Answer Addiction

Tag: depression treatment

  • Virtual Reality Could Be Used To Treat Stubborn Depression Symptoms

    Virtual Reality Could Be Used To Treat Stubborn Depression Symptoms

    One research team is on a mission to treat one of the most difficult and overlooked parts of depression to treat using virtual reality.

    Researchers are currently testing virtual reality programs on depression patients with the idea that going through positive experiences, even virtually, and focusing on the positive aspects of the experience could effectively treat anhedonia.

    This symptom, characterized by a lack of interest in anything and an inability to feel pleasure, is one of the most difficult parts of depression to treat and is often overlooked, according to University of California psychiatry researcher Michelle Craske.

    “Most treatments, up until now, have done an OK job at reducing negative [symptoms of depression], but a very poor job at helping patients become more positive,” said Craske to STAT.

    Using virtual reality, Crask and her colleagues guide patients through dives into coral reefs and tours through Venice, instructing them to report every pleasurable detail. This approach, called positive affect therapy, trains patients to pay more attention to what makes them feel good and hopefully amplifies feelings of pleasure and joy.

    Thanks to the development of virtual reality technology, it’s possible to bring all kinds of incredible experiences into one office or into people’s homes. Patients can return to their favorite experiences and explore what makes them happy without spending a ton of money.

    “Mental health and the environment are inseparable,” said University of Oxford psychologist Dr. Daniel Freeman. “The brilliant thing about virtual reality is that you can provide simulations in the environment and have people repeatedly go into them.”

    Research on this therapy is still in preliminary stages, but the early results of Craske’s work look promising. In fact, Craske’s team is looking to work with virtual reality companies specifically to develop a program that adapts to patient mood indicators.

    “If, for example, a patient smiles at a VR character who waves and says hello, that character might walk over and strike up a friendly conversation.”

    Virtual reality is currently being tested for possible application in all steps of mental health treatment, including the earliest ones.

    According to an article in WIRED earlier this year, researchers are exploring whether this new technology could be used to better diagnose mental and neurological conditions such as depression, PTSD, and Alzheimer’s.

    “With some psychiatric disorders, for example OCD or panic disorder, patients usually experience their symptoms in their personal environment or in crowded places, and not in the clinician’s room,” said University of Amsterdam’s Department of Psychiatry researcher Dr. Martine van Bennekom. “With VR it is possible to immerse patients in an exterior environment while the clinician can observe symptoms and interview the patients about these symptoms and underlying thoughts.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Doctors Put Woman In Deep Coma To Treat Her Depression And It Worked

    Doctors Put Woman In Deep Coma To Treat Her Depression And It Worked

    The woman said she noticed a significant difference after the second treatment.

    People suffering from severe depression oftentimes don’t feel like they care if they live or die. That’s the state that Heather B. Armstrong was in when she agreed to participate in an experimental depression treatment that induced a deep coma to try to reset the brain and treat her depression. 

    “If it means I don’t have to feel this way through the rest of my life, let’s maybe do it?” Armstrong said of the treatment in an interview with The New York Post. 

    The treatment mimics brain death by inducing a deep coma for 15 minutes at a time over 10 sessions. This “burst suppression” essentially shuts down the brain’s neurological communications before starting them back up, resetting neurological functions that may contribute to symptoms of depression. Doctors who help anesthetize patients call the deep sedations “the abyss.”

    Armstrong wrote about her experience in a new book, The Valedictorian of Being Dead: The True Story of Dying Ten Times to Live.

    “Quieting is a polite way of saying ‘taking down to zero,’” Armstrong writes. 

    Although the thought of the treatment was terrifying—doctors used the anesthetic propofol to sedate Armstrong and the opioid fentanyl to help her cope with headaches induced by the process—Armstrong quickly saw results. 

    “It was after the second treatment when I suddenly realized, ‘Oh, I showered without even thinking about it!’ After the third treatment… I started doing my hair and wearing cleaner clothes,” she said.

    Halfway through the treatment cycle, “I was sitting outside watching my kids playing, and I actually felt happy,” she said. 

    Armstrong wasn’t alone in her success. She was one of 10 people who took part in a study run by the University of Utah Neuropsychiatric Institute. Of those, six people experienced significant relief from their depression symptoms.

    Doctors believe the treatment works in a similar way to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) by targeting the brain’s neural networks. However, the treatment appears to avoid common complications of ECT, including memory loss. 

    Researcher Dr. Brian J. Mickey said in the afterword of Armstrong’s book. “This study… could be the beginning of something new, but the true benefits of Propofol for treatment-resistant depression remain unknown. Much work still needs to be done.”

    It has now been two years since Armstrong underwent the treatments, and she says that her depression symptoms have stayed at bay. By undergoing brain death again and again, she has rediscovered life. 

    “I’m better than ever,” she said. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Ketamine's Effect On Depression Examined

    Ketamine's Effect On Depression Examined

    A new study offers a better understanding of the way ketamine helps lift depression symptoms.

    Last month, the FDA approved a ketamine-based depression treatment for certain patients.

    The drug, esketamine, is said to relieve depression symptoms “in hours instead of weeks,” marketed for people who haven’t found success in other antidepressants.

    While it is yet unknown how exactly ketamine helps lift depression symptoms, a new study gives us a better understanding of how it works.

    The research confirms that ketamine triggers synapse growth, effectively rewiring the brain, Scientific American reports. They were able to “visualize and manipulate” the brains of stressed mice—demonstrating how ketamine first changes brain circuit function that improved behavior in “depressed mice” in up to 3 hours. Later, the drug stimulated regrowth of synapses in the brain.

    “It’s a remarkable engineering feat, where they were able to visualize changes in neural circuits over time, corresponding with behavioral effects of ketamine,” said Carlos Zarate of the National Institute of Mental Health, who was not involved in the study. “This work will likely set a path for what treatments should be doing before we move them into the clinic.”

    “Our findings open up new avenues for research, suggesting that interventions aimed at enhancing the survival of these new synapses might be useful for extending ketamine’s antidepressant effects,” said study lead Conor Liston of Weill Cornell Medicine.

    In March, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved esketamine (also known as Spravato) for people who did not respond to at least two other antidepressant treatments. The drug can only be administered under supervision by one’s doctor, and is said to relieve depression in just hours.

    “There has been a long-standing need for additional effective treatments for treatment-resistant depression, a serious and life-threatening condition,” said Dr. Tiffany Farchione of the FDA.

    Ketamine differs from traditional antidepressants by acting on glutamate, a chemical messenger in the brain, rather than the “monoamine” neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine) that traditional antidepressants act on. Glutamate plays an important role in the changes that synapses undergo in response to experiences that underlie learning and memory, Scientific American explains.

    A 23-year-old man suffering from depression, anxiety and other mental disorders shared his experience with ketamine infusion therapy with The Fix. “It helped with every aspect: anxiety, depression, psychosis. I know that’s not what it’s for, but in my case it changed everything,” he said.

    However, medical providers caution that while ketamine shows a lot of promise, there’s still more research to be done on its long-term effects on mental health patients.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Veterans Affairs To Offer Ketamine-Based Nasal Spray For Depression Treatment

    Veterans Affairs To Offer Ketamine-Based Nasal Spray For Depression Treatment

    The recently approved drug is said to relieve symptoms of depression as well as suicidal ideation in a short timeframe. 

    Veterans Affairs officials are now allowing VA doctors to prescribe Spravato, a medically viable variation of ketamine, to service members who suffer from depression.

    The drug has been known to beat some symptoms of depression extraordinarily quickly—taking just a few short days, or hours instead of weeks. Suicidal thoughts have been seen to dissipate in a timeframe as short as 40 minutes.

    “That first skyrocket up was my first infusion,” said Matthew Ayo, a 23-year-old who underwent ketamine treatment. “I went from severe depression to no depression symptoms.”

    Doctors will be able to prescribe Spravato only if at least two other antidepressants have been tried and failed to produce results.

    “We’re pleased to be able to expand options for Veterans with depression who have not responded to other treatments,” said VA secretary Robert Wilkie.

    Of the United States’ 20 million veterans, an estimated 14%—or 2.8 million veterans—are diagnosed with depression. Of those veterans, one-third to one-half may suffer from treatment-resistant depression, which is why it was so critical to find something new and fast.

    “Controlled clinical trials that studied the safety and efficacy of this drug, along with careful review through the FDA’s drug approval process, including a robust discussion with our external advisory committees, were important in our decision to approve this treatment,” said Dr. Tiffany Farchione, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Division of Psychiatry Products.

    Spravato isn’t without side effects, however—including sedation, blood pressure spikes, and dissociation, including feeling paralysis or out-of-body sensations. Ironically, misuse may lead to suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Hence, the FDA approved the drug for VA prescriptions with restrictions.

    Veterans approved for the treatment would use the nasal spray under medical supervision. Afterwards, medical staff would monitor the patient for two hours. The patient would have to return for two doses a week for the first month, and one dose every two or three weeks in the months following. To prevent potential misuse, there is no option for home treatment.

    Ketamine’s new role is a far cry from its former life as “Special K,” an anesthetic that saw use on the dance floor as well as the battlefield. In the latter usage, military medical staff found that those prescribed with ketamine for pain also had fewer symptoms of PTSD.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Could Microdosing Psychedelics Treat Mood Disorders?

    Could Microdosing Psychedelics Treat Mood Disorders?

    A new study investigated whether low doses of psychedelic drugs could have an antidepressant effect. 

    Individuals in and out of the medical community have long been fascinated with psychedelic drugs and their short- and long-term mind-altering effects.

    Some people with depression believe the drugs have the ability to treat mental health disorders, and new research indicates they may be right.

    A study published in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience found that rats who received tiny doses of the psychedelic N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) experienced an antidepressant effect, but no negative effects on their memories. 

    “Taken together, the data presented here suggest that subhallucinogenic doses of psychedelic compounds might possess value for treating and/or preventing mood and anxiety disorders,” study authors wrote. However, they warned that more research is needed into the safety and effectiveness of microdosing in humans.  

    “Despite the therapeutic potential of psychedelic microdosing, this practice is not without risks, and future studies need to better define the potential for negative neurobiological or metabolic repercussions,” they wrote. 

    The data suggests that people who extol the virtues of using psychedelics to treat depression and trauma may be on to something. 

    “These antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like effects are consistent with the anecdotal human reports regarding psychedelic microdosing providing strong supporting evidence that psychedelic microdosing might actually have therapeutic potential,” study authors wrote. “Compounds capable of enhancing fear extinction learning in rodents, such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) are excellent candidates for treating PTSD symptoms in humans.”

    With microdosing, an individual would receive enough of a drug to stimulate brain changes, but not enough to induce hallucinations. Finding the most effective amount may be time consuming, but researchers expressed “cautious optimism” that it could be done effectively.

    “The overall psychedelic microdosing load, which includes the amount of drug in each dose, the frequency of administration, and the length of treatment, is likely to be critical for achieving the beneficial effects of psychedelic microdosing without negative repercussions,” they wrote. 

    Proponents of psychedelics say that the drugs—even taken at high doses—can help alleviate symptoms of depression, addiction and other mental health conditions. In fact, during the 1950s and ’60s, psychedelics were a mainstream treatment option in Canada. Today, many people with addiction turn to ibogaine treatment, which is illegal in the United States, to help them heal from addiction and trauma. 

    Kevin Franciotti wrote for The Fix about his experience using ibogaine to treat his addiction: 

    “Each month throughout the year following my single dose treatment, an investigator called me to administer an outcomes interview measuring my addiction severity, and mailed me additional scales to fill out myself. At the end of my participation in the trial, ratings for depression, anxiety, and addiction severity had plummeted, reflecting the new lease on life ibogaine had brought me.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • FDA Approves Ketamine-Derived Spray for Depression

    FDA Approves Ketamine-Derived Spray for Depression

    The newly approved esketamine nasal spray will be administered under a doctor’s supervision at approved and certified treatment centers. 

    Clearing the way for the first major change to depression treatment in decades, the FDA approved a ketamine-derived nasal spray that can be used to rapidly treat depression on Tuesday (March 5). 

    “Thank goodness we now have something with a different mechanism of action than previous antidepressants,” Dr. Erik Turner, who teaches psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University, told The New York Times. 

    In recent years ketamine has garnered a lot of attention from the medical community because it quickly and effectively relieves depression and suicidal ideation. Ketamine treatments have become popular, but until now the drug, which is approved as an anesthetic, has been used off label. This means treatments are unregulated and not covered by insurance. 

    The medication approved this week is esketamine, which contains a part of the ketamine molecule. It was developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals and will be sold under the name Spravato.

    Since up to a quarter of depression patients don’t get relief from current antidepressants, people in the mental health community are happy to see a new option for treatment. However, Turner and others are cautious in their excitement. 

    “I’m skeptical of the hype, because in this world it’s like Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown: Each time we get our hopes up, the football gets pulled away,” Turner said. 

    Under the FDA recommendations, esketamine will be used in conjunction with an established antidepressants. Patients will get treatment twice a week for four weeks, and then as needed.

    Although the nasal spray is non-invasive, it must be administered in a doctor’s office where patients can be observed for two hours. The use of esketamine could give patients fast relief from their symptoms, which is important since traditional antidepressants can take weeks to become effective. 

    Dr. Todd Gould, a psychiatrist at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who has done ketamine research, said that the potential for fast-acting relief is appealing, even if ketamine doesn’t completely revolutionize depression treatment. 

    “These are exciting times, for sure,” he said. “We have drugs that work rapidly to treat a very severe illness.”

    Vanderbilt University professor Steven Hollon agreed. 

    “We’ve had nothing new in 30 years, so if this drug is an effective way to get a more rapid response in people who are treatment resistant, and we can use it safely, then it could be a godsend.”

    The FDA fast-tracked esketamine’s approval process. Although the drug has been used safely as an anesthetic for decades, medical professionals will be carefully monitoring its use in the mental health space, researcher James Stone told Newsweek last year. 

    “Although ketamine is potentially a huge breakthrough in the treatment of depression, we still don’t know about the long-term safety, or about how to keep people well from depression without requiring regular ketamine dosing. Further studies are needed to address these questions.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Justin Bieber Reportedly Getting Treatment For Depression

    Justin Bieber Reportedly Getting Treatment For Depression

    A source close to Bieber says the singer is “confident he will feel better soon.”

    Justin Bieber has been struggling with depression and is seeking treatment, according to sources close to the star. These sources tell Elle that the pop star been “down and tired. He has been struggling a bit.”

    Bieber’s career began when he was 13 years old.

    “He started off as a typical sweet, Canadian teen,” a source said. “He was such a great kid, honestly super sweet and very polite and nice to everyone around him. Having this huge amount of fame completely changed him. He had access to anything and everything and was surrounded by people who just said ‘Yes.’”

    The sources were quick to dispel any allegations that this bout of depression has anything to do with his new marriage to model Hailey Baldwin.

    “It has nothing to do with Hailey—he is very happy being married to her,” said the source. “It’s just something else that he struggles with mentally. He has good help around him and is receiving some treatment. He seems confident he will feel better soon.”

    Bieber’s grappling with fame from an early age manifested in his acting out, the singer said in a recent interview in Vogue. “I started really feeling myself too much. People love me, I’m the shit—that’s honestly what I thought. I got very arrogant and cocky,” he said. “I found myself doing things that I was so ashamed of, being super-promiscuous and stuff, and I think I used Xanax because I was so ashamed.”

    He gained particular attention when he was arrested in 2014 for a DUI, where he was racing his red Lamborghini in a residential area while drunk. The arresting officers noted Bieber “was not cooperating with the officer’s instructions” and smelled strongly of alcohol.

    “At first, he was a little belligerent, using some choice words questioning why he was being stopped and why the officer was even questioning him,” said Miami Beach Police Chief Raymond Martinez.

    More recently, Bieber has admitted to abusing Xanax to distance himself from his “legitimate problem” with promiscuity.

    All this is a result of being in the public eye since he was young, say those close to him.

    “He’s emotional and struggles a lot with the idea of fame—being followed, having his every move stalked by fans, cameras in his face,” said the source. “It all sets him off and he often feels like everyone is out to get him.”

    Bieber also ended his Purpose tour early last summer, stating that he needed some time for himself.

    “I got really depressed on tour,” Bieber told Vogue. “I haven’t talked about this, and I’m still processing so much stuff that I haven’t talked about. I was lonely. I needed some time.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Alcohol and Depression

    Alcohol and Depression

    ARTICLE SUMMARY: Depression and alcohol have a causal relationship, and one condition doubles that you’ll develop the other. In this article, we review the connection and treatment options.

    ESTIMATED READING TIME: 10 minutes

    TABLE OF CONTENTS:

    Depression is a mood disorder.

    What Depression Is

    Depression is a disorder of the brain that affects your mood. This mental issue causes distressing symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and how can you handle daily activities.

    In the U.S. more than 20 million people can be diagnosed with depression.

    Accorind to the American Psychiatric Association, depression affects 1 in 15 adults in any given year, while 1 in 6 people will experience depression at some time in their life.[1] Depression is more than feeling ‘blue’ or ‘under the weather’. Instead, it is a constant sadnessthat just doesn’t go away.

    But, how can you get diagnosed?

    To be diagnosed with depression…. symptoms must be present most of the day, nearly every day at least 2 weeks.There are some common forms of depression. These include:

    1. Major depression: The symptoms of depression will last most of the day, almost every day for at least 2 weeks. These symptoms will affect your daily activities, and you will not able to enjoy life. This episode may occur once in a lifetime, but most of the people have several episodes.

    2. Persistent Depressive Disorder:The symptoms of depression can last at least 2 years. A person with this diagnose may experience episodes of major depression along with less severe symptoms.

    3. Other Forms of Depression: Still, there are other forms of depression that may develop under certain circumstances. These types of depression include:

    Perinatal Depression or Postpartum Depression:Women with this type of depression experience full-blown major depression during pregnancy and/or after giving birth. The reasons for this depression is the overwhelming of hormonal and psychical changes, and the responsibility of caring for a baby. About 10% to 15% of women experience postpartum depression after delivery.

    Psychotic Depression: The person with this diagnosis has severe depression and some form of psychosis such as delusions or hallucinations.

    Seasonal Affective Disorder: This type of depression comes and goes with seasons. The onset of SAD occurs during winter months, when there is less sunlight. Usually, it starts in the late fall or early winter, and it diminishes during spring and summer. SAD is typically accompanied by increased sleep, weight gain, and social withdrawal.

    Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder: This type of depression is diagnosed in children and adolescents. Depression can also be one phase of bipolar disorder.

    The Alcohol-Depression Cycle

    There is a huge correlation between alcohol and depression. Drinking can cause depression, and depression can cause alcohol abuse. Moreover, you can get caught in a constant cycle of going back and forth. In these cases, professional help is a must to help you deal with this viscous circle of co-occurring disorders.

    What does the Alcohol-Depression Cycle look like?

    On one hand, people who suffer from depression may turn to drinking as a way of coping. About one-third of people with depression have drinking problems.They drink alcohol to ‘drown their sorrows’, and hope for better feelings. The effects of alcohol changes their sad mood into a happy one.

    On the other hand, people diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD) may develop depression. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) reports that depression is more likely to develop during alcoholism treatment. Some patients may even increase their drinking in order to deal with the mood swings. [2] NOTE HERE: If depression occurs as a symptom of alcohol withdrawal, it’s likely that it will vanish after you stop drinking.

    But, having undiagnosed depression in combination with alcohol consummationputs us at risk of developing a drinking problem. In fact, a study published in the medical journal BioMed Central estimated that more than 25% of people with major depression can develop a drinking problem. [3] Finally, a study called ‘Alcohol and Depression’ reports that the presence of a drinking problem doubles the risk of developing depression, and vice versa. One condition doubles the risk of the other condition. [4]

    Alcohol abuse and depression have a causal relationship. One can cause the other.

    Can Alcohol Make Depression Worse?

    YES!

    It is important to understand that drinking alcohol worsens any mental health disorder.

    Alcohol is a nervous system depressant. It blocks stress hormones, and if you are dealing with depression you may become increasingly irritable when drunk. Moreover, alcohol lowers serotonin and norepinephrine, mood-regulating chemicals in the brain. So, when you’re under the influence, the body struggles to achieve balance, which results in depressed mood.

    On top of it, if you are depressed, you may have sleep disorders. Drinking also interferes with sleep, so you may worsen your sleep disorders if you consume alcohol.Finally, drinking too much can increase your anxiety.

    In sum, drinking makes depression much worse.

    Symptoms of Depression

    Depression affects people differently. Not everyone will experience every symptom: some may experience few, while others may experience different and more symptoms. Plus, symptoms will vary depending from the stage of the illness.

    The most common signs of depression include:

    • Appetite changes
    • Anxiety
    • Decreased energy
    • Concentration problems
    • Fatigue
    • Feelings of hopelessness
    • Feelings of guilt
    • Feelings of worthlessness
    • Irritability
    • Loss of interest for hobbies and activities
    • Problems with making decisions
    • Restlessness
    • Sadness
    • Sleep disorders
    • Suicidal thoughts

    Moreover, depression is characterized with a set of physical symptoms that occur without a clear physical cause and/or they do not set up or ease even with treatment. These physical symptoms include:

    • Aches
    • Headaches
    • Cramps
    • Digestive problems

    To be diagnosed with depression, in addition to ‘blue’ mood, several persistent symptoms should be present for at least two weeks for nearly every day.

    Alcohol is NOT the answer for depression. Drinking makes things worse.

    Does Alcohol Depression Go Away?

    Many people wonder if depression will go away on its own.

    The answer is: NO.

    In this case, time won’t heal all wounds. In fact, waiting may worsen your depression. The longer you wait, the worse it may become. If you are drinking to ease your depression hoping that you will get better, you couldn’t be more wrong. Alcohol will only make your depression feel even more hopeless.

    Proper treatment for alcohol use disorder and depression is the key to getting better. Treatment is effective. So stop thinking that drinking and depression will go away. Take your destiny in your hands, and make the call: reach out for help.

    Call us to talk through depression and drinking. Our confidential hotline operators are waiting for your call.

    Alcohol Dependence, Detox, and Depression

    Alcohol dependence is a serious drinking condition that may cause serious harm to your health. The study Neurobiology of Alcohol Dependence published in the journal Alcohol Research: Current Reviews reported that,

    Alcohol dependence…is progressive and has serious detrimental health outcomes.[5]

    But, how can you know that you are alcohol dependent?

    Dependence occurs when the brain adapts to alcohol. When you are alcohol dependent and stop quitting, you go through withdrawal. But it doesn’t have to be that bad to be a problem. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5) lists 11 criteria that an individual needs to have in order to be diagnosed with a drinking problem.

    If you are an alcohol dependent who has depression issues, the rehab process may be hard. But do not worry… every condition is treatable!Don’t risk it, just make the first step of treatment.

    Go to a medical detox clinic when you are alcohol dependent.

    Detox is a process of removing alcohol from the body under 24-hour medical supervision. Any good alcohol detox can help:

    • Ease withdrawal symptoms.
    • Manage any serious medical condition that may occur.
    • Prevent the development of more serious symptoms.
    • Provide the safest path for every patients to deal with their difficult period of discomfort.

    Since alcohol withdrawal can be very unpredictable and uncomfortable, and even worse for people who deal with depression, the safest way to start treatment is in inpatient setting with constant medical care. Moreover, seizures occur in about 25% of all alcohol withdrawal cases [6], and if these symptoms are not treated on time, not only they can put your general health in danger, but they also can worsen your depression.

    Don’t wait when you need to detox, reach out for help!

    Alcohol and Depression Medication

    Even though antidepressants are considered to be safe medications, it is never recommended that you drink alcohol while using them. The chances for worsening the symptoms of depression when mixing them with alcohol are enormous. Some of the negative effects when you mix these two substances include:

    • Dizziness
    • Drowsiness
    • Elevated blood pressure
    • Higher chance of overdose
    • Increased depression
    • Impaired motor functioning
    • Liver damage
    • Memory complications
    • Slowed breathing
    • Strange conduct

    Remember never to stop taking antidepressants just so you can have a drink. Sudden cessation of antidepressants may cause you to experience withdrawal symptoms. So, always consult with your doctor before stopping antidepressants.

    Depression Treatment Options

    Even the most severe depression can be treated. So, don’t lose hope! There is always a way to deal with it. The earlier you start with treatment, the better and more effective it is. Medications, psychotherapy or a combination of the two are the most effective therapies for depression.

    TREATMENT OPTION 1: Medications

    Medications that are used to treat depression are called antidepressants. Antidepressants help improve the way your brain uses certain chemicals that control mood. It takes time about 2 to 4 weeks for the medication to start working. There are several types of antidepressants:

    • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI)
    • Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI)
    • Tricyclic antidepressants (TCA)
    • Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI)

    Moreover, there are other antidepressants such as Mirtazapine and Bupropion that don’t fall into these categories.

    TREATMENT OPTION 2: Psychotherapy

    Psychotherapy or ‘talk therapy’ helps a lot in treatment for depression. The most used psychotherapies include:

    • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
    • Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
    • Problem-Solving Therapy (PST)

    Moreover, there are many apps that can help you manage your situation once you completed treatment.However, if these treatments don’t help, you may consider brain stimulation therapies. Speak with a qualified medical professional to learn more. Or, call our hotline to speak with an operator about rehab.

    Get Help Now

    Drinking and depression can make you feel like you are stuck in a maze and you cannot find the way out. But, there is a way… the only thing you need to do is to reach out for help.

    Call our helpline to learn about your rehab options.

    Dual diagnosis treatment is effective! And a combination of medicine and talk therapy can get you on your way to a healthy, happy live. Learn more about how professionals treat alcohol addiction and depression together. You’ll need to address both at the same time.

    Still have questions about alcohol use and depression? Don’t hesitate to post them below. We are eager to hear from our readers. And we try to answer all real-life questions personally and promptly.

    Reference Sources:
    1. APA: What Is Depression?
    2. NIAAA: Alcoholism and Co-occurring Disorders
    3. NCBI: The prevalence and significance of substance use disorders in bipolar type I and II disorder
    4. Research Gate: Alcohol and Depression
    5. NCBI: Neurobiology of Alcohol Dependence
    6. NIAAA: Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal
    NIH: Depression: What You Need To Know

    View the original article at addictionblog.org

  • Psilocybin Trials For Depression Treatment Get Greenlight From FDA

    Psilocybin Trials For Depression Treatment Get Greenlight From FDA

    The FDA has recognized the psychedelic compound’s therapeutic potential.

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted its “Breakthrough Therapy” designation to psilocybin-assisted treatment for depression.

    By giving psilocybin research its “Breakthrough Therapy” designation, the FDA is expediting the development and review of psilocybin—the psychedelic compound in “magic mushrooms”—based on the results of preliminary clinical trials that demonstrate its potential to perform better than available treatments.

    Previous research on psilocybin has yielded promising results for treating end-of-life anxiety and depression, alcohol and tobacco use disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.

    With the FDA’s blessing, the first large-scale clinical trial for treating refractory (treatment-resistant) depression with psilocybin will run for about one year in Europe and North America.

    Psilocybin researchers say this is a significant development in the future of the psychedelic compound’s role in medicine.

    “FDA Breakthrough status is a big deal,” Matthew Johnson, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University, told Inverse. “It implies that the FDA recognizes the treatment is potentially one with a large impact on a largely under-treated condition.”

    Johnson and his colleagues recommend that the federal government re-categorize psilocybin to Schedule IV, instead of its current place in Schedule I, the category reserved for drugs defined as having a high potential for abuse and no medical value.

    In Schedule IV, psilocybin would instead be in the same category as Xanax and Ambien. The scientists say that while there’s less of a risk for harm than heroin (Schedule I), “that doesn’t mean [psilocybin is] safe, and they certainly need to be regulated in some fashion.”

    But while the FDA’s Breakthrough designation suggests that psilocybin is closer to mainstream acceptance than ever, it’s unlikely that the potential treatment will be widely distributed to the general population.

    Roland Griffiths, PhD, another prominent psilocybin researcher and a colleague of Johnson’s, says, “It seems unlikely that these are compounds that will be dispensed at a pharmacy.”

    “This is a significant positive development in the potential future regulatory approval of psilocybin, a classic psychedelic drug, for medicinal purposes,” Griffiths told Inverse.

    “After a decades-long hiatus of research with psilocybin and related psychedelic drugs, investigators in the United States and Europe have demonstrated the safety and preliminary signs of efficacy of psilocybin for a variety of therapeutic applications.”

    View the original article at thefix.com