Posted by linkadge on September 22, 2010, at 16:33:56
When I think of the ideal med it would be "soothing". I don't know of meds that fit that characteristic.
SSRIs aren't "soothing" for me. Some TCA's would fit the category of "soothing", but they are also sedating, and the properties seem to change over time.
I might consider certain mood stabilizers soothing, i.e. zyprexa or lithium, but these too seem to induce dysphoria.
Opiates or certain benzodiazapines seem to be the only meds that fit the category of purely soothing. You know, something that can calm you down, without inducing akathesia, or restlessness, or insomnia, paradoxical activation, or mood depressant effects.
The antidepressants are marketed as anxiolytics, but they are not anxiolytic in the way that benzodiazapines are. Its a totally different effect and ADs seem to be more unpredictable.
I.e. amitriptyline metabolizes to nortriptyline which can be stimulating. After the antihistamine effect wears off, the drug can be quite activating.Some of the mood stabilizers (ie. gabapentin) are used for a benzodiazapine like effect, less the tollerance.
We need better anxioltyics. I.e. drugs that *target* anxiety and insomnia without all the collateral effects of antidepressants or antipsychotics, or the mood depressant effects of antipsychotics or mood stabilizers.
You know, like a pharmacudical kava-kava. Now that was soothing. Who could ask for more than the pharmacudical equivilant of kava kava?
Linkadge
poster:linkadge
thread:963383
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100917/msgs/963383.html