Depression Clinic

October 12, 2008

Childhood Anxiety Disorders

Filed under: Depression Treatment — toni @ 10:52 am

Children and teens enclose anxiety in their lives, and similar to adults, they can suffer as of anxiety disorders, too. Stressful events for example starting school, moving, or the loss of a parent can generate the onset of an anxiety disorder, but an exact stressor require not be the precursor to the growth of a disorder. While quite common, Anxiety Disorders in children often are unnoticed or misjudged, despite them being very treatable conditions among good, persistent medical care. The subjective occurrence of anxiety usually has two components: physical sensations (e.g., headache, nausea, sweating) and the emotions of apprehension and fear.

Anxiety disorders, when severe, can involve a child’s thinking, decision-making aptitude, and perceptions of the environment, learning and awareness. Diagnosis of normal versus abnormal anxiety depends mainly upon the degree of distress and its result on a child’s performance in life. The degree of defect must be gauged within the situation of the child’s age and developmental level.

Forms of Childhood Anxiety Disorders

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Children and adolescents among obsessive-compulsive disorder, sometimes known as OCD, become trapped in a pattern of recurring thoughts and behaviors. Compulsive behaviors may consist of repeated hand washing, counting, or assembling and rearranging objects.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Children and adolescents among generalized anxiety disorder keep in extreme, unrealistic worry about daily life activities. They worry excessively about their academic routine, sporting activities, or even about being on time. Usually, these young people are extremely self-conscious, experience tense, and enclose a strong need for reassurance.

Phobias: Children and adolescents among phobias contain improbable and extreme fears of certain situations or objects. Children and adolescents among social phobias are terrified of being criticized or judged insensitively by others. Young people with phobias will seek to evade the objects and situations they fear, so the disorder can really restrict their lives.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Children and adolescents can expand post-traumatic stress disorder later than they incident a very stressful event. Such occurrence may include understanding physical or sexual exploitation; being a victim of or witnessing aggression; or living from a disaster, for example a bombing or hurricane.

Treatments for Childhood Anxiety

Individual psychotherapy is normally suggested as the first line of treatment for children and adolescents with generalized anxiety disorder. Individual psychotherapy can help decrease symptoms, and can help youthful people to become responsive to and address their feelings of failure and self-blame.

Among most children, family involvement is decisively essential. This may engage the parents or even the whole family participating in therapy. In several instances, the therapist may help the family set-up a reward program to help inspire the child to comply by treatment. More extensive family counseling is every so often required.

Group psychotherapy can be precious to a child by providing a secure place to talk with other children who face adversity or allowing a child to perform social skills or symptom-combating skills in a cautiously structured setting.

There are many dissimilar medications accessible to treat anxiety disorders. However, specific medications are usually prescribed for several anxiety problems. For instance there are drugs recognized as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as fluvoxamine, prozac, and anafranil. They are used to indulgence obsessive-compulsive disorder. Benzodiazepines, for example alprazolam, clonazepam, and tricyclic antidepressants for example imipramine, are often recommended to care for panic disorder.

November 7, 2007

Cymbalta Antidepressant Medication

Filed under: Depression Treatment — toni @ 7:49 am

Cymbalta is a relatively new drug that more and more people are trying with great success!  It’s not an understatement to say that Cymbalta is capable of changing the lives of a great many people. It is a very common drug which is used to treat mental problems like depression, stress, etc.  It’s always exciting when researchers find a drug that no only has the ability to treat something as widespread as depression, but it’s also able to treat the horrendous pains of another health issue altogether.

Cymbalta is usually prescribed for those who suffer from major depressive disorder , though it’s been found through clinical trials that the drug is also highly effective for treating diabetic neuropathy or pain caused by a degeneration of the nerves due to long periods of high glucose levels. There is no doubt that doctors and researchers will continue to find other uses for Cymbalta well into the future.

Cymbalta Antidepressant Medication Side Effects

Talk to your doctor if these side effects are bothersome or do not go away:

  • nausea
  • drowsiness
  • dizziness
  • nervousness
  • insomnia
  • headache
  • increased sweating
  • lightheadedness
  • sexual problems

A few of the most common side effects with this medicine include:

  • nausea
  • dry mouth
  • constipation
  • fatigue
  • somnolence
  • increased sweating

If you experience other bothersome side effects, contact your health care provider.

Cymbalta Warnings/Precautions

  • Patients and their families should be alert to personality changes such as increased agitation or talk of suicide.
  • Do NOT stop taking this medicine without first talking to your doctor.
  • Alcoholic beverages can increase the effects of this medicine and should be avoided.
  • This medicine may cause drowsiness or dizziness.
  • Before taking this medicine, notify your doctor if you have:
    • history of alcohol abuse
    • narrow-angled glaucoma
    • kidney problems
  • Patient should watch for worsening depression or suicidal tendencies. If you are feeling more agitated, talk to your health care professional.
  • Be cautious when driving or performing other hazardous activities.

What happens if I overdose Cymbalta ?

  • Seek emergency medical attention if an overdose is suspected.
  • Symptoms of a Cymbalta overdose may include nausea, vomiting, tremor, agitation, seizures, drowsiness, hyperactivity, and enlarged pupils.

Cymbalta Interactions with other drugs

  • Patients should be advised to inform their physicians if they are taking, or plan to take, any prescription or over-the-counter medications, since there is a potential for interactions.
  • If you are taking a group of medicine called “MAO inhibitors”, they cannont be taken with this medicine. Stop the MAO inhibitor 14 days prior to starting this medicine. Your doctor or pharmacist can assist you with this.
  • Before taking any new medications, either prescription or over-the-counter (OTC), talk to your doctor or pharmacist about mixing medicines.
  • Avoid taking St. John’s Wort with this medicine.

As mentioned above you’ll want to be careful not to mix Cymbalta with MAOI type drugs.  There are also a variety of drugs that you may or may not be able to take in conjunction with Cymbalta these drugs may include:

  • An antiarrhythmic such as flecainide (Tambocor) or propafenone (Rythmol) and possibly others.
  • A tricyclic antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil), imipramine (Tofranil), doxepin (Sinequan), nortriptyline (Pamelor and possibly others in this category.
  • The medication venlafaxine commonly known as Effexor.
  • A phenothiazine such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), fluphenazine (Prolixin), mesoridazine (Serentil), perphenazine (Trilafon), prochlorperazine (Compazine), and possibly others in this drug category.
  • A quinolone antibiotic such as trovafloxacin (Trovan), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), ofloxacin (Floxin), and other similar drugs.
  • A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) such as fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva), fluvoxamine (Luvox), and others.

Storage Condition For Cymbalta

  • Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children.
  • Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture.
  • Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed.

October 20, 2007

Depression and Mood Swings

Filed under: Depression Treatment — toni @ 6:47 am

Depression and mood swings are a common infirmity for those with Borderline Personality Disorder. Major depression is identified by one or more major depressive episodes, which are defined as experiencing two or more weeks of (1) depressed mood and/or (2) loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities. Mood swings are differentiated by periods, generally referred to as episodes, of mania and depression.

Mood disorders may include various symptoms, but the overriding complaint is a disturbance of mood. The turbulences of mood can be feelings of depression or mania. During episodes of depression, one can feel persistent sad and empty moods, loss of interest in activities, feelings of guilt, feelings of unusable and physical ailments such as headaches and chronic pain.

Depression and mood swings are menopause symptom. The imbalance of hormones reasoned by menopause can affect the neurotransmitter, serotonin. Mood related episodes of mania and depression basically recur during a person’s life. When we savor feelings such as happiness, stress, fear, depression or anxiety, the brain releases chemicals called neurotransmitters. It is the manumit and re-absorption of these neurotransmitters which affects how we feel. People who experience anxiety and depression cunjoined disorders can have an imbalance of the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepenephrine, GABA and dopamine.

Anxiety, psychosis, or consiquent abuse may also be found in a mood disorder but the overriding medical presentation is that of a disturbance of mood. Vitamin B complex in affiliation with magnesium can help your body to deal with the physical and emotional stress related with depression. Anti-depressant means a group of drugs which especifically address the chemicals in the brain that affect mood, in such a way as to alleviate depression.

The medications usually work by repercussing the effect that specific neurotransmitters have on the central nervous system (CNS). These neurotransmitters are Serotonin, Norepenephrine, Epenephrine, and Dopamine. Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOI) are an older class of antidepressants. People on MAOIs must avoid foods that are high in tyramine.

Depression and Mood Swings Treatment Tips

1. Cognitive therapy helps the depressed person.

2. Vitamin B complex in conjunction with magnesium can help your body to deal with the physical and emotional stress.

3. Electroconvulsive Therapy effective treatment for depression.

4. Depression Light Therapy also usually treatment depression.

5. Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS Therapy) also usually treatment depression

6. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation can help your body to deal with the physical and emotional stress.

August 14, 2007

Anti-Depression Home Treatment

Filed under: Depression Treatment — toni @ 6:22 am

Anti-Depressive

Put a handful of fresh chopped rosemary into a bottle of white wine. Let sit about 4 days. Strain and use by the tablespoon as needed. Delicious! How could you stay depressed while taking so much pleasure from a taste sensation?

Anti-Depressive and Headache Reliever

Pour 2 cups boiling water over 3 teaspoons dried primrose flowers and leaves. Let stand covered about 15 minutes. Strain and sweeten. Drink warm or hot (reheat as needed.) An older mend of mine has used this as an aid for over thirty years, so it must be very effective for her to have used it for so long.

July 21, 2007

Methods to Treat Depression

Filed under: Depression Treatment — toni @ 1:52 pm

Tricyclic Antidepressants

TCAs are one of the oldest of antidepressants and still prescribed widely. Before the introduction of selective serotonon reuptake, TCAs were the standard treatment for depression. They are effective and have the advantage of extensive experience accumulated over several decaded of use.

Depression TreatmentWithin the brain, there are many naturally occuring chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. These chemicals are involved in controlling or regulating bodily functions. Two of these chemicals, noradrenal nad serotonin are involved in the control and regulation of mood which fluctuates in depression. When depression occurs, there may be a decreased amount of these two chemicals released  from nerve cells in the brain. When these chemicals are released from nerve cells thet act to lighten mood. When they are reabsorbed into the nerve cells, they no longer have an effect on mood.

TCAs work by preventing this re-absorption of noradrenaline and serotonin back into the nerve cells. This prolongs the mood-lightening effect  and in this way helps to treat depression.

The choice of TCA depends on a number of factors It should not be used if you have a heart problem, are breastfeeding, pregnant or have a liver Currently problem.  Currently available TCAs are listed below -

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

Serotonin is one of the several chemicals called neurotransmitters that pass messages between nerve cells that are involved in depression. Each nerve cell generally uses one of these chemical to pass on messages to adjacent nerve cells. The nerve cells normally recycle serotonon by soaking it back up again. The SSRIs work by stopping this reutake of serotonin. As serotonin is not soaked up again, more will be present to pass on messages There are  a number of SSRIs frequently used to treat depression.  to nerve cells nearby.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI)

MAOI are one of the oldest classes of antidepressants and are typically used when other antidepressants have not been effective. They are used less frequently because they often interact with certain foods and requirfe strict dietary restrictions. MAOI can also result in severe adverse reactions if taken with many other medicines, including some over-the-counter cough and cold remedies. MAOI are mostly used for atypical depression.

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