Antidepressants and Alcohol

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

Earlier Bedtimes May Fight Teen Depression

Teens Who Regularly Sleep 5 or Fewer Hours Are 71% More Likely to Report Depression
By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Jan. 1, 2010 -- Adolescents whose parents set earlier bedtimes are significantly less likely to suffer from depression or have suicidal thoughts compared to youngsters who hit the sack later, new research indicates.

Youngsters in the study whose parents set bedtimes of midnight or later were 24% more likely to suffer from depression and 20% more apt to have thoughts of suicide, compared to youngsters with bedtimes of 10 p.m. or earlier, researchers report in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.

This suggests sufficient sleep may offer youngsters some protection from depression and thoughts of suicide, the researchers say.

Adolescents who reported they usually sleep five or fewer hours per night were 71% more likely to report depression, and 48% more likely to have thoughts of committing suicide, compared to young people reporting eight hours of sleep nightly, the study shows.

"Our results are consistent with the theory that inadequate sleep is a risk factor for depression," says study researcher James E. Gangwisch, PhD, of Columbia University Medical Center in New York.

He and his colleagues collected data on 15,659 adolescents and their parents who had participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a school-based sample of students in seventh to 12th grades, between 1994 and 1996.

The researchers found that:

* The average sleep duration was 7 hours and 53 minutes. The researchers note that adolescents need 9 hours of sleep daily.
* Nearly 70% of youngsters said they went to bed at a time that complied with the weeknight limit set by their parents.

The researchers say lack of sleep may produce moodiness that hinders the ability to cope with stresses of daily life, harming relationships with peers and adults. They say educating adolescents and their parents about the benefits of healthier sleep practices may be beneficial.

The researchers conclude that parents of adolescents should set earlier bedtimes to make sure their teens get adequate sleep.

One of the researchers, Gary K. Zammit, PhD, of Columbia, reported receiving research support from GlaxoSmithKline and other pharmaceutical companies. He also disclosed he has financial interests in two companies involved in sleep research.

SOURCES:
News release, American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Gangwisch, J. SLEEP,2010; vol 33.
© 2010 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.

Depression Counseling reduces cancer inflammation

This small study has found some connections between treating depression and reduction of inflammation, a condition known to have a promoting impact on cancers and a negative effect on health in general. Nice piece of body-mind connection science! JD

A Psychological Intervention Reduces Inflammatory Markers by Alleviating Depressive Symptoms: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial Lisa M. Thornton , PhD, Barbara L. Andersen , PhD, Tammy A. Schuler , MA, William E. Carson III, MD

Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Lisa M. Thornton, PhD, E-mail: thornton.84@osu.edu.

Abstract

Objectives: To test experimentally whether a psychological intervention reduces depression-related symptoms and markers of inflammation among cancer patients and to test one mechanism for the intervention effects. Depression and inflammation are common among cancer patients. Data suggest that inflammation can contribute to depressive symptoms, although the converse remains untested. Methods: As part of a randomized clinical trial, newly diagnosed breast cancer patients (n = 45) with clinically significant depressive symptoms were evaluated and randomized to psychological intervention with assessment or assessment only study arms. The intervention spanned 12 months, with assessments at baseline, 4, 8, and 12 months. Mixed-effects modeling tested the hypothesis that the intervention reduced self-reported depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale, Profile of Mood States Depression and Fatigue subscales, and Medical Outcomes Study-Short Form 36 Bodily Pain subscale) and immune cell numbers that are elevated in the presence of inflammation (white blood cell count, neutrophil count, and helper/suppressor ratio). Mediation analyses tested whether change in depressive symptoms, pain, or fatigue predicted change in white blood cell count, neutrophil count, or the helper/suppressor ratio. Results: The intervention reduced significantly depressive symptoms, pain, fatigue, and inflammation markers. Moreover, the intervention effect on inflammation was mediated by its effect on depressive symptoms. Conclusions: This is the first experiment to test whether psychological treatment effective in reducing depressive symptoms would also reduce indicators of inflammation. Data show that the intervention reduced directly depressive symptoms and reduced indirectly inflammation. Psychological treatment may treat effectively depressive symptoms, pain, and fatigue among cancer patients.

Published online before print July 21, 2009
Psychosom Med 2009, doi:10.1097/PSY.0b013e3181b0545c

© 2009 by American Psychosomatic Society

Change a Habit With Online Courses

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Experience the freedom that comes from releasing things.

ScienceDaily (Aug. 25, 2008) — Brain scientists have moved a step closer to understanding why some people may be more prone to depression than others.

Dr Roland Zahn, a clinical neuroscientist in The University of Manchester’s School of Psychological Sciences, and his colleagues have identified how the brain links knowledge about social behaviour with moral sentiments, such as pride and guilt.

The study, carried out at the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in the US with Dr Jordan Grafman, chief of the Cognitive Neuroscience Section, and Dr Jorge Moll, now at the LABS-D'Or Center for Neuroscience in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to scan the brains of 29 healthy individuals while they considered certain social behaviours.

------------excerpt:

“The most distinctive feature of depressive disorders is an exaggerated negative attitude to oneself, which is typically accompanied by feelings of guilt,” he said.

“Now that we understand how the brains of healthy individuals respond to feelings of guilt, we hope to be able to better understand why and where there are differences in brain activity in people suffering from, or prone to, depression.

“The brain region we have identified to be associated with proneness to guilt has been shown to be abnormally active in patients with severe depression in several previous studies, but until now its involvement in guilt had been unknown."

Brain Study Could Lead To New Understanding Of Depression

Do the Holidays Have You Feeling Blue?

Counseling Corner 12.03.07

from the American Counseling Association
sponsored by the ACA Foundation

It's the holiday season and everywhere people are happy and excited...except you. Instead, you're feeling stressed and depressed. It's called the "holiday blues" and it's a fairly common condition, though one often hidden behind false holiday smiles.

One reason the holiday season can seem depressing is that it comes at a time when we may be mentally summing up the year, especially its troubles and shortcomings. Year-end memories commonly focus on problems of the past year -- illnesses, loss of loved ones, work or relationship problems, or things falling short of our expectations -- rather than the positive happenings of the year.

The holidays are also a busy time. Added to the normal stresses of daily living are the anxieties of gift buying, holiday parties, family issues, social obligations and other stress-inducers of this season.

Holiday media images can also leave us with impossibly perfect holiday expectations. Advertising, TV shows, and magazine stories are present wonderful family holidays that never happen in real life, but still leave us feeling that we're falling short of how things should be.All these complications of the season can certainly leave us feeling blue, but there are steps to take to minimize their effect on our emotional state.

A healthy lifestyle is a good start. Instead of overeating or drinking excessively because you're feeling stressed, make conscious decisions to enjoy holiday food and drink, but to do so in moderation. At non-party times, choose tasty low-fat foods. You'll feel better and avoid the stress of holiday weight gain.

Other healthy lifestyle decisions include getting enough sleep and exercise. A brisk daily walk in the sunshine is a very effective way to fight depression. Studies also fine even moderate exercise can reduce stress and mild depression.

You also want to stay connected. Feeling sad often causes people to withdraw and isolate themselves. Instead, make a real effort to spend time with friends, to call or write those you care about and to remember past good times you've enjoyed with these people.

Simply talking about your holiday feelings with friends can also help. Their support and comfort can make a real difference. And while the holiday blues are usually only temporary and fairly mild, talk to a counseling professional if your depression feels deeper and more than just a symptom of the season.

"The Counseling Corner" is provided as a public service by the American Counseling Association, the nation's largest organization of counseling professionals. Learn more about the counseling profession at the ACA web site, www.counseling.org.

Seasonal Depression Tied to Serotonin

People With Seasonal Affective Disorder May Have Less of the Brain Chemical in Winter

By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Medical News

Sept. 19, 2007 -- People with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) may have lower levels of the brain chemical serotonin in winter than other people, according to a new study.

But those lower serotonin levels bounce back to normal if their seasonal depression is treated -- and in summer.

Researchers say the finding could lead to improved treatments for SAD, which is a form of seasonal depression that worsens in winter and improves in summer. Symptoms include weight gain, increased need for sleep, irritability, and inability to concentrate.

SAD Tied to Serotonin Levels
Previous studies have shown that in depression the brain has too little serotonin, but it’s not known exactly why.

In this study, researchers at the Medical University of Vienna looked at how the brain removes serotonin through the serotonin transporter and compared the rate of removal in 73 people with untreated seasonal affective disorder and 70 healthy people.

The results, published in Neuropsychopharmacology, showed serotonin was removed from the brain at a faster rate among those with seasonal depression, causing serotonin levels to drop below normal. But serotonin removal rates returned to normal with treatment and during the summer months.

Researchers say the results could help identify people at risk for seasonal depression and more effective treatments.

Currently available treatments for seasonal affective disorder include increased exposure to light sources, such as natural sunlight or a light box, and antidepressants.

©2005-2007 WebMD, Inc. All rights reserved.

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20070919/seasonal-depression-tied-to-serotonin?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Wellness Approach to Depression

By: Raymond Francis, D.Sc., M.Sc., R.N.C.

The World Health Organization is projecting that, by the year 2020, depression will become the world's second most devastating illness, after heart disease. Depression also affects many physical illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, making them more likely, severe, and difficult to treat. Right now, one in five Americans will experience major depression in their lifetimes, and one in ten suffers from recurring bouts of major depression. We need to understand how this epidemic came about and put an end to it.

Symptoms of depression include: despair, worthlessness, guilt, fatigue, poor concentration, significant weight loss or gain, sleep problems, and loss of interest in life. The personal and economic costs of this ailment are enormous. Major depression has become the leading cause of workplace absenteeism, and is the cause of 20 to 35% of all suicides. While almost everyone gets depressed at one time or another, generally related to a major life change or loss, the epidemic of depression we are experiencing is different. Chronic depression has been brought on by our modern diets and lifestyles. Since we created it, we can eliminate it.

Only One Disease

In my years of research as a chemist, I have found there is truly only one disease--malfunctioning cells. Cells malfunction for only two reasons: they are either deficient and/or toxic. Therefore, our depression epidemic can be both prevented and reversed by teaching people how to prevent and eliminate cellular deficiency and toxicity. Depression is the result of prolonged stress to the brain. That stress may be caused by overt deficiency and toxicity or by social stress, which can induce deficiency and toxicity. Nutritional intake, toxic exposure, exposure to sunlight, exercise, and community with others all affect depression. Let us have a closer look at these factors.

Proper Nutrition

Proper nutrition is the single most important factor in preventing and reversing depression. Consider that the inventor of the anti-anxiety drug Valium later discovered that B vitamins could produce exactly the same benefits as Valium, without side effects or addiction. Naturally, no leading medical journal would publish his findings since they were all profiting from advertising Valium. These findings were eventually published in an obscure foreign journal and remain unknown to most physicians. Deficiencies of B-vitamins and magnesium are known to cause cellular malfunction and depression. Vitamin B1 deficiency, for example, is common in depression cases severe enough to require hospitalization. The same goes for vitamin B2.

This article continues with discussions of Vitamin B, Essential Fatty Acids (EFA), Sugar, Sunlight, Social Connection, Exercise, and Toxicity.

Read the complete article at Starfish Health Partners Collaborative Medicine Journal:

A Wellness Approach to the Depression Epidemic

Looking for guidance to develop a holistic lifestyle to combat depression? Contact Janis Davies, CWHE. Work with a Whole Health Educator to gain the information and understanding you need, in an atmosphere of compassion and deep respect. See my post on Whole Health Education