Although most people turn to pharmaceutical medications to cope with mental illness like depression and PTSD, medications are not a person’s only option. In many cases, making healthy lifestyle changes (i.e. natural cures for depression) such as getting more exercise, reducing stress, and staying out of toxic relationships can be beneficial for a person’s mental health. Though …
For years, researchers have been investigating illicit drugs to determine whether they could be used under supervision to treat mental illnesses like depression and bipolar disorder. Although many of these substances have shown promise, in many cases the side effects and addiction potential outweigh any therapeutic benefits. Other times, many drugs may be temporarily helpful …
Many people who take antidepressants notice ringing in their ears or “tinnitus.” This tinnitus is usually temporary, and can be a result of changes in levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin. In other cases, the tinnitus may emerge as a result of an ototoxic reaction that a person has to a specific antidepressant. Ototoxicity is …
Anxiety can be caused by a variety of different things. For one individual, the cause may be from genetics – this is often the case among individuals with a family history of anxiety disorders. For another person, the cause of anxiety may be a demanding job or abusive relationship. In each individual scenario, it can …
Reward deficiency syndrome (RDS) is a psychological theory first noted by Kenneth Blum in 1996. It is characterized by reward-seeking behavior and/or addictions, stemming from genetic variations, most notably resulting from those carrying the D2A1 allele. People carrying the A1 allele tend to have insufficient numbers of D2 receptors in their brain, resulting in lack …
Serotonin syndrome is a potentially fatal condition resulting from abnormally high levels of serotonin in the CNS. This may be caused by using various drugs that influence the neurotransmission of serotonin in the brain such as SSRIs, MDMA, various opioids, and even natural substances such as 5-HTP and St. John’s Wort. Typically it is only …
Brain freeze is an uncomfortable sensation that feels like the inside of your head (or brain) has frozen after consuming a cold beverage or food such as ice cream. Some people also use the term “ice cream headache” as a synonymous term to describe brain freeze. This is due to the fact that most early …