...Procaz/Fluoxetine Brian Wai PC6250/Psychopharmacology Argosy University Spring 2014 Prozac is also known as Fluoxetine Hydrochloride, the most media exposure of any psychiatric medication in the history, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors antidepressant that affects chemical in the brain to reduce depression, panic, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The effect of Prozac is to block the absorption of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. It regulates the amount of serotonin to help brain cells transmit messages to each other, resulting in a better and more stable mood. Back to 1970s, Fluoxetine was developed by Bryan Molly, David Wong and Roy Fuller of the Eli Lilly corporation in 1973. It was the first product in a major new drugs for depression and introduced to the American market in 1988. They roughly took about two years to gain reputation and most prescribed status around the nation. Fluoxetine was not discovered accidentally but was designed specifically to block the reuptake of serotonin back into the pre-synaptic neuron. The patients whose taking Fluoxetine indicated the improvement of decisiveness, increase self-esteem and quickness of thoughts. They did not have a loss of mood or motivation. (Kruger, 1995) In fact, it enabled them to see their problems in a more objective manner and actively seek solutions. It was mainly to cue depressions but the reports also indicated Fluxoetine could...
Words: 2342 - Pages: 10
...In the article “ Types of antidepressants and their side effects” the authors give descriptions for some of the different antidepressants. For example, SSRIs are the most commonly prescribed antidepressants “They act on a chemical in the brain called serotonin” which is a very important neurotransmitter in the nervous system. Another type of antidepressant is an Atypical antidepressant “Which target other neurotransmitters either alone or in addition to serotonin. For example,”Wellbutrin blocks the reabsorption of the neurotransmitters Dopamine and Norepinephrine.” Ruiz 4 Dopamine is a drug used to help circulation problems caused by heart attacks, and reabsorption helps keep the drugs dopamine and norepinephrine out of your system while on antidepressants. Another type of antidepressant is Tricyclic antidepressant, in the article it states that “Tricyclics are among the oldest antidepressants. They work by inhibiting the brain’s reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine.” along with norepinephrine, which is used to treat low blood pressure, tricyclics tend to cause more side effects which is why SSRI’s and atypicals are prescribed...
Words: 1542 - Pages: 7
...Antidepressants: It can either heal or harm you If you are considering antidepressants, think again. Antidepressants are designed to relieve one’s self from depression on the contrary, it still harmfully affect humans. Studies show that antidepressant users are more likely in peril than those of non-users. Researchers found that it affects all the systems in the body. Antidepressants are not efficient medicine though it may lessen depression to increase the level of happiness. Common antidepressant users blame their anxiety as the root of their medicine dependency. Depression is a dreadful nightmare anyone would ever want to escape. And this is why people use different medicine to overcome this horror. Often, personal problems cause their depression. While not all reasons may be their misery’s fault, certain and various causes may also take place. Famous popstar Britney Spears claimed that she was being prescribed antidepressants at the age of 18. She would take the medicine everytime she feels restless and tired, but then the continuous intake made her mental state even worse. There are times she would wake up feeling depressed. As this horror frightened her, she decided not to take it again. Certain cases lead to different diseases. Even worse, it can lead to death. There are a lot of things you can do to replace this approach. One way is by simply listening to music. Using antidepressants can surely eliminate your burden, but will it last longer than you think? These...
Words: 286 - Pages: 2
...Presented here it is a critical evaluation of biological approach for treatment of depression. Antidepressant are the most common biological treatment for this type of disorder, but treatments such as Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), alteration in sleep patterns following body temperature cycle are also used to relief the symptoms of depression. However antidepressant drugs provide an effective and inexpensive help, studies have found that the behavioural effects of these drugs could take over two weeks before showing any benefit and any perceived effect before this period would be a placebo effect (Kalat, 2001). Some studies proposed the existence of a two models markers for depression: Biological/endogenous & psychological/reactive depression. Based on this assumption an endogenous depression would only respond to a pharmacological treatment while a psychological depression would only respond to psychological treatment (Free & Oei, 1989). Further we will evaluate the effectiveness of a combined (cognitive-behavioural therapy and antidepressant) intervention in order to achieve a better outcome on treatment of depression. Depression is one of the most common illnesses and is characterised by symptoms such as loss of energy, sadness, difficulty in concentration and in the most serious cases the patient can contemplate or commit suicide. Research found that women are more likely to suffer from depression, with depressive episodes more probable to occur between 25 to 44 years...
Words: 1773 - Pages: 8
...External Factors Contributing to Depression Depression is most commonly characterized by depressive moods and feelings of low self worth or guilt, a disease affecting approximately 121 million people (World Health Organization, 2011). Despite these high numbers, the many factors that contribute to depression remain under debate. Depression is commonly treated with antidepressant medication that aims to normalize brain function, often through the uptake of neurotransmitters such as serotonin (Moncrieff, 2010). Research has supported the use of this type of medication with results that indicate prolonged use of antidepressants can reduce the chances of relapse (Kim, Lee, Paik, & Kim, 2011). Many deduce that because medication targets and treats physical abnormalities related to depression, biology must be the main contributor. Against this rational however, much research that exists today declares a balance of biology and external factors as contributors to depression (Cole, McGuffin, & Farmer, 2008). In contrast to discoveries of this nature, a study conducted in Taiwan concludes that many depression sufferers perceive the cause of their depression to be social and cultural factors, making little mention to biology (Fu & Paraboo, 2009). Although medication has proven successful in many cases for alleviating depressive symptoms, considerable amounts of research have determined that external factors such as personal misfortunes or stress, cultural and societal influences, such...
Words: 2045 - Pages: 9
...the major things people turn to is antidepressants. Antidepressants are used to treat and reduce some of the symptoms that come with depression. While they do not heal the depression completely, they can give a patient temporary relief from their symptoms. While antidepressants work for some...
Words: 762 - Pages: 4
...biopsychosocial factors that lead to the onset of depression can also be impacted by such things as age, gender, and ethnicity. While such symptoms and factors of depression can be treated in many different ways, studies have proven that between 60-80% of all cases involving depression can successfully be treated by combining psychotherapy and pharmacological constructs (http://www.healthline.com), the latter which shall be explored in greater detail. History of Medication Although plant extracts such as opium, thorn apple St. Johns wort, Henbane, Indian hemp, deadly nightshade, hypericum oil, alcohol, caffeine, cannabis and other natural remedies have been used for past 3000 years treat depression, it wasn’t until 1957 that the first tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) known as imipramine was discovered by Ronald Kuhn and later in the same year the first Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), iproniazide, was introduced by Loomer, Saunders, and Kline (Fitzpatrick, 2010, p. 3), which initially was used to treat tuberculosis, but discovered that it increased mood and physical...
Words: 1635 - Pages: 7
...MY Role in the medication world Mental health counselors do not usually have essential knowledge and training to recommend medications. Certainly, I have no legal right to prescribe them. Prescribing medications must be left to a trained professional with drug- prescribing licensure, although with training, I may assist the prescriber by making recommendations. Because as the counselor comprehensive understanding of the client's circumstances, the prescribing professional may benefit from my assistance (King & Anderson, 2004). Referring the client to the appropriate medical professional is in the client's best interest, especially when the counselor suspects a biological basis for presenting behavior. Specifically, the trained counselor may well recognize the client's need for prescription medication but making recommendations to the client for such treatment is the exclusive responsibility of the prescribing professional. Considering the significant role of pharmacology in contemporary mental health care, maintaining a balance of understanding its significance as well as using caution in its application is essential (King & Anderson, 2004). Depending on the particular client need, the appropriate referral for prescription medication may be directed to a psychiatrist, a psychologist with prescribing rights, the client's primary care physician, or other medical professional. It is not unusual to include specialists, depending on the health concerns. The counselor is...
Words: 922 - Pages: 4
.... Medication is a jumble of chemicals, a foreign tongue to some, and in the dizzying world trying to even comprehend why or how medication works, they are slapped on with tons of side effects. The positive almost gets buried underneath a fog surrounding anything medicine related. Antidepressants often have backlashes such as inducing suicidal thoughts, but through careful monitoring of the treatment, it can be prevented. Often times, antidepressants have negative effects at first because the patient's brain and body are not used to it, but afterwards the effects subside and the patient feels much better. During these first stages of taking medication, it is crucial for friends, family and the doctor to pay attention to any changes in the patient as well as symptoms of any side...
Words: 397 - Pages: 2
...The classroom settings, like an overcrowded one, make the teachers to be less tolerant of their students who find it uncomfortable in sitting still with their classmates. The issue leads to the recommendation of medication to make such kids fit into the classroom with others. Moreover, advertising by pharmaceutical companies has worsened the situation. The adverts tend to influence the parents in their choices over their kids. Furthermore, the advertisements tend to de-stigmatize the whole concept of medication ids with antidepressants. Parents have a wider source of knowledge compared to in the 1990s; hence, they are more prone to incline to medication as a solution to their parenting problems. With the revolution in the marketing sector of pharmaceutical firms, we can be sure that the situation is not going to be better any time...
Words: 1072 - Pages: 5
...she was sick a lot. She became very skinny and pale. Her hair thinned. Jen became moody and seemed sad — I thought that's what teens act like. But once I put the signs together, I talked to Jen about anorexia. She denied she had a problem. But I knew she needed help. I took her to our doctor, and she asked me to put Jen in the hospital. Jen’s treatment helped her return to a normal weight. It's been a tough road since then for all of us, but Jen is back home now. She is still seeing her doctors, and may need help for some time. But she’s doing much better. more in control of life and to ease tension, anger, and anxiety. Most people with anorexia are female. An anorexic: • Has a low body weight for her or his height • Resists keeping a normal body weight • Has an intense fear of gaining weight • Thinks she or he is fat even when very thin • Misses 3 menstrual periods in a row (for girls/women who have started having their periods) Q: Who becomes anorexic? A: While anorexia mostly affects girls and women (85 - 95 percent of anorexics are...
Words: 2293 - Pages: 10
...September 11, 2015 Question no. 1 1. Visual/Spatial - Involves visual perception of the environment, the ability to create and manipulate mental images, and the orientation of the body in space. 2. Verbal/Linguistic - Involves reading, writing, speaking, and conversing in one's own or foreign languages. 3. Logical/Mathematical - Involves number and computing skills, recognizing patterns and relationships, timeliness and order, and the ability to solve different kinds of problems through logic. 4. Bodily/Kinesthetic - Involves physical coordination and dexterity, using fine and gross motor skills, and expressing oneself or learning through physical activities. 5. Musical - Involves understanding and expressing oneself through music and rhythmic movements or dance, or composing, playing, or conducting music. 6. Interpersonal - Involves understanding how to communicate with and understand other people and how to work collaboratively. 7. Intrapersonal - Involves understanding one's inner world of emotions and thoughts, and growing in the ability to control them and work with them consciously. 8. Naturalist - Involves understanding the natural world of plants and animals, noticing their characteristics, and categorizing them; it generally involves keen observation and the ability to classify other things as well. http://www.cse.emory.edu/sciencenet/mismeasure/genius/research02.html Question no.2 Self-Assessment: This can be defined as having the...
Words: 3194 - Pages: 13
...Despite this fact, in 1971, these medicines were classified as schedule I drugs. Schedule I drugs are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse or drugs that have no recognized medical uses. After 40 years of almost-total prohibition, psychologists, psychiatrists and neuroscientists are reassessing the role of psychedelic drugs. This research paper will focus on the classical serotonergic psychedelic called psilocybin or the so-called ‘magic mushroom’ and it’s clinical potential in the treatment of various psychiatric disorders. First, it is important to recognize certain facts about psilocybin that may be unknown due to misperceptions about the plant. Psilocybin is not known to cause damage to the brain or any other organs in the body and is regarded as non-addictive (Nichols, 2004; as cited in Krebs & Johansen, 2013). In fact, studies have found that psilocybin may lead to neurogenesis, or the regrowth of brain cells (Catlow et al., 2013). Psilocybin can cause sustained positive changes in attitudes, mood and behavior, and a recent study suggests it may be helpful in the treatment of anxiety (Grob et al., 2011; as cited in Young, 2013). Franz Vollenweider and his colleague Michael Kometer wrote about how research into psychedelics might identify therapeutic mechanisms in our brains that are based on glutamate-driven neuroplasticity (2010). Recent behavioral and neuroimaging data show that psychedelics “modulate neural circuits that have been...
Words: 2977 - Pages: 12
...This brings me to my research into Scientific explanation of Sleep Paralysis. My main source of this information was the Book “Sleep Paralysis- A guide to Hypnagogic Visions & Visitors of the Night” by Ryan Hurd (2011). The first thing I encountered in this book was the symptoms of Sleep Paralysis. The information gathered in the book state that these symptoms are “nearly universal and have been noted throughout history and across cultures.” Examples of these symptoms include, inability to move, feeling like being held down or experiencing a weight pushing down on the chest and throat, hearing strange noises such as buzzing, pounding heart, experiencing fear and terror, out of body experience, seeing weird creatures and difficulty in breathing....
Words: 814 - Pages: 4
...characterized by cycles of consuming large amounts of food, otherwise known as binge eating, followed by any unhealthy compensatory behavior in order to avoid weight gain. Self-induced vomiting is the behavior most often associated with bulimia nervosa, however, there are several other behaviors used such as abuse of laxatives and/or diuretics, fasting, and excessive exercise. (Source H). Researchers and scientists have agreed there is no single cause of bulimia nervosa. Low self-esteem and concerns regarding body image and weight play major...
Words: 791 - Pages: 4
