Seroquel (Quetiapine) is an atypical antipsychotic medication developed and promoted by the company AstraZeneca. It is utilized for the treatment of serious psychiatric conditions, primarily schizophrenia. The “XR” (extended-release) version was among the top selling psychiatric drugs of 2013, and is clearly very profitable for both its developer as well as doctors that receive kickbacks …
Trazodone (Desyrel) is classified as an atypical antidepressant, functioning specifically as an SARI (serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitor). It is considered a second generation antidepressant, and is still utilized primarily for the treatment of depression in patients that don’t respond well to newer medications (e.g. SSRIs). The drug also is used on an off-label basis …
We’ve all had occasional nights in which we’ve stayed up too late because we couldn’t fall asleep. These nights we may have been afflicted with insomnia, a condition characterized primarily by an inability to fall asleep. What many people don’t know is that insomnia isn’t always considered an inability to fall asleep, rather it sometimes …
Hypnagogic jerks refer to involuntary bodily twitches, movements, or muscular jolts that occur during the transition from wakefulness to a sleeping state. Most people are thought to experience them just moments before entering the first stage of sleep. In some cases, hypnagogic jerks are also referred to as “sleep twitches” or “sleep starts,” but are …
Hypnopompic hallucinations refer to bizarre sensory experiences that occur during the transitory period between a sleeping state and wakefulness. Imagine sensing that you are slowly transitioning from a sleeping state to being fully awake, when at some point during that transition, you begin seeing vivid geometric shapes, hearing sounds, or even sensing touch. These sensations …
Hypnagogic hallucinations refer to bizarre sensory perceptions (usually visual) that are perceived during a presomnal state, or upon the transition from pre-sleep wakefulness to sleep. These bizarre perceptions may be psychologically disturbing and extremely vivid. Perhaps you’ve seen odd shapes with vivid colors, or especially odd imagery prior to falling asleep. In this case, your …
Sleep paralysis is a phenomenon that approximately 7% of the world’s population will experience at some point in their lives. Furthermore, it is thought that among individuals with diagnosable sleep disorders (e.g. narcolepsy), nearly 40% will deal with episodes of sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis is characterized by the body and musculature being rendered completely immobile …