Posted by Questionmark on June 3, 2004, at 1:20:55
In reply to Re: Bio-psychiatry of SSRIs - Article » linkadge, posted by Sad Panda on June 2, 2004, at 14:13:26
This article scares the heck out of me. The specific reasons for SSRI withdrawal, and the gradual elevation of cortisol along with the gradual decrease in epinephrine secretion-- this would all make perfect sense. And yes, maybe SSRIs still increase neuronal regeneration and/or synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus-- due to the increase in intrasynaptic serotonin levels-- but they could still damage serotonergic neurons/axons and postsynaptic dendrites as well. And the whole thing about cortisol and epinephrine-- why cOUldn't that be true? What if it is? Maybe it's another partial explanation for SSRI-induced anhedonia (in addition to the decrease in dopamine transmission). Ah man.
What if we are just naive about our reliance on psychoactive medications? If we are then i am one of the most naive. Yes some people would need them anyway-- i probably even would still-- but are the long-term neurobiological effects usually negative??
i'm not on an SSRI (though i was on Paxil for two years and experienced months of inexplicable despair after stopping it) but i am on Nardil and that is extremely serotonergic as well. But who knows if unnaturally elevated and sustained increases in other neurotransmitter levels could have negative consequences, too?
i'm so sorry to be so negative and discouraging. i'm just so worried about this. i want someone to logically tell me that i'm wrong, and that this isn't true. Someone please convince me.
Crap.
poster:Questionmark
thread:353022
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040602/msgs/353266.html