A nervous breakdown refers to a mainstream and often-used term to generically describe someone who experiences a bout of mental illness that is so severe, it directly impacts their ability to function in everyday life. The specific mental illness can be anything - depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or something else. But the reference to a “nervous breakdown” usually refers to the fact that the person has basically stopped their daily routines - going to work, interacting with loved ones or friends, even just getting out of bed to eat or shower.

A nervous breakdown can be seen as a sign that one’s ability to cope with life or a mental illness has been overwhelmed by stress, life events, work or relationship issues. By disconnecting from their regular responsibilities and routines, an individual’s nervous breakdown may allow them to try and regroup their coping skills and temporarily relieve the stress in their life.

Someone with a nervous breakdown may be seen as having “checked out” from society temporarily. They no longer maintain their social relationships with others, and find it difficult or impossible to go to work and may call in sick multiple days in a row. People with a nervous breakdown often don’t even have the coping resources available to take care of themselves, or do much more than rudimentary self-care and maintaining. They may over-eat (if it provides them comfort) or simply fail to eat altogether, not feeling the need or energy to do so.

Since a nervous breakdown is not a clinical or scientific term, it’s meaning can also vary in terms of its length and severity, as well as outcomes. Many people who suffer from a nervous breakdown usually seek out treatment (or have treatment sought out on their behalf by a loved one), and treatment is usually on the serious end of the spectrum of all the interventions available. Inpatient hospitalization for a serious nervous breakdown would not be unusual, to help a person become stabilized and find an effective treatment strategy for the mental disorder they’re affected by.

People who suffer from a nervous breakdown and seek out treatment for it will usually recover from the most extreme depths of the “breakdown” within a few weeks’ time (which may be quickened with inpatient psychiatric treatment). Longer-term recovery usually takes months of ongoing outpatient treatment with mental health specialists, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist.

A nervous breakdown is not a condition to be afraid of, as it is simply an indication of overhwelming stress and mental illness in a person’s life. Loved ones and friends of someone who is suffering from a nervous breakdown should be supportive of the individual’s efforts in seeking help for it.

Carlo Mueres is a excellent depression therapist who have been working with depression for seven years. If you want more his help please check his depression and anxiety guide!

Part of the problem in finding drugs which may be effective for dementia is that our ideas about what constitutes dementia have been undergoing radical change in recent years. It had been traditional to distinguish between Alzheimer’s dementia, or senile dementia of the Alzheimer’s type (SDAT) and multi-infarct dementia (MID), which is theoretically caused by small strokes which insidiously pick off brain tissue to the point where an individual’s cognitive function is compromised.

It was originally thought that MID accounted for 60%+ of the dementias. Accordingly, early attempts to treat the dementias concentrated on the multi-infarct dementias. The initial hypothesis was that these multiple small strokes were being caused by a process of hardening of the arteries, sometimes called arteriosclerosis and sometimes atherosclerosis (although these terms refer to two quite different disorders) which impaired blood supply to the brain. The logical treatment, therefore, for this condition was to attempt to dilate blood vessels. This led to the use of a wide number of vasodilating drugs such as hydralazine.

It is quite rare now for such drugs to be used for this purpose. Arguably, if anything, such treatment may have made the condition somewhat worse in that a potential effect of vasodilators is the reduction of blood pressure and reducing blood pressure would mean that the brain would be less perfused with blood, as one of the functions of blood pressure in the first instance is to provide the propulsive force to send blood up against the force of gravity to perfuse the brain.

Stage 2

More recent attempts to treat the dementias have proceeded on the basis that Alzheimer’s dementia is the commonest form of dementia. For many years, the term Alzheimer’s dementia was reserved for dementias that came on before the age of 65 (for this reason it was also called persenile dementia), which were not obviously caused by strokes. It was conceded that there was another dementia that was like Alzheimer’s dementia, which appeared to come on after the age of 65 but this was thought to be less common. Distinctions on the basis of age have now collapsed and both dementias of the Alzheimer type are now called senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. The amalgamation of these two groups led to an awareness that Alzheimer’s-type dementia is the commonest form. The primary therapeutic focus in the field, therefore, has been on an attempt to reverse the deficits which are supposed to be present in SDAT.

In particular, it has been held that in Alzheimer’s, there is a dysfunction of cholinergic pathways in the brain, for which there are both historical and clinical reason. Historically, when early work in psychopharmacology began, there were only four known neurotransmitters - noradrenaline, 5-HT, dopamine and acetylcholine (ACh). Noradrenaline quickly became the neurotransmitter involved in depression and mood disorders. Dopamine was known to be involved in Parkinson’s disease, and, when it became clear that neuroleptics acted on it, schizophrenia, after which the psychoses in general came to be seen as disorders of dopamine neurotransmission. For the most part, 5-HT was associated with either depression or anxiety. This left ACh without a function. It seemed convenient to parcel it out to the dementias.

There was, in addition, some clinical evidence in favour of an association between the cholinergic system and dementia. Part of the reason for this claim can be seen in a number of the chapters of this blog, in which drugs with anticholinergic effects have been noted as potentially causing amnesia or confusion (see The Management of Side Effects & Side Effects of Antidepressants articles).

Stage 3

In the last 5 years, a number of other dementias have been described. A distinction has been drawn between cortical and subcortical dementias. The cortex of the brain is the area responsible for higher cognitive functions, such as speaking, reading, planning and executing actions, etc In the cortical dementias, memory is usually the function most noticeably affected but those who are affected also have problems with planning even simple functions such as dressing and they typically cannot read, draw or execute any complex tasks. Alzheimer’s and MID are cortical dementias. There are also subcortical parts to the brain which are common to humans and other mammals. They involve a number of what are termed midbrain and brainstem structures.

Carlo Mueres is a great depression therapist who have been working with depression for seven years. If you want more his help please check his depression and anxiety guide!

Lexapro is an antidepressant drug which is categorized as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI for short). This class of drugs help to restore the proper chemical balance in the brain by affecting the use of the neurotransmitter called serotonin. SSRI drugs produce a feeling of well being and lower anxiety and fear in the user.

Obviously, this is a great thing for Lexapro users; however, the drug is not free of side effects. Something which every patient who is taking or is considered to be a good candidate for the medication needs to consider carefully is this: are the side effects of Lexapro serious enough that they warrant not taking the drug in the first place? If you?ve been thinking about this yourself, then you should read the possible side effects of this antidepressant drug which are discussed below and talk to your doctor about them.

Increased Risk of Suicide. Though the increased risk of suicide is ever so slight it is one of the side effects of Lexapro that should not be overlooked and dismissed. There are certain contributing factors that increase the likelihood of this specific side effect but there is no one who takes this medication that is exempt from the possibility of increased depression symptoms including thoughts of, and in some extreme cases, suicide.

Persons younger than 25 are at an even higher risk of suicide when using the drug; but anyone regardless of age who notices mood swings, agitation, difficulty sleeping or unaccountable hostility while using Lexapro should contact their physician immediately. If you fantasize about causing harm to yourself or others or are overcome with depression, then see your doctor right away.

Physical Side Effects. Some of the physical side effects of Lexapro are particularly disturbing. Among them are the following: impotence, decreased sex drive, dry mouth, easy bruising, sweating, easy bleeding, weakness, yawning, nausea, and irregular heartbeat. Patience should not take a diuretic in combination with Lexapro because you run the risk of losing too much salt. You also should not take Lexapro while pregnant. This is especially true during the last three months of pregnancy when it is believed to contribute to the possibility of babies being born with withdrawal symptoms.

Risk of Interactions. One of the side effects of Lexapro that is often overlooked for its importance is the risk of interactions with other medications you may be taking. Not only should you avoid diuretics while taking Lexapro but you should also take great pains to notify your physician of any other medications you are taking when Lexapro is prescribed. Lexapro should also not be taken along with or for a period of two weeks before or after taking MAO inhibitors, along with aspirin, or with weight loss medications.

The side effects of Lexapro can be mild and short lived or quite severe and last for the duration of the time you are taking it. Knowing what to look for can help you decide if your symptoms are side effects or might be the symptoms of something else. As always a frank and honest discussion with your physician is key when considering a new medication or deciding if the benefits of a current prescription outweigh the side effects.

If you?d rather avoid the possible side effects of Lexapro, then you may want to consider using one of the natural alternatives such as St. John?s Wort, the amino acid 5-HTP or valerian root.

Zoloft is a SSRI and is often recommended to patients that are suffering from some form of social anxiety, such as panic attacks, OCD, depression, etc. As a patient, you have the right to know about the medication that is prescribed to you, including the possible side effects of Zoloft that could occur as a result of it.

Zoloft is an SSRI which stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. It works by improving your overall mood, relieving anxieties, lowering fear, and actually reducing certain compulsions. It does these things by providing balance for various chemicals, like serotonin, in the brain. Unfortunately, the side effects of Zoloft may make this an unattractive treatment option for some people despite the many potential benefits of this particular medication.

One of the side effects of Zoloft that many patients feel very uncomfortable with is that Zoloft, and other SSRI’s like it, can actually have the opposite effect to the desired one. In some patients it increases depression and, along with that there are increased suicidal thoughts and attempts. Although this particular side effect of Zoloft is not altogether common it certainly bears mentioning. This side effect seems to be more common in people below the age of 25 years but it does occur in older people as well. It is vital that anybody who is on a Zoloft prescription should know of the possibility of this side effect occurring. If you are currently on this medication and you have experienced more feelings of depression and/or suicidal thoughts, then it is essential that you inform your doctor.

It is important that your physician be notified if, since being on the medication, you have experienced a lower sex drive, and, if you are male, delayed ejaculation. Other side effects of Zoloft worth notifying your doctor about are: sudden or unexplained loss of weight, jaundice, shaking, suicidal thoughts, dark urine, vomit or stool that has the same consistency as coffee grounds, black stool, and/or severe stomach pain. Also notify your doctor if you suspect that you might be having and allergic reaction the Zoloft.

If you or anyone in your family have been bipolar, endured seizures, experienced kidney, thyroid or liver disease, or battled suicidal thoughts and tenancies, then Zoloft really should be avoided. Children should never be given Zoloft because of the weight loss, since most children should not loose weight quickly. And, it goes without saying, that Zoloft, like any other medication, should never be taken with alcohol.

Another of the potential side effects of Zoloft is that when taken alongside other medications it can interact with them. This can potentially damage your health so it is vital that you and your physician know precisely what other medications and supplements you are taking, even if only over the counter pain relievers. Remember, it is your body and you have the right to be actively involved in ensuring its overall well-being.

For those already on an SSRI such as Zoloft never stop taking or adjust your dosage without your doctor’s approval due to potential serious withdrawal symptoms. The dosage should be tapered off slowly under a doctor’s strict supervision.

If you decide the side effects of Zoloft that could be experienced are not acceptable then make sure you discuss it plainly with your doctor. After-all, your ultimate objective is to have peace of mind which means you do not need to be stressing over the medication. And, if you would prefer, there are natural, herbal anxiety remedies that are available that do not carry the same risks but do provide the same benefits.