I’m not sure when pharmaceutical companies started marketing that a “chemical imbalance” is the cause of depression. Either way, this is a great marketing ploy that really gets people to believe that if they are feeling “depressed,” it must be a result of a natural chemical imbalance. In reality, most people do not likely have …
There is a newer class of antidepressant drugs called Triple Reuptake Inhibitors (TRI’s or SNDRI drugs) being developed that target all major neurotransmitters involved in depression: serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. The thought process behind the creation of this new class of triple reuptake inhibitors is that they will target all three major neurotransmitters that are thought …
Norepinephrine also sometimes referred to as “noradrenaline” works as both a hormone and neurotransmitter. It helps promote vigilant concentration and is different from dopamine in the fact that dopamine has a greater influence on cognition. When you become stressed, norepinephrine is secreted by the sympathetic nervous system which leads to an increased amount of heart …
Lexapro (Escitalopram) has emerged as one of the most popular antidepressant drugs in the United States. It works as an SSRI (selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor) and has approval to treat major depression in individuals over the age of 12. In addition to being utilized for depression, it is also prescribed for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). It …
Vyvanse (Lisdexamfetamine Dimesylate) is a psychostimulant drug that is used to treat ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder). It has gained popularity due to the fact that it is very effective at treating symptoms and also is considered slightly less addictive than Adderall. For this reason, many doctors prefer to prescribe Vyvanse as opposed to Adderall – …
Opiate withdrawal refers to stopping or tapering down from a substance derived from the opium poppy plant (e.g. narcotic opioid alkaloids). Some major psychoactive opiates include substances like codeine, morphine, and thebaine. Many people consider semi-synthetic drugs like heroin, hydrocodone and oxycodone to be opiates, but they are not direct opiates, rather they are derived …
Provigil (Modafinil) is a drug that promotes vigilance and is considered a “eugeroic” medication. It was originally proved by the FDA to help treat wakefulness disorders and is commonly used in patients with narcolepsy. It has also been found to help people with shift work sleep disorders and excessive daytime sleepiness as a result of …