Depression - Anxiety Disorder - Panic attacks - Other Phobias

 

Today more and more people experiencing psychiatric disorders. These disorders can affect both teenagers and adults. It is known that thoughts precede feelings. Our mind is what controls our emotions. For this and many such situations faced by means psychologist because it intervenes in the way we treat and handle situations. The combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, usually cognitive behavioral or interpersonal therapy achieves better and more lasting results than simple medication. Most will just mention that older man was aimed at finding food, later focused on the salvation of the soul through the religion mainly of learning to be frugal while today's society aims to satisfy above all mental man and after physically, ie. the food was mental satisfaction and not necessarily physical need. Today, therefore, life purpose and need of every human being is the mental satisfaction and not satisfaction of the need for survival.

 

 Depression

Clinical features:

Patient depressed and irritable mood or loss of interest and pleasure for longer than two weeks in combination with one of the four or more of the following symptoms: 1) change in appetite and body weight 2) insomnia or excessive sleepiness 3) kinetic agitation or retardation 4) fatigue 5) feelings of worthlessness, shame or guilt 6) inability to concentrate and decision making 7) recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.

 Some patients present with depression and other psychotic disorders. And many are difficult to explain or describe their mood and felt normal disposal of human nature and situations faced by contemporary human world.

Many times due to medications that can cause or exacerbate depression as antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic drugs, glucocorticoids, interferon, aniparkinsonika, anticonvulsant drugs and systemic analgesics. Diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypo- and hyperthyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, associated with depression.

 

Usually affects adults of 30 or 40 years, but may occur at any age. Episodes that do not require medical monitoring disappear by themselves within 5-9 months. Half of the patients in the first depressive episode within two years will experience a second episode. The presence of a positive family history is common and is a predictor of recurrent driving factor. Patients treated partially, a recurrence in the future depression or mood disorders.

 

Treatment:

Initially the treatment of depression requires medical monitoring and administration of antidepressants. Improvement of symptoms occurs after 2-6 weeks. After remission of the symptoms, antidepressants should be continued for 6-9 months. Antidepressants or herbal supplements are as follows below ... ..

Anxiety

Should initially be fear discrimination from stress. Fear is a normal human emotion necessary for its survival. Simply put, when frightened man increases cardiac function with the primary objective of perfusion (oxygen supply) of the limbs, feet and hands, but also its organs, eyes and ears, so be ready to react quickly (reflexes ) like to run, or to cover up his head or some other part of his body to protect it. The same physical function happening now and the stress is and this is normal to happen but has limits.

If unchecked, panic reaches crisis level as discussed below. Consequently, stress is fear that if we eg be late in the morning to go to our work. Then follows the fear of our thoughts. Ie. What will happen after he be late in our work. It fired? I will not have money? Will regain work .; Will I eat? I will not go into the process to say when it is right to stop any such thoughts. The right is if it can manage.

What is the worst that will happen in any case? That is, in our example which considers everyone to be the worst that will happen when a long time to go to work? Generally each according to his character manages his thoughts differently. Stress is constructive and necessary trigger activation of each enough to be manageable otherwise have panic disorder

 

Panic disorder

 

clinical Features

It occurs in 1-3% of the population proportion of women to men 2: 1. Family predisposition may occur. The diagnosis is difficult. It affects ages 20 to 30. Initially, individuals turn to a doctor who is not a psychiatrist and often in the ED (emergency department) where this has happened or probable myocardial has presented significant respiratory problem. Characterized by anxiety panic attacks, tremors and other physical symptoms. Seizures reach its peak in the first 10 minutes and then slowly lysed alone. The diagnostic criteria for panic disorder is 4 or more seizures over 4 weeks.

The symptoms must be at least 4 of the following: palpitations, chest pain, discomfort, shortness of breath, feeling of suffocation or choking, dizziness, vertigo, hallucinations, chills, heat sensation, sweating, faintness, tremors, fear of death, fear of madness or fear loss of control during the crisis. Panic disorder is often associated with major depression. If left untreated panic disorder may develop other phobias or agoraphobia.

Panic disorder should differentiate from cardiovascular and respiratory disorders. Diseases that mimic or worsen panic attacks are hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, or use substances (amphetamines, cocaine, caffeine, sympathomimetic nasal decongestants) and withdrawal syndromes (alcohol, tranquilizers, barbiturates)

Treatment:

Cognitive - behavioral psychotherapy, ie. To recognize and stop one panic attacks by relaxing and breathing techniques either alone or in combination with medication, may be effective. Usually there is hyperventilation in panic attacks, so you may have seen many to inhale and exhale slowly and correctly or to inhale and exhale through a paper bag dioxide CO2 to bring the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide again. Antidepressants are the drugs of choice. nutritional supplements and herb-therapeutic products.

 

other fears

 

Agoraphobia: Fear of man when in public places. It can also occur independently of the existence of panic disorder but usually follows it. Treatment same as panic disorder.

 

Social phobia and simple phobias: Persistent irrational fear and need to avoid. Example: Voice fear in public and excessive fear of social obligations, claustrophobia and fear of heights. Treatment: Cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation techniques and systematic desensitization and exposure therapy.

 

Nutritional information / Herbs / Supplements for depression:

 

5-HTP (hydroxytryptophan) 100-300mg / day (at meals)
It can increase the risk appearance-like symptoms to those to those of scleroderma in susceptible individuals. May cause serotonin syndrome if administered simultaneously with antidepressants that increase serotonin levels. Avoid concomitant use. Not pregnant and lactating.

DLPA 500-1000mg / day (at meals)
Simultaneous use of antipsychotic drugs may increase the risk of tardive dyskinesia event. Phenylalanine can cause hypertension if taken together with MAOIs. People with phenylketonuria should avoid use. Not by pregnant women and nursing mothers.

L - Tyrosine 500-1000mg / day (at meals)
Do not be taken concurrently with MAOIs without medical advice. Not pregnant and nursing mothers and people with melanoma.

Rhodiola rosea 250-750mg / day
Concomitant use with antidepressants be done only with medical advice. Be avoided by pregnant women and nursing mothers.

St. Johns Wort 300-600mg / day
 It can cause photosensitivity. It recommended when shooting to avoid foods such as meat, yeast, pickled herring, red wine, cheese and generally obsolete products containing tyramine. It should not be used taftochrana with antidepressant drugs. May interact with anesthetic drugs. Only medical advice if taken at the same time other medicines. Not by pregnant and lactating medicines.

Omega 3 fatty acids 1000-3000 mg fish oil or other oil respectively

vitamin B - B complex

Nutritional information / Herbs / dietary supplements for anxiety - panic attack and stress:

 

Rhodiola 250-750mg / day
Do not be taken simultaneously with antidepressants during pregnancy and lactation.

Magnesium - Magnesium 200-600mg / day
Large doses can cause watery stools. People taking medications associated with cardiovascular disease should consult their physician about the use of magnesium supplements.

Flaxeed oil 2-10g / day

L-Theamne 50-600mg / day

Can increase the effect of chemotherapeutic agents in tumor cells. Do not be taken simultaneously with antidepressants. Do not be taken during pregnancy or lactation.

B-Complex - Vitamin B. 50mg / day

Siberian Gingseng 300-900mg / day probably effective for stress.

Calcium 200-600mg / day probably effective stress.
Do not be taken simultaneously with drugs to regulate blood pressure without medical supervision. Individuals who develop hyperparathyroidism situations must not use calcium supplements unless medical command and monitoring.

 

Reduce / avoid: alcohol, caffeinated drinks, sugar,

Increase: full and unprocessed grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, fatty fish.

 

The text was edited by Pharmacist

Polyzos Apostolos - specialized in Organization and Management of Health Services

 

Bibliography

Oxford handbook of clinical medicine "R.A.Hope, J.M.Longmore, S.K.McManus, C.A.Wood-Allum"
Harrison INTERNAL PATHOLOGY HANDBOOK SESSION Kasper D., Braunwald E., Fauci A., Hauser S., Longo D., Jameson L.

All the above information is for informational purposes only.

Please consult your physician.

 

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