Depression and Insomnia

For years, doctors have known that depression and sleep disorders are linked. Up to 80 percent of people with depression also struggle with insomnia, the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep. About 15 percent of people with depression suffer from hypersomnia, or chronic oversleeping.

When treating people with both these disorders, doctors have found that treating insomnia issues often helps patients overcome depression more quickly. There's a misconception that people who are depressed sleep all the time or have trouble getting out of bed.

Yet, in reality this isn't often the case. Studies show that this particular reaction only occurs in about 15% of depressed patients. The majority of people suffering from depression don't sleep well - and depression and insomnia are much more likely to be found together. 

Treating Depression and Insomnia

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are often used to treat depression. These can be beneficial in treating people who are suffering from both depression and sleeplessness, as they produce both sedating and mood-lifting effects. 

SSRI's include the medications Fluox (Fluoxetine), Celexa (Citaopram) and Zoloft (Sertraline). Sometimes a hypnotic sleep medication such as Zolpidem (Zolbien) or Zimovane (Zopiclone) may also prescribed by your doctor. 

Although medication may seem like an effective course of treatment, it only provides short-term results. In order to obtain a permanent relief from this illness, it is highly important to benefit from a combination of psychotherapy (including cognitive-behavioral therapy) and/or pharmacological (drug) treatment. Each of these therapies can be used to treat both depression and insomnia but psychologists must carefully identify the exact cause of these symptoms prior to suggest a particular course of treatment. However, depression and insomnia is not exactly the most pleasant combination that you should learn how to wive with. 

Insomnia and depression are bad enough on their own, but when combined they can wreak serious havoc on your physical and mental health. If you’re experiencing depression-related insomnia, take your sleeplessness seriously and get treatment for it. You might be surprised how much better it makes you feel.

Atarax (Hydroxyzine) - Treat anxiety disorders and allergic skin reactions

Atarax 25 mg tablets contain the active ingredient hydroxyzine, which is a type of medicine called a sedating antihistamine. 

Hydroxyzine is used as a sedative to treat anxiety and tension. It is also used together with other medications given for anesthesia. Hydroxyzine may also be used to control nausea and vomiting. Hydroxyzine is also used to treat allergic skin reactions such as hives or contact dermatitis.

Atarax Dosage

The Atarax dosing is available as a liquid, tablet or a disintegrating tablet that will dissolve inside your mouth. Hydroxyzine medication comes in form of Atarax tablets which are Atarax 25mg, Atarax 10mg, Atarax 50mg and Atarax syrup. On http://generic-meds-store.com Atarax can be bought in 25 mg, tablet form.

How to take Atarax

The dose of Atarax prescribed and how often to take the medicine depends on the age of the person taking it, the condition being treated and how well it responds. It is important to follow the instructions given by your doctor. 

Atarax tablets should be taken with a drink of water. They can be taken either with or without food.

The medicine should be taken for as short a time as possible. Do not exceed the dose prescribed by your doctor.

Important information about Atarax

If a person is allergic to a drug like hydroxyzine it is advisable not to use Atarax or if one is pregnant. Atarax medicine when taken can impair a person’s reactions or thinking so one should be careful if such a person will engage in any activity that requires one to be alert like driving. Also inform your health provider if you are suffering from kidney disease, liver disease or seizure disorder. Your doctor should be informed to ascertain your safety before using Atarax if a person has conditions like thyroid disorder, glaucoma, epilepsy, high blood, stomach ulcer, asthma, breathing problem or emphysema, problems with urination etc. Using Atarax medicine when pregnant without telling your doctor could harm the unborn baby so it is very important to make sure your doctor is aware before you start taking the drug. Whether hydroxyzine can harm an infant or if it passes into breast milk is not yet ascertained so ensure you tell your health provider if you are breastfeeding an infant.

Storage
Keep out of the reach of children.
Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F). Keep container tightly closed. Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date.

Zoloft (Sertraline) for the Treatment of Depression

What is Zoloft?

Zoloft, generic name sertraline, is an anti-depressant medication. Sertraline is approved to treat depression, panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, social anxiety disorder (social phobia), and other conditions.

Zoloft is classified as a type of drug known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). It positively affects chemicals that exist in the brain and that may be unbalanced in people with depression, anxiety, or other similar diseases.

Zoloft comes as a tablet or a liquid to be taken by mouth once daily, and should be taken at the same time every day. It may take a few weeks or longer before the full benefit of Zoloft is noticed.

What are the side effects?

Zoloft side effects are usually not severe, and typically decrease with continued treatment. The most common Zoloft side effects are gastrointestinal disturbances such as nausea and diarrhea. Sexual problems are fairly common in both men and women. Fluctuations in weight are not uncommon if Zoloft is effectively treating depression. Individuals, who have atypical depression, may have a decreased appetite and lose weight, while individuals who have classic symptoms of depression may see slight increases in their weight, as their appetite returns. Rarely, severe Zoloft side effects can occur, which can be due to an allergic reaction, or if an individual is prescribed multiple antidepressants that have similar effects on serotonin. High levels of serotonin, called serotonin syndrome, can cause erratic behavior, vomiting and dizziness, which requires prompt medical attention.

How long does it take for Zoloft to work?

Appetite and sleep energy may get improved in one or two weeks of Zoloft usage while depressive disorders may get resolved in six to eight weeks of usage. How long does Zoloft take to work is usually subjective.

Other Options for Depression

Zoloft is not the only choice for treating depression. There are several different types of SSRI's, and if these don't work there are other types of anti-depressants. Talk therapy, with a psychologist, therapist, or social worker, is also an option.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) for Depression

SSRIs are the most widely prescribed type of antidepressants. They're usually preferred over other antidepressants, as they cause fewer side effects. An overdose is also less likely to be serious. Fluoxetine is probably the best known SSRI (sold under the brand name Prozac). Other SSRIs include Citalopram (Celexa), Cipralex (Escitalopram) and Zoloft (Sertraline).

How SSRIs Work

Medicines known as reuptake inhibitors increase the amount of particular neurotransmitters in the brain by preventing unused neurotransmitters from moving back into the pre-synaptic neuron. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors - as they are also known - increase the amount of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Serotonin has many roles in the body, including the regulation of your appetite, your sleeping patterns, your body temperature and your memory. It also plays a primary role in regulating your mood, which is the main reason why supplemental serotonin, the most common form of antidepressant, is prescribed for people experiencing anxiety or depression. People of both the male and female gender with anxiety disorders exhibit lower levels of serotonin than normal.

How effective are SSRI antidepressants?

About 5-7 in 10 people with moderate or severe depression have an improvement in symptoms within a few weeks of starting treatment with an antidepressant. However, up to 3 in 10 people improve with dummy tablets (placebos), as some people would have improved in this time naturally. So, if you have depression, you are roughly twice as likely to improve with an antidepressant compared with taking no treatment. But, they do not work in everybody. As a rule, the more severe the depression, the greater the chance that an antidepressant will work well.

People who should take extra care with SSRIs
Make sure you tell your doctor if you have, or have had in the past, any of the following conditions (you might need to take extra precautions, or another medicine might be more suitable):
- epilepsy or reduced seizure threshold
- bipolar disorder
- stomach bleeding
- liver problems
Get advice about the risks of taking antidepressants, directly from your doctor or from a specialist information line, if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or thinking about becoming pregnant.

When to take a sleeping pill for insomnia?

Insomnia is defined as difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, or waking up early in the morning and not being able to return to sleep. In general, people with insomnia sleep less or sleep poorly despite having an adequate chance to sleep. The poor sleep causes difficulty functioning during the daytime. Insomnia is not defined by the number of hours slept because the amount of sleep needed varies from one person to another.

In many cases, insomnia occurs when there is another problem, such as stress, pain, or a medical condition. In these cases, treatment of the underlying problem may help to improve sleep. In other cases, either the cause of insomnia is not clear or the insomnia does not get better when the co-existing problem is treated; therefore, the insomnia itself needs to be specifically addressed.

Sleeping pills can be an effective treatment for chronic insomnia. But like any other drug, sleep medications can have side effects. One potential side effect of sleeping pills is daytime drowsiness.

Sleep medications are powerful hypnotics. They can be helpful because they cause a strong urge to sleep. But you don’t want this sleepiness to persist after you wake up. 

One way to minimize the risk of daytime drowsiness is to take a sleeping pill at the right time of night. Most sleeping pills – such as Zolpidem (Ambien) or Zimovane (Zopiclone) - should be taken right before you get in bed. 

You should only take these sleeping pills when you are able to get a full night of sleep. This means that you should take the medication at least seven to eight hours before you need to wake up. 

In every case you should follow your doctor's advice with regard to medication – starting, changing or finishing a course of medication can have serious effects. Ensure that you consult your GP if you have any questions on this.

Depression and the Elderly

Depression is a mental health condition. It is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with daily life for weeks or longer.

Depression in older adults is a widespread problem, but it is not a normal part of aging. It is often not recognized or treated.

Major depression (also known as clinical depression) is a medical illness. It is a chemical imbalance in the brain and can appear in people regardless of age, race or economic status. The illness can appear after a triggering event or for no apparent reason at all.

Depressive symptoms that occur in the older patient are similar to the symptoms in younger adults.

Signs & Symptoms

- Constant “blue” or sad mood that does not improve even with happy occurrences

- Reduced total sleep time

- Frequent waking during the night

- Frequent physical complaints (example: stomachaches, headaches, dizziness, and/or joint pain that does not respond or responds inconsistently to treatment, despite a thorough medical evaluation and therapy)

- Increased fatigue or lack of energy

- Decreased interest in usual pleasurable activities

- Withdrawal from social interaction · Hopelessness

- Thoughts of suicide

- Decreased appetite

- Guilt or preoccupation with past events

- Decreased concentration and/or increased forgetfulness

- Irritability

- Frequent tearfulness or crying without an obvious precipitating event.

A complete physical examination to rule out other problems is critical before a diagnosis of depression is made. A complete physical examination to rule out other problems is critical before a diagnosis of depression is made. Other physical diseases (Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, thyroid disorders, certain viral infections, strokes, tumors) and certain medications (steroids, hormones, blood pressure and arthritis medications) used to treat those illnesses can mimic the symptoms depression; they can cause a chemical imbalance in the brain. Therefore, a thorough exam is extremely important, as well as a complete medical history and list of medications currently being taken (both over-the-counter and prescription drugs). Family history of depressive illness should also be noted, due to the genetic component of brain illnesses.

Antidepressants For Anxiety Disorders

Depression and anxiety are two separate disorders. They are related in some ways - there is a high comorbidity between anxiety and depression, indicating that they have something in common - but they're technically different disorders that cause different symptoms and require different treatments.

There are a number of different medications that are currently used to treat anxiety disorders. Antidepressants, although originally intended to treat depression, have been found to be effective in relieving symptoms of anxiety. Medication does not “cure” anxiety. While some people may not feel relief from anxiety symptoms and some may not be able to tolerate side effects, the majority of people do find relief from the debilitating impact of anxiety in their lives.

There are a number of antidepressant medications on the market today used to treat different types of anxiety:

- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) Examples include Lexapro (Escitalopram), Celexa (Citalopram), Fluox (Fluoxetine), and Zoloft (Sertraline).

- Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRI) Examples include Cymbalta and Effexor.

- Tricyclic Antidepressants Examples include Adapin, Anafranil, and Elavil.

- Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOI) Examples include Aurorix, and Emsam.

While the drugs themselves are all different, they all affect the serotonin system in the body. There is little medical reason to choose one over another. Most often, a doctor will choose based on their own personal preference, the history of side effects, the allergies of the person with anxiety, other medications, etc.

It should be noted that antidepressants can also take weeks to work and do not always affect everyone. Doctors may prefer a different course of treatment to provide immediate relief or to benefit those with a different type of anxiety disorder.