Posted by erik98225 on November 18, 2006, at 4:47:30
In reply to ever noticed..., posted by med_empowered on November 13, 2006, at 22:57:47
> that lots of drugs/methods for dealing with mental issues involve suppressing normal brain function? I'm not saying it **HAS** to be that way but...why is it? Do you think it reflects some built-in idea within psychiatry that the brain must be disabled to be "fixed"? Kind of like the brain-damage-as-treatment ideas of the 30s-60s (arguably continuing somewhat into the present).
Well, here goes. I have a BA degree in psychology and took quite a few 300 level courses dealing with neurochemicals and pharmacology.
I don't believe the meds we take cause brain damage (except antipsychotics, which DO give you Parkinsons Disease). It is more fair to say that they modify some aspect of neurotransmission. These drugs do not have a toxic effect to the brain. The brain is able to "undo" whatever the drug did (that's the withdrawal syndrome).
There are only three ways a drug can affect the brain: agonist (increases the neurotransmitter's effects), antagonist (blocks the neurotransmitter's effects), and inverse agonist (causes the OPPOSITE of the neurotransmitter's effects). The "feeling" you get from the drug depends on what it is doing to specific neurotransmitters.
To use a common example, SSRI (Fluoxetine, Paroxetine, Sertraline, Citalopram, etc etc.) is a serotonin agonist -- it increases the effects of serotonin, which is a chemical that regulates your mood. Thus it is useful for the treatment of depression. But it also messes with some other chemicals -- agonizing, antagonizing, or inverse-agonizing them -- which is what causes the side effects. The main side effect is that it ruins your sex life.
As another example, benzodiazepine (Diazepam, Alprazolam, Clonazepam...) is a GABA agonist. GABA is the "calm down!" chemical, so these drugs are useful for anxiety disorders. However, it is possible to be TOO relaxed, which is what causes the drowsiness and depression often associated with benzos.
My personal opinion is that you should not take a drug if it doesn't help you. If it DOES help you, consider whether it helps you enough that the side effects are worth it. Except for the dopamine antagonists ("antipsychotics"), I have never heard of brain damage resulting from the use of mental health meds.
Erik
poster:erik98225
thread:703304
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20061117/msgs/704795.html