Posted by shadowplayers721 on January 19, 2007, at 3:17:29
In reply to Re: Do people feel medications help or mask sympto » shadowplayers721, posted by Quintal on January 17, 2007, at 11:06:24
To me, the actual defining of the type and level of depression is key. However, I believe we are still in the dawn of understanding depression. I have read a long time back a few other posters stating that opiates helped their depression too. I have no doubt that it did and does. Opiates and SSRI's work on the central nervous system.
One problem with the opiates is the risk of psychological and physical addiction component. Wherein, the user will steadily try to achieve the same sense of euphoria once experienced with a small amount of the opiate. Opiate dosing to treat the depression without falling into that cycle for millions of people would be very difficult. In addition, there would be the risk of respiratory depression and over dosage issue.
Opiates do have a strong stigma attached to addiction as far back as the opium dens in China.
SSRI's do not give this same sense of euphoria or we would have SSRI's dens. As you stated, they can make you feel numb. Others, describe this as the poop out. The SSRI's are given to reduce the level of intensity of depression and anxiety. Of course, the reduction is very individual. Reducing the severity of depression does not appear to be masking to me.
Perhaps, creating a new variety of poppies without addiction potential and risk of respiratory depression would be something of the future for depression tx.
poster:shadowplayers721
thread:721825
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070113/msgs/723935.html