Depression and anxiety

ALL SSRI drugs used in the treatment of depression have their side-effects in varying degrees. However, the newest such drug, Lexapro (introduced in the US in 2002), is usually well-tolerated by the human system. Its side-effects are mild and temporary, and require only a slight adjustment in dosage without discontinuing the treatment.Let’s briefly look at the side-effects of Lexapro vis-à-vis other SSRI drugs (Note: SSRI is abbreviation for Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor, a family of drugs used in the treatment of depression and general anxiety disorders).o In treatment of depression: A study has shown that only 4% of patients using Lexapro discontinued treatment compared to 16% for Effexor. Another study showed that patients were swiftly and safely able to switch to Lexapro from medicines like Celexa, Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft. Further, it was observed that less than 7% of patients who switched to Lexapro discontinued Lexapro too.o Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): A study demonstrated that GAD patients on 10mg Lexapro treatment experienced the same intensity of side-effects as those using placebos. In another study, that directly compared Lexapro with Paxil for the treatment of GAD, the two sets of patients taking the drugs experienced nearly the same level of alleviation of symptoms, but only 7% of the patients taking Lexapro discontinued the therapy due to side-effects while as much as 23% discontinued Paxil for the same reason.o Other observations: Lexapro does not increase agitation, anxiety or nervousness in the patient in comparison to his condition before start of Lexapro treatment. Lexapro does not cause any significant weight change in patients, while placebos do. A study into the weight-change aspect showed that only 8% of patients using Lexapro gained weight compared to 18% for Paxil. Finally, Lexapro is not addictive though the patient should not abruptly stop the drug without consulting the doctor.o What, then, are the side-effects: There’s no drug that has no side-effects, and Lexapro is no exception. Lexapro can cardio-vascular side-effects such as palpitation, bradycardia, tachycardia, hypertension, abnormal ECG, QT prolongation, torsades de pointes. Other side-effects include gastro-intestinal, metabolic and nutritional, renal, nervous, and blood and lymphatic disorders. In women, Lexapro may cause neoplasm, and menstrual disorders.You should consult your physician immediately on occurrence or even possibility of the existence of any side effects.

Depression and anxiety are the symptoms you develop when you don’t deal with your emotions in healthy, appropriate ways. When you learn simple skills for being who you really are and expressing your true emotions, you can actually choose to be authentically lighthearted. You probably didn’t learn as a child how to express your natural feelings, because your parents didn’t know the importance of emotions. Psychology is still a new science and it’s only in the past two decades that people have begun to realize the value of expressing feelings.It’s sad that we are not taught the importance of emotional health as children. We learn calculus and ancient history in high school and college, but we’re not given the proper education or role modeling to be emotionally healthy individuals. Far too often we don’t learn, until it’s much too late, what it takes to have healthy relationships or emotionally healthy families!You can overcome depression and anxiety, and actually choose to be lighthearted by the way you live your life on a daily basis. Learning to express your true feelings, heal your relationships, and face your difficult issues head on helps you to transcend the effects of the way you were raised and become the person you were meant to be.You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to learn the basic skills necessary to make your life meaningful and successful. You simply need a clear understanding of the necessary skills and consistent practice of those skills over time. The truth is that with consistent practice, anyone can learn to be authentic and lighthearted. Often it is simply the lack of knowledge and practical experience that keeps a person stuck in unfulfilling, emotional ruts.As a psychotherapist, I work with depression and anxiety daily. Much of my time is spent helping people learn to express and release their difficult emotions so that they can get in touch with their true selves and make healthy changes in their lives. Often people don’t know who they are or what they need to do in their lives, because their emotions are so balled up inside that they literally can’t see the forest for the trees. When they do the emotional healing that is necessary and their emotions are cleared, the changes they need to make in their lives become obvious. They don’t need other people’s advice, because the truth wells up from deep inside them.Personal relationships are often people’s biggest struggle, because they have an inner vision of the love and harmony that they know is possible, while their every day interactions leave much to be desired. It’s such a joy to me to help people find the simple truth that makes such a dynamic difference in their lives!To me it’s very sad that with all of the advances we have made in the field of psychology in the past three decades, that most people still don’t have the knowledge and information they need to lead healthy, functioning lives. We, as a culture, have far too much useless information with far too little emphasis on what really matters and what really brings about the joy and meaning and lightheartedness that we are all seeking.The good news is that depression and anxiety don’t have to be a life sentence! You can choose lightheartedness if you are willing to do what it takes to change your habits and your lifestyle. You can achieve joy, fulfillment and true lightheartedness by learning to be authentic and sharing your heart and soul with the people you love!Copyright © 2005 Kari Joys. All rights reserved.