Posted by undopaminergic on May 29, 2008, at 0:37:04
In reply to Re: C*A*F*F*E*I*N*E..as an antidepressant?, posted by Molybdenum on May 28, 2008, at 22:26:21
> I think it's fair to have some distinction between ADs and stimulants though.
>To some extent, yes, but it should be acknowledged that the distinction is often a matter of marketing and politics.
> From the Wiki god: "An antidepressant is a psychiatric medication or other substance...used for alleviating depression or dysthymia... Most antidepressants have a delayed onset of action and are usually taken over the course of weeks, months, or years.
>That definition seems tailor-made to suit the contemporary excuses for antidepressants that not only take weeks to show efficacy - in the unlikely case that they ever do - but also have to be taken practically for good, because they do nothing to rectify the underlying pathology, but merely mask some of the more disturbing and conspicuous manifestations thereof.
> They are generally considered distinct from stimulants,
>I agree on that, because a "stimulant" is a more limited and specific concept.
> and drugs used for an immediate euphoric effect only are not generally considered antidepressants."
>How long does the euphoric effect have to be delayed in order for the drug to qualify as an antidepressant? Six hours? A week? More?
>
> I like the distinction between ADs & stims on the grounds of the sustainability of the effect. ADs typically work for years - some people never get poop-out. The stims are all "instant effect" machines in my experience. By design, they MUST stop working after 12 hrs or so otherwise they interfere with sleep.
>It may be more useful to distinguish the different classes of drugs based on their areas of application. Antidepressants are intended to relieve depressive illness, or in other words, to effect the transition from a depressive state to one of normalcy. Stimulants, on the other hand, are primarily useful to enhance or maintain wakefulness, vigilance, concentration, and the capacity for mental or physical effort. Antidepressants are not generally useful in those who are not depressed, in contrast to stimulants, which are basically effective for the same purposes in both normal and depressed individuals.
poster:undopaminergic
thread:831456
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080528/msgs/831832.html