a benefit nor a problem due to antidepressants,” Sachs said. “We didn’t show anything to gain. We also didn’t show any harm, and there may well be individual patients who might respond to antidepressants and individual antidepressants that actually work better.” As more knowledge becomes available and more research is conducted on psychiatric medications, there will probably be at least some minor shifts in how these disorders are treated. This may be one such example. (Source: World of Psychology) World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=508228 Thu, 29 Mar 2007 03:28:47 +0100 508228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=486714&cid=t_100465_97_f&fid=35050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmaGazette%2F%7E3%2F102134317%2Fcenerx_biopharmas_third_genera.html Tyrima™ - a member of a novel class of drugs known as reversible inhibitors of monoamine oxidase A or RIMAs – is CeNeRx BioPharma, Inc.’s lead candidate for the treatment of depression and anxiety passed its first human trial (Phase I clinical trial), demonstrating safety and well tolerability. Tyrima was well tolerated with no clinically significant adverse events even at the highest dose of 120 mg. Tyrima achieved high plasma concentrations that increased linearly with dose, and the favourable pharmacokinetic half-life should permit once or twice daily dosing. None of the safety and tolerability issues commonly associated with conventional monoamine oxidase A inhibitors (MAOIs) were seen in this study.In contrast to the leading antidepressants available today that affec... PharmaGazette blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=486714 Fri, 16 Mar 2007 09:12:57 +0100 486714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=467924&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F02%2F22%2Feconomists-examine-the-link-between-antidepressants-and-suicide%2F In a working paper released recently, economists looked at the efficacy of antidepressants in a novel manner — how do SSRI antidepressant sales correspond to suicide rates? Examining data from 26 countries over the past 25 years, they found that an increase in SSRI sales of 1 pill per capita is associated with a decline in suicide mortality of around 5 percent. Their discussion pretty much sums up their findings better than I can: Our estimates suggest that on balance SSRIs may be a very cost-effective means for saving lives, which is important in part because data from the National Comorbidity Survey from 2001-3 suggest that only around 40 percent of people with severe mental health disorders were receiving any treatment [Kessler, Demler et al., 2005]. Commonly used SSRIs can cur... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=467924 Thu, 22 Feb 2007 19:06:21 +0100 467924 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4060778&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34859&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.davemsw.com%2Farchives%2F2007%2F01%2Fantidepressants_and_suicide.php Anyone taking or contemplating anti-depressants for treatment of depression have been concerned about the blackbox warnings from the FDA. The FDA has issued blanket warnings to anyone considering or taking anti-depressants that they may actually induce suicidal thinking. The truth is that there is still very little and conflicting information about the risks. Highlighting the risks in the way the FDA did by issuing a blackbox warning has been controversial. The problem is that the risks have been assessed in only a few studies and it is not clear what is happening. The other problem is that anti-depressants also treat and prevent suicidal behavior. Not taking an anti-depressant when you need one can also be a grave risk. There is concern within the psychiatric and advocate community tha... Ψ Dare To Dream... blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4060778 Sat, 20 Jan 2007 18:03:49 +0100 4060778 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4060821&cid=t_100465_109_f&fid=34859&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.davemsw.com%2Farchives%2F2006%2F05%2Fscience_and_mass_media_dont_mi.php Sunday I found a disturbing article in a blog that has a good reputation. Dr. Peter Breggin at The Huffington Post wrote about the FDA decision to require a "black box" warning on the anti-depressant medication Paxil because of the risk of suicide in the beginning of treatment. Dr. Breggin is the author of the book Talking Back to Prozac which is highly critical of the anti-depressant medication Prozac. In his post at Huffington's, Dr. Breggin makes statements that appeared designed to attract attention at the expense of misleading the reader. I've written about the problem with reading articles about mental health in the press. Essentially, reader beware, what you read many be misinforming you. Sometimes misinformation occurs in the interest of selling a publication. Science has it's own ... Ψ Dare To Dream... blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4060821 Tue, 23 May 2006 22:49:33 +0100 4060821