On July 4, two hundred thirty four years ago, influential members of the Continental Congress, affectionately referred to as our founding fathers, were hard at work pursuing the arduous process task of declaring independence from the abusive, arrogant and autocratic governance of King George III. What I find strikingly poignant was how painful this ordeal [...]
The basic tenet of non compliance is the failure to take medication according to prescribed directions. But it’s more than non adherence to directions, non compliance is also indicative of the misuse of medication. Here are five common causes of non compliance and how healthcare professionals can help. Side Effects. In a “perfect drug” scenario, [...]
Although not available in the United States, Valdoxan (agomelatine) is the first ever melatonergic antidepressant in that the drug activates specific melatonin receptors (MT-1, MT-2) in the brain. Valdoxan claims to improve sleep disruption without affecting daytime vigilance by exerting specific actions on the regulation of circadian rhythms. The recommended starting dose is 25mg, once [...]
Recent Arrivals Intuniv (guanfacine LA). Intuniv is a long-acting formulation of the alpha-2 agonist Tenex (guanfacine). Intuniv is FDA approved for the treatment of ADHD in children and adolescents ages 6-17. The drug is available in 1mg, 2mg, 3mg, and 4mg tablets, and is dosed once daily. Guanfacine was first marketed as an antihypertensive for [...]
Let’s start with an obvious, irrefutable certainty: Prescribed medications that routinely remain in the vial or bottle won’t help anyone. Millions of people fail to take their medications correctly, and it’s a serious problem. Worse, some quit taking their medications altogether, without giving any consideration to discussing this decision with their prescribers or other health [...]
There are three (3) risk factors that have demonstrated the likelihood that children will develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: The severity of the traumatic event. Parental reaction to the traumatic event. Physical proximity to the traumatic event. As a general rule, most studies that have examined the risk factors associated with PTSD emergence in children [...]
How well do your clients communicate with their mental-health medication prescribers? Many clients develop “white-coat brain lock” when it comes to asking questions – particularly on the first visit – because one of the most prevalent communication gaps is between doctors and patients. Clinicians can help, here’s how: On a 3X5 index card, have your [...]
Non-medical clinicians train and practice in a world that is considerably different from that of physicians. With the employment of the medical model and the liberal use of psychotropic medications to correct the biochemistry of certain mental health syndromes on the rise, knowledge and appreciation of medical culture is more important than ever before in [...]
The placebo effect is likely as old as the healing professions themselves. Three hundred years ago, doctors purposely used inactive substances when they had no suitable medications to treat certain medical maladies. Placebos account for the successful treatment of depression, pain, asthma, arthritis, hypertension, insomnia and other conditions. In the classic placebo effect, a person [...]
Although this comes as no surprise to me, there is now clear evidence that lithium is the most efficacious single agent for managing bipolar mania and bipolar depression. If, for whatever reason, lithium is not effective as monotherapy, combining Depakote with it does increase efficacy – although not markedly. The lithium/Depakote combination therefore is optimal [...]