The tightness in the chest, the feeling of doom and gloom, sadness and despair. It's hard not to worry when there is such uncertainty in the world. Everyday we wake up and learn about more natural disasters, death and destruction, making it very hard for us to cope with everyday life. Not to mention high stress jobs, deadlines, trying to take make sure every detail is taken care of so that family life runs smoothly. Some days it can feel so overwhelming we just stop living life to it's fullest. 

Recent scrutiny of prescription antidepressants have raised concerns about their safety and effectiveness. Noted psychiatrist and author, Peter R. Breggin, MD, shared the following press release:

“On December 13, 2006 the FDA's Psychopharmaceutical Drugs Advisory Committee (PDAC) is meeting in Silver Spring, Maryland to discuss antidepressant-induced suicidal behavior in adults. In 2004, the FDA held similar hearings on children and concluded that antidepressants do in fact cause suicide in humans under age eighteen. A warning has been placed in all antidepressant labels or package inserts.

Now the agency has given advanced notice of its new findings--antidepressants, all of them according to the FDA, cause increased suicidality in young adults. Suicide occurs more than twice as much on antidepressants than on sugar pills in individuals under age 25. First the agency admits that antidepressants cause suicidality in children. Now the agency admits the drugs cause the same disasters in young adults. Meanwhile, an independent review of all antidepressant trials submitted to the FDA has shown that the drugs are no better than placebo.

 

To learn more about how the pharmaceutical companies are deceiving the public with false information concerning their antidepressant drugs, please visit Dr. Breggin’s site breggin.com

One in three doctor's visits by women, involve a prescription for an antidepressant medication. One in 10, American women takes at least one antidepressant drug. Prescriptions for antidepressant drug therapy have nearly tripled in the last decade.

In 2002, antidepressant use among boys and girls tripled to reach a high of 6% of all boys and girls. Nearly one in seven were on stimulant drugs in 2002, double the number in 1994-96. The largest growth spurt in antidepressant use has been among preschoolers, ages 2-4. Other statistics showed antidepressants sales reaching the total of 37 billion in sales in 2003, which came out to $9 million more than was spent on treatments for the heart, arteries and blood pressure.

In 2003 over one million American children were taking an antidepressant medication. This rather alarming since these medications have been linked to causing more anxiety and depression, and an increase in suicide. Prozac alone, has been associated with over 1,734 suicide deaths and over 28,000 adverse reactions. And this is only the reported events. The FDA estimates that only 1 percent of negative drug reactions are ever reported.

 

Just as scandalous, is the fact that millions of folks are taking potentially dangerous drugs which have been shown to be no more effective than a sugar pill. Several studies show that between 19-70% of those taking antidepressant medications do just as well by taking a placebo or sugar pill.

And studies now show that using SSRI’s (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ) eventually causes the brain to release less and less serotonin. Eventually the brain begins to reduce the number of serotonin receptors. This is reason why patients switch from one antidepressant to another. The reduction of serotonin receptors may become permanent. If so, the patient is most likely doomed to a life of anxiety and depression.

Common side effects include headache, muscle pain, chest pain, anxiety, nervousness, sleeplessness, drowsiness, weakness, changes in sex drive, tremors, dry mouth, irritated stomach, loss of appetite, dizziness, nausea, rash, itching, weight gain, diarrhea, impotence, hair loss, dry skin, chest pain, bronchitis, abnormal heart beat, twitching, anemia, low blood sugar, and low thyroid.

Numerous studies show that as many as 86% suffer from sexual dysfunction

General muscle spasms, aches, and pains are a more common side effect of SSRI drugs. These spasms may occur in the neck, shoulders or low back.

Downward Spiral

These adverse side effects are more common than most patients and doctors think. Most doctors simply don't suspect that their patient’s health problems, bronchitis, irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue, insomnia, or low thyroid is from taking SSRI drugs.

Instead when a patient presents with chest pain they're referred to a cardiologist for a battery of tests, which usually come back normal. The cardiologist may prescribe a drug to help with the chest pain, perhaps a beta-blocker like Toprol. This then causes the patient to become fatigued and more depressed. Once they find themselves back at the psychiatrist’s office, which recommends they take Wellbutren to boost their energy. The patient may then have problems falling asleep so their family doctor prescribes Ambien. Ambien may cause short-term memory loss, flu-like symptoms, and more depression. And on it goes. Meanwhile, none of the consulting doctors ever suspects the SSRI drug as being the originator of this chain of events.

 

This scenario is all too common.

 

 

 
Fortunately, there are alternatives that can help
calm the mind, uplift our mood,  and help us feel more balanced...

Orthomolecular Medicine-Seek to Find and Correct the cause of the illness

Fortunately for those looking for a safer, and often times more effective, way to beat mood disorders, a group of progressive minded physicians helped pioneer a new way of treating mental disorders, known as Orthomolecular Medicine.

In 1968, two-time Nobel Prize-winner Linus Pauling, Ph.D., originated the term "orthomolecular" to describe an approach to medicine that uses naturally occurring substances normally present in the body. "Ortho" means correct or normal, and orthomolecular physicians recognize that in many cases of physiological and psychological disorders health can be reestablished by properly correcting, or normalizing, the balance of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other similar substances within the body. And unlike drug therapy, which attempts to cover-up the symptoms associated with a mood disorder, orthomolecular medicine seeks to find and correct the cause of the illness by replacing any deficient nutrients.

What do neurotransmitters do?

Neurotransmitters help regulate pain, mood, energy, sleep, mental clarity, and overall well-being. The neurotransmitters that cause excitatory reactions are known as catecholamines. Catecholamines, epinephrine and norepinephrine (adrenaline) are derived from the amino acid phenylalanine.

Inhibitory or relaxing neurotransmitters include serotonin and gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA). The neurotransmitter serotonin is produced from the amino acid tryptophan. GABA is produced from the amino aid glutamine.

Where do the neurotransmitters come from?

Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals that help relay electrical messages from one nerve cell to another. Neurotransmitters are produced from the amino acids in the foods we eat. These neurotransmitters include norepinephrine, dopamine, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), and serotonin. These neurotransmitters are also known as monoamines since they're made from amino acids. Amino acids join together in different patterns to form a protein. Eating a protein rich food allows us to replenish our ongoing demand for the essential amino acids. Half of the amino acids are essential. This means our bodies can’t manufacture them and we must get them from the foods we eat (protein). Certain amino acids along with certain B vitamins and minerals produce the neurotransmitters. The amino acid tryptophan turns into serotonin. The amino acid phenylalanine turns into epinephrine. Amino acids are the raw nutrients needed to manufacture the neurotransmitters, which regulate our moods.

Amino Acid Replacement Therapy

The most popular antidepressant drugs are known as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI’s). SSRI’s including the drugs Lexapro, Prozac, Paxil, Celexa, and Zoloft are supposed to help the brain re-uptake the serotonin it produces. It is analogous to using a gasoline additive to help your car get more mileage out of the gasoline in your tank.

Unfortunately, many of the individuals who suffer from mood disorders, don’t have any serotonin in their brains to re-uptake. A gasoline additive poured into an empty gasoline tank doesn’t help much, if at all.

No one is born with a Prozac deficiency.  However, people can develop a serotonin deficiency. Orthomolecular medicine uses amino acid replacement therapy to correct serotonin and other neurotransmitter deficiencies. I’ve found this approach to be just as effective (if not more so) than prescription antidepressant medications.

I’ve found very few problems with mixing amino acids with prescription anti-depressants. In fact, ninety percent of my patient’s are initially on prescription antidepressants when I first start them on amino acid replacement therapy.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Medical science has now determined that how we feel is largely controlled by the foods we eat and how well these building blocks are converted into brain transmitting chemicals called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals that control our moods. You may remember that chains of essential and non-essential amino acids make up proteins. Many of these amino acids are converted into neurotransmitters. The brain needs adequate amounts of protein and their amino acids for the production of neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitters include serotonin, dopamine, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), and norepinepherine.  

Correcting the cause of mood disorders

Dr Murphree Comments "No one is born with a Prozac deficiency. However, people can develop a serotonin deficiency. Using a SSRI doesn't correct the cause. If someone is out of gas (serotonin), why would you use a gasoline additive (SSRI)? Why not fill the tank (brain) up with gas (serotonin) instead? I've been using amino acid replacement therapy for several years and have found this approach to be far superior to using prescription medicines (in most cases) for treating mild to moderate mood disorders. I've treated thousands of patients with mood disorder. I've found very few problems with mixing amino acid therapy with prescription anti-depressants. However, you may wish to work with a health-care professional familiar with orthomolecular or amino acid therapy."

Resources: Dr Rodger Murphree