medication for anxiety and depression
DESCRIPTION
http://positivetranceformations.com.au/blog/medication-for-anxiety-and-depression-pros-and-cons/ Anxiety is a very common problem, and it isn’t just a modern problem, although the modern world does have an increased level of low-grade stressors of a form that are likely to produce an anxiety disorder. Researchers into the body-mind connection have, since about the 1960s or thereabouts, found medications that boost the mood and relieve conditions such as anxiety and depression.TRANSCRIPT
Medication for Anxiety and Depression: Pros and Cons
We need to say here before we get started that this article is not intended as medical advice but is just here for information and to get you thinking.
If you are already on some form of anti-anxiety
medication or antidepressant, keep
taking them until you get the all clear from your
doctor.
Hypnotherapy is considered a form of
complementary treatment rather than a replacement for mainstream medical
assistance.
Physical problems can be behind some mental
conditions, as the division between mind and body
isn’t clear-cut.
So please use common sense if you are
considering hypnosis as an alternative and don’t stop
your medication without the approval of your doctor.
But for everyone else who feels that they need help for a problem with anxiety and are considering the
options, including medication and/or
hypnosis, let’s get started.
Anxiety is a very common problem, and it isn’t just a modern problem, although
the modern world does have an increased level of low-grade stressors of a
form that are likely to produce an anxiety
disorder.
Researchers into the body-mind connection have,
since about the 1960s or thereabouts, found
medications that boost the mood and relieve
conditions such as anxiety and depression.
Although the use of anti-anxiety medication is very widespread, some people are cynical about “happy
pills” and the attempt to fix what is obviously a mental or emotional problem with
a chemical substance.
The most common form of medication used to treat
anxiety is a group of drugs/compounds known as SSRIs (which is short for “selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitor”).
These get into the bloodstream and work
directly in the brain where the nerve cells meet each
other.
Brain chemistry and the workings of neurons is a complex subject and has
something a little mysterious about it –
most people are astonished to learn that
something as intricate as human intelligence, creativity, logic and
memory (not to mention emotions and a sense of
humour) just come down to chemicals and electricity.
Anyway, what an SSRI aims to do is to increase the amount of serotonin knocking around in your
brain –
as the name suggests, SSRIs stop your body
reabsorbing the serotonin, meaning that it stays there
and does its job.
What is serotonin?
Serotonin is one of several important “brain chemicals” that affect your mood. The
way that these brain chemicals affect your mood
is a two-way street, in many cases.
Take adrenaline (also known as noradrenaline): your body produces it in
response to stress or danger, making you feel
agitated and anxious
but if you take a substance that stimulates the body’s production of adrenaline, you feel more anxious, nervous and agitated.
Serotonin works the other way.
Serotonin is a “feel good” chemical and when your
body has plenty of serotonin in the system,
you feel peaceful.
If you don’t, you feel agitated. By stopping the body absorbing its natural
serotonin, SSRIs help people suffering from
anxiety feel better because the soothing serotonin is
still in the brain.
It may be asked why anxiety can’t be treated by injecting serotonin into the bloodstream?
Find the answer on this presentation’s Part 2…