Introduction In our culture we seem to have the idea that if we pop the right pill, our dissatisfaction or discomfort will be assuaged. Lately, herbal drugs have become very popular as alternative medicines. They are purported to heal everything from memory problems to sexual dysfunction. One of the most common and most controversial herbal remedies is St. John’s Wort. As a cheap over-the-counter antidepressant, and with over 17% of the population experiencing depression sometime in their lifetime
St. John's Wort and Depression What is St. John's Wort? St. John's Wort scientifically known as Hypericum Perforatum, an herbal remedy generally used to treat depression, is making a rise throughout Europe and the United States. St. John's Wort is a perennial plant that produces abundant yellow flowers and grows naturally throughout much of the world, including specifically in northern California, southern Oregon, and Colorado. It usually flowers on “sunlight hills and forest edges” during
Herbal remedies have been used throughout the world for thousands of years and recently their use has become popularized in America. People tend to view herbal remedies as being safer then prescription drugs because they are believed not to contain chemicals or cause side effects. St. John’s Wort is an herbal remedy, which prevents the destruction of seratonin, a natural anti-depressant, is often used to treat depression. Due to the increasing interest it St John’s wort, as well as in other herbal
St John's Wort: Treating Depression Naturally As the majority of people in this world, I suffer from mild depression from time to time. Although this has never been serious enough to cause any changes in my ability to function, it is enough of an interference in my life to cause me to seek some sort of therapy. Most of the time a good healthy cry or some exercise will take care of any mild depression but there are times when more is needed. Many people in this sort of situation are reluctant
(1) St. John’s wort Hypericum perforatum is a botanical name of St John's wort. It belongs to a family of Clusiaceae or Hypericacacae. Hypericaceae or St. John's wort family or Clusiaceae is one and same thing. It is a flowering plant species of the genus Hypericum and a medicinal herb that is sold globally and good treatment for major depressive disorder {1, 2}.It has been demonstrated by various studies which conclude that st. john's wort is generally as useful against depressions as other modern
Antidepressants Antidepressants should be taken off the market. Depression is simply a condition of the mind. Events that take place in ones life can bring upon a depressive episode. With the variety of people in the world, there comes a variety of ways in which people cope with things. Some people can cope with depression, when in turn, people that are emotionally unstable, cannot. With all of the antidepressants on the market today, people are becoming dependent on these drugs that virtually
Over the last 20 years, many young adults have been taking antidepressant drugs such as Sertraline, commonly referred to as Zoloft, to ease their pain and struggles. Antidepressants are drugs which were initially used for the treatment of depression, but knowingly proved to be effective for other types of diagnosis, such as anxiety disorders, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), sleep disorders, chronic pain, migraines, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and substance
Prozac Classification Fluoxetine is a legal prescribed medication (Fluoxetine, 2000). The brand name of this drug is Prozac (Fluoxetine, 2000). Fluoxetine belongs in a category of drugs called selective serotonin prescription (PDR, 2000). This is a synthetic drug (Fluoxetine, 2000).reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (PDR, 2000). Prozac is not a controlled substance but needs a Usage Prozac is used as an antidepressant, antiobsessional and antibulimic medication (Fluoxetine, 2000). Prozac is presumed to
Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which each person is able to comprehend his or her own potential, manage the normal stresses of life, work effectively, and have an involvement in the community. A mentally healthy human being is in touch with reality, can identify with other people and adapt well to situations in their environment, and can solve conflicts. Mentally healthy folks have psychobiological elasticity. Mental illnesses usually have definable diagnoses. The person
Unfortunately, depression is one most common condition in the world today. It doesn 't matter if you are a man or woman of any age, where you came from or what your social background are. Depression can occur at any stage in life, and sometimes people become depressed for no apparent reason. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America “ADAA”, which is an organization that dedicated to the prevention, and cure for mood disorder, who states that “mental illness affecting 40 million
Since the discovery of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and tricyclic antidepressants in the 1950s and its affect on depressives, Schildkraut first proposed the Monoamine Theory. The theory states that depression is caused by an imbalance of monoamine transmitters (neurotransmitters) in certain areas of the brain, such as noradrenaline, serotonin and dopamine (Schildkraut, 1965). This led to the introduction of antidepressant medication in the treatment of depression, known as pharmacotherapy
Depression is one of the most widespread mental disorders globally, affecting more that 350 million people of all ages. It is characterized by disturbed sleep, loss of appetite, sadness, poor concentration and feelings of guilt. There are various types of depression which are long lasting, and other types which are constantly reoccurring (World Health Organisation , 2012). Severe symptoms of depression that inhibit the ability to work, sleep and eat is categorised as major depression, this form of
A drug is considered psychoactive if it has an effect on the central nervous system which alters a person’s thought and behavior (Cole & Cole, 1963). Humans have had a long-running affair with psychoactive substances and have responded to the demand for them with both altruism and opportunism. While much of pharmaceutical industry genuinely seeks and works for the betterment of mankind, it is also driven and influenced by capitalism and power struggles. This has been the case since man first discovered
Electroconvulsive Therapy, or ECT, is a treatment in which electrical currents trigger a brief seizure, which eventually relieves patients from severe mental illness symptoms. This procedure is used on patients with different mental illness’, but heavily used on those suffering from depression. There are many different types of depression, situational depression, atypical depression, and major depression. ECT is usually given to those suffering from major depression. Major depression can be characterized
Treating depressive and bipolar disorders with antidepressants remains a popular option in clinical practice. Most clinicians choose the drug or class of drugs, usually selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SSRI's, that is most effective and best tolerated with fewer severe side effects. These drugs are beneficial because they specifically target serotonin-based areas of the brain without affecting other neurotransmitter systems. SSRI's largely replaced tricyclic antidepressants which work by
Case Background: The condition of severe and persistent treatment resistant Major Depressive Disorder prompted treatment with S-Adenosyl Methionine, which resulted in new and unusual tactile and visual hallucinations which the patient described as being of mice and snakes crawling on their body. Major Depressive Disorder is mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of low mood present across most situations and is often accompanied by a feeling of being down, depressed, or hopeless,
A dysregulation of brain function that controls emotions is called depression ("Depression"). Depression affects teeangers in many ways. This disorder is characterized by negative emotions that are very intense and last a long time. This can cause social, educational, personal, and family issues (Krans). At any given time, 15% of children and adolescents show symptoms of depression (Krans). One of the first recognizable symptoms of depression is withdrawl, and other differences in their attitude
Antidepressants are FDA approved drugs given to patients to alleviate symptoms, most commonly anxiety and depression. There are many people who are skeptical about the use of these drugs and if they really work as a benefit toward the people taking them. There are many pros to taking the medications, but there are also cons. This is why users of these drugs have to be aware of the side effects in order to get the full use of the medicine. Research shows that the benefits of antidepressants outweigh
Competency standards are constructed to describe all the fundamental qualities which are attained by an individual based on knowledge and experience, and together enable the individual to practise effectively as a professional. The National Competencies Framework provides a set of diverse guidelines for training pharmacists to develop into a qualified health professional who can ultimately promote the quality use of medicines in Australia. Competency Standard 4.2.2 revolves around the review of
Migraine headaches affect an estimated 36 million Americans, or about 12% of the population, surpassing asthma at 8.3% (25 million) and diabetes at 7.8% (23.6 million). Migraines are much more common in women than in men--about 3 times more common. Nearly 30% of women will experience at least one episode of migraine headaches in their lifetime, most commonly in the third and sixth decades of life. However, migraines can affect anyone at any age and from any ethnic group. In addition to indirect