Mayo Clinic: antidepressants and alcohol, a toxic mix?
It seems innocent enough, a casual drinker who also suffers complications of depression or anxiety issues who continues to drink while on their medication. Frankly I know several people who I am certain are in this category. This Mayo Clinic article by Dr. Hall-Flavin points out this could lead to disaster of various proportions though.
For starters, alcohol IS a depressant. Adding it to a depressed person's psyche along with medications that monkey with your brain chemistry may lead to worse depression, aggravated side-affects of the medication, intensified drowsiness and interrupted sleep patterns, monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI's) combined with certain foods and alcohol can cause dangerous spikes in blood pressure, and a higher risk of alcohol dependence (addiction).
Not so innocent, is it? I caution you to beware if you are on medication AND drinking alcohol. It is not such a simple equation as taking an aspirin and cough syrup. Both drugs alter the brain. Too much brain altering and the list of troubles could be endless, leading to more medications for more symptoms, when the source cause could be simple over-medicating at home, legally, in what seems to be a very safe way to relax at the end of the day or enjoy a meal with friends. ~jd
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
On forgiveness
"The practice of forgiveness is our most important
contribution to heal the world."---Marianne Williamson
I always enjoyed Stephen Levine's language: "I forgive anything you intentionally or un-intentionally did to cause me harm; I forgive myself & ask forgiveness, for anything I intentionally or un-intentionally did to cause you harm..."; and the concept in 12-Step programs that our holding someone in blame (unforgiven) separates them from God. God has a much better plan for that person than I ever could; and in Buddhist Metta meditation: May you be Free From Suffering, May You Be At Peace (if the "perpetrator of our suffering" was free from suffering and at peace they would not be causing harm to themselves and others, would they?). ~jd
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