A new meta-analysis recently showed that the antidepressant Paxil (Paroxetine) is only slightly more effective than a placebo for both depression and anxiety disorders. Prior to this finding, it was assumed that all SSRI antidepressants were significantly more effective than a placebo, hence getting approval to treat depression. In the article I wrote entitled “Do …
According to new research, if you notice your antidepressant affecting you from the very first dose, it probably isn’t “all in your head” or necessarily an indication of hypomania. New research suggests that antidepressants actually change your brain’s activity within just a few hours of taking them. In other words, you could feel or think …
In September 2014, the FDA recently approved a new weight loss drug Contrave. This drug is considered the third pharmaceutical treatment for obesity in the United States. Although it probably seems odd to mention a weight loss drug on a mental health website, the fact is that this new drug is a formulation of two …
If you are depressed, what should you to do treat how you feel? Most people look for a “quick fix” and seek out to get prescribe an antidepressant as a relative “knee-jerk” reaction to how they feel. Although antidepressants are clinically effective medications for treating depression, they do not work for everyone. Many antidepressants also …
Many people who face depression don’t know what they can do to address their depressive symptoms. In fact, some people don’t even know that treatments for their depressive feelings exist. When I experienced my first episode of deep depression, I was totally unaware of what could be done to help eliminate this unwelcome feeling. At …
Fetzima (Levomilnacipran) is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor that was approved by the FDA in 2013 to treat major depression. It is similar to the older drug milnacipran, but contains the “levo”-stereoisomer – making it slightly different. This antidepressant is regarded as being significantly different from other SNRIs in that it inhibits norepinephrine reuptake to a greater …
Brintellix (Vortioxetine) is a drug that was approved by the FDA in 2013 to treat major depression. It is regarded as an atypical antidepressant, meaning that it’s mechanisms of action are unique from other classifications. As the marketing and promotion of this newer (2013) antidepressant continues, the number of people experimenting with it for their …