October 22nd, 2008
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Depression is a brain disorder. It can affect your thoughts, moods, feelings, behavior, and physical health. Unfortunately, many people still think it is “all in your head” and that if the person would only try harder, he or she could snap out of the depression. This is not true. Doctors now know that it is a medical disorder with a biological basis, just like diabetes or arthritis.
When we talk about depression, it is important to keep in mind that most people will experience some of the symptoms of depression during their lifetimes. It is natural to feel depressed when you lose a loved one, your marriage breaks up, or you are fired from your job. What distinguishes chronic depression from feeling sad about a situation is that depression affects your mood, bodily functions, and daily behavior, and it usually does not go away without treatment. Read the rest of this entry »
October 17th, 2008
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Generic Name: Tramadol
Brand name: Ultram, Ultram ER, Amadol, Tramadolor
Class of drug: Narcotic (opioid) analgesic.
Mechanism of action: Most likely produces analgesia by binding to opioid receptors. Also inhibits reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin.
Indications/dosage/route: Oral only.
- Moderate to moderately severe pain
Adults: 50-100 mg q4-6h prn. Maximum: 400 mg/d.
Adjustment of dosage
- Kidney disease: Creatinine clearance <30 mL/min: 50-100 mg q12h. Maximum: 200 mg/d.
- Liver disease (cirrhosis): 50 mg q12h.
- Elderly: Maximum daily dose of 300 mg in patients >75 years.
- Pediatric: Safety and efficacy of tramadol have not been estab-
- lished in children <16 years. Read the rest of this entry »
October 15th, 2008
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Anti-anxiety drugs, or “anxiolytics,” are powerful central nervous system (CNS) depressants that can slow normal brain function. They are often prescribed to reduce feelings of tension and anxiety, and/or to bring about sleep. Anti-anxiety medications are among the most abused drugs in the United States, obtained both legally, via prescription, and illegally, through the black market. These drugs are also known as sedatives.
The drugs associated with this class of substance-related disorders are the benzodiazepines [such as diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), alprazolam (Xanax), triazolam (Halcion), and estazolam (ProSom)], the barbiturates [such as Seconal and pentobarbital (Nembutal)], and barbiturate - like substances including Quaalude, Equanil, and Doriden. Any of these drugs is capable of producing wakeful relief from tension, or sleep, depending upon dosage. Some non-psychiatric uses of anti-anxiety medications include treatment and prevention of seizures, muscle relaxants, anesthetics, and drugs to make other anesthetics work more effectively (known as “adjuvants”). Read the rest of this entry »
October 15th, 2008
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There are hundreds of phobias. Here are a few:
Agoraphobia:
One of the most common phobias, agoraphobia affects women far more than men (roughly two-thirds of sufferers are female). Literally the fear of open spaces, agoraphobia is better known as the fear of being alone in a crowd, or in any place such as a theatre or a church or a shopping centre where escape might appear to be difficult. Such avoidance behaviour can lead to agoraphobia’s extreme effect: the trapping of a person in her home. Read the rest of this entry »
October 15th, 2008
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A client wrote:
“I’m terrified something awful is happening to me. Almost
every day I become really scared. I shiver, my chest hurts, my
throat goes dry, I feel dizzy, faint and frightened for fifteen or
twenty minutes of hell. When this happens I feel sure I’m going
insane, or I’m going to die. My doctor says there’s nothing
wrong, that I’m “just” having a panic attack.
She wouldn’t be so complacent if this happened to her! How
can this be ‘just in my head’?”
The pharmaceutical companies would like you to believe that panic attacks arise from something biological … and therefore can be fixed with a pill. Read the rest of this entry »
