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More on Brain Zaps

The article mentioned in our January 2020 blog entry was followed by a more comprehensive work which was published in 2022 (Triggers and Characteristics of Brain Zaps According to the Findings of an Internet Questionnaire.) The study…

Cough Medicine for Depression?

All Posts, Ketamine, Medications, Science

Yes, cough medicine! This blog entry touches upon the same issue that was detailed in the “What’s In a Name...” blog entry of November 2020. Medications are "born” with a certain designation, which then follows them throughout…

What’s in your Genes?

All Posts, Medications, Side Effects

Carl was 47 years old when he first came to see me. He had his first depressive episode in his mid-twenties. It responded well to an antidepressant, which he continued to take even after he felt better. When he started to feel stressed out…

Taking Control of Your Cravings

All Posts, Diagnoses & Conditions, Medications

What Triggers Drug and Alcohol Cravings? Environmental Cues and Mood States Cravings for drugs or alcohol are controlled by a variety of brain chemicals, including norepinephrine, dopamine, and glutamate. Many people describe their…

Pharma Company Evergreening

All Posts, Medications, Practice

Millions of lives have been saved by the products of pharmaceutical companies, but let’s face it, they are not primarily in the business of saving lives. They are in the business of making money. As long as we remain able to live our lives…

When Ketamine Is No Longer Indicated, or a Disappointed Patient

All Posts, Diagnoses & Conditions, Ketamine, Medications

A Case Study in Depression, Hypomania, and Bipolar Diagnosis Joe (a fictionalized name; real patient, case shared with permission) was in his mid-fifties, an accomplished attorney who had suffered from recurrent depression since his early…

New Ways of Thinking about Suicide

All Posts, Diagnoses & Conditions, Medications, Science

Suicidal Disorder, Antisuicidal Medications, and the Limits of Prediction Suicide is the tenth most common cause of death in the US. It is a terrible loss for the survivors and a great burden to society in general. Providers…

What’s in a Name, or the Curious Drug called Topiramate

All Posts, Diagnoses & Conditions, Medications

Topiramate (Topamax): More Than What It's Called! Patients frequently ask their psychiatrist: “Why are you prescribing me an antidepressant for anxiety when I’m not depressed?” or “Why are you prescribing me an antipsychotic for…

When the Brain Buzzes: Understanding Zaps After SSRI Discontinuation

All Posts, Medications, Science, Side Effects

Known as 'brain zaps,' these perplexing phenomena are a fairly common yet poorly understood side effect of antidepressant discontinuation. Brain zaps are sensations perceived as electrical flashes occurring inside the brain, typically experienced…