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Tag: symptoms of depression

  • Can Anti-Inflammatory Meds Help With Depression?

    Can Anti-Inflammatory Meds Help With Depression?

    Previous research has shown that inflammation can increase risk of depression and make antidepressants less effective. 

    Anti-inflammatory medications designed to treat conditions like arthritis can help alleviate depression symptoms, according to recent research conducted in Denmark. 

    The research looked at 36 studies conducted around the globe, covering nearly 10,000 patients who had depression. 

    “Our study shows that a combination of anti-inflammatory medicine, which is what arthritis medicine is, and antidepressants can have an additional beneficial effect on patients with a depression,” said researcher Ole Köhler-Forsberg. “The effect was also present when anti-inflammatory medicine was compared with a placebo in patients with a physical disease and depressive symptoms.”

    Köhler-Forsberg said that the findings could help improve care for people with depression, many of whom do not experience relief by using depression medications alone. 

    “This definitely bolsters our chances of being able to provide personalized treatment for individual patients in the longer term. Of course we always have to weigh the effects against the potential side-effects of the anti-inflammatory drugs,” he said. “We still need to clarify which patients will benefit from the medicine and the size of the doses they will require. The findings are interesting, but patients should consult their doctor before initiating additional treatment.”

    Previous research has shown that inflammation can increase risk of depression and make antidepressants less effective. 

    “Crosstalk between inflammatory pathways and neurocircuits in the brain can lead to behavioural responses, such as avoidance and alarm, that are likely to have provided early humans with an evolutionary advantage in their interactions with pathogens and predators,” authors of one study wrote. “However, in modern times, such interactions between inflammation and the brain appear to drive the development of depression and may contribute to non-responsiveness to current antidepressant therapies.”

    Michael Eriksen Benros, research director at the Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, said that the new study is important because it shows significant improvements for people with depression. 

    “What’s persuasive is that we’ve found that several of the anti-inflammatory drugs have what can be characterized as a medium to a large effect on depression and depressive symptoms, in particular because the results build on almost 10,000 people who have participated in the placebo-controlled studies with anti-inflammatory treatment,” he said.

    “The results from the meta-analysis are particularly promising not only because of an effect of the anti-inflammatory medicine on its own but also due to the supplementary effect when the anti-inflammatory medicine is given simultaneously with the antidepressants that are used today.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Is It Holiday Stress Or Symptoms Of Depression?

    Is It Holiday Stress Or Symptoms Of Depression?

    A recent Forbes article explores the differences between holiday stress, holiday blues and depression and what you can do to contend with them.

    While the December holiday season is typically a joyful time of the year, it can also be a period of considerable stress over gift-giving, travel and visitors, workloads and a host of other related issues.

    Expectations of happiness can also result in the “holiday blues” – feelings of loneliness, loss or isolation that can be exacerbated by the pace and tone of the time period – which can be compounded by the clash between a negative or sad experience, like the loss of a loved one and the pace of the holidays. In some cases, these feelings may be indicative of an actual underlying depression.

    A new essay by Forbes contributor Jeanne Croteau attempts to differentiate between holiday stress, holiday blues and genuine depression that may occur as December winds down into the new year, and what you can do to contend with them.

    As Croteau noted, it’s normal to experience some holiday stress due to the sheer amount of expectations and obligations that happen, often at the same time, during this time of year. The shorter, darker days of the winter months can also have an impact on your mood and can result in Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which can take a toll on your mood, energy and ability to sleep. Treatment options for this condition can include therapy, medication or light therapy. 

    What’s important, according to the feature, is to be aware if you are feeling depressed or alienated during the holiday season and to take action when possible. It can be easy, as Croteau noted, to wait for others around you to take notice of your feelings, but in the hectic pace of the holidays, they may miss the often subtle suggestions of depression. As a result, individuals can feel that those whom they consider loved ones don’t care, or consider them a burden.

    Reaching out to friends and family during periods of holiday depression can be crucial. Letting people know what one is experiencing can be an important first step in receiving support that can lead to more substantive assistance. Face-to-face meetings, phone calls and texts can all be lifelines that are needed in the face of oppressive sadness.

    There are also professionals who can provide greater insight or assistance to those in need. Therapists and support groups can be useful options, depending on your location and financial ability; barring those, the article cited the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255) and Crisis Text Line as viable options for immediate assistance.

    The Forbes piece concludes with a call to readers to reach out to others – friends and family or otherwise – to reaffirm commitments and care. Calling or spending time with friends and loved ones and asking – and listening – to how they’re doing can be, as Croteau stated, “the biggest gift you can give anyone during the holiday season.”

    View the original article at thefix.com