Posted by HIBA on December 14, 2002, at 2:41:16
Hello Everyone,
Benzo monotherapy or antidepressants? I think still there is enough left to discuss about.One should consider the fact that benzos were around here over more than four decades. After their first introduction to the market, soon it became clear that they are subject to cause a dependece if used over an extended period of time. The story roughly stopped there. Over years and years we have still been hearing stories of benzo dependence. DEPENDENCE only.Nothing more to accuse. No more serious side effects. No long term damages, other than this slight medical dependence.
Now let me ask a question. Is it still the same with antidepressants ? When prozac hit the market, benzos suffered another major set back as if adding insult to injury, because prozac and newer antidepressants showed fewer and lesser side effects than older tricyclics. This was a major relief to most physicians, as they were confused over whether to try a tricyclic or benzo in patients with anxiety disorders. Some preferred tricyclics because of the fear of benzo dependence, while others still relied on benzos due to the fact that benzos don't cause serious adverse effects that associated with tricyclics. Anyway SSRIs roughly changed this scenario and benzo dependence once again projected as fatal than ever.
Now, after years of evolution, more and more are being revealed. Some docs say, day by day they are hearing of more adverse reactions of newer antidepressants. Unlike the benzo-dispute which roughly concentrated on the subject of dependence, the story never ends with SSRIs and other newer ADs. SSRIs already proven toxic in many aspects. Memory loss, protracted sexual impairment, inner ear damage, parkinsonism, ulcerative collitis,...... The table continues and will. Don't forget all these happen within a decades of their introduction. So how many more to expect in the near future ?So it is time to rethink. What makes sense when it is a matter of a slight medical dependence against serious physical damage ? That is what benzo monotherapy versus antidepressants for anxiety disorders.
HIBA
poster:HIBA
thread:131769
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021210/msgs/131769.html