One in ten Americans takes an anti-depressant drug like Zoloft or Prozac. These drugs have been shown to work in some patients, but their design is based on a so-called “chemical imbalance” theory of depression that is incomplete, at best.
Seasonal depression hits for me, like clockwork, the day after Halloween.
Oh, Sepia Toned Lady Who Is Too Depressed to Look Out the Window! Ever since pharmaceutical companies got the go-ahead to market medication directly to consumers, she's been an advertising powerhouse. Sometimes she doesn't want to go camping. Sometimes she doesn't want to cook eggs. She never wants to play with the…
You probably sensed this, but here it is: The use of antidepressant drugs has skyrocketed since 1988. Blame the shitty economy and slick ad campaigns: Antidepressants are the most frequently used medication. One in four women ages 40 to 59 take 'em, and one in 25 teens.
A new study bolsters the evidence that exercise can help treat depression — but it's still no magic bullet.
In news that can only be called depressing, a new study suggests that depressed women have an elevated risk of stroke. And women who take antidepressants apparently have an even higher risk.
New research suggests that environmental factors may play a much bigger role in autism than previously believed — and one culprit may be antidepressants.
A new study shows anti-inflammatory pain relievers like aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen could reduce the effectiveness of some antidepressants. This has implications beyond headaches — says study co-author Paul Greengard,
A new study shows antidepressant use during pregnancy may increase the risk of miscarriage, casting even further doubt on what the hell depressed moms-to-be are supposed to do.
Amanda Seyfried recently complained to Esquire about her spinach-based diet (which disappointed some raw-foodies), but we're more drawn to the fact that she downed pills — birth control and, more interestingly, Lexapro — in front of her interviewer.
• Even beauty queens are feeling the pinch of the recession: CBS reports that many pageant contestants have been forced to wear their dresses more than once or, worst case scenario, sell their costumes. •
According to the NYT, the recent study showing that antidepressants don't do much for mild depression has several limitations. Dr. Richard Friedman writes, "it would be a shame if it discouraged depressed patients from taking antidepressants." [NYT]
A new study has found that the benefits of antidepressants increase the more depressed a patient is, and that for those with mild symptoms, the drugs may be no better than a placebo.
Yesterday ABC interviewed Joe Pantoliano about "Mad Pride," a movement whose members think of mental illnesses as gifts and, in some cases, reject traditional treatment. In this, they have something in common with today's antidepressant critics.
Contrary to the popular perception of toddlers as "carefree," a new study shows that chronic depression can affect children as young as three. Critics, however, worried that the findings will cause excessive use of antidepressants among toddlers.
• The city of Verona has opened up the balcony where Juliet once pined for Romeo to modern lovers as a venue for weddings. Of course, the iconic setting comes at a steep price. •
While it's common knowledge that anti-depressants can cause sexual side effects, a new theory suggests they may also suppress feelings of love and romance.
For lots of people, sex brings feelings of relaxation and even pain relief, but some people experience a "period of intense depression and irritability after an orgasm."
