2.How To Deal With Side Effects of Antidepressants

How To Deal With Side Effects of Antidepressants

There is little poison in every medication. However, sometimes one has to grin and bear the side effects of a drug for the greater benefit it confers. Here are some of the problems that can be caused by antidepressants – and how to deal with them:


Dry mouth is possibly the most common side effect of virtually all the antidepressants. Unless you are in heart failure, you should drink as much water as you need to quench your thirst. If necessary, chew sugarless gum to stimulate the production of saliva in your mouth. Since a dry mouth predisposes cavity formation, gum infection, and tooth loss, rinse your mouth twice a day with a fluoride preparation and see your dentist three or four times a year for oral hygiene.


Constipation is another common complication of antidepressants. It can be prevented by eating bran cereals every morning, drinking at least six 8-ounce glasses of water daily, eating salad twice a day, and exercising at least thirty minutes three or four times a week. Also, take a bulk-forming agent such as psyllium to make your stools easier to pass. But whatever you do, don’t fall into the laxative trap.


Bladder problems. If you have a large prostate, the tricyclic drugs can interfere with the flow of urine out of your bladder. If it takes you longer than five minutes to get things going after you arrive at the urinal, tell your doctor about it.


Blurred vision is a common side effect of the tricyclics. Chances are they won’t affect your distant vision, but you may have trouble reading. Most people adjust in a few weeks, but if you don’t and are apt to need these drugs for any length of time, have your glasses changed.


Dizziness is another complication of the tricyclics. This symptom worries me because it can lead to a fall and serious injury. If it persists, you’ll have to stop taking the drug. While using tricyclics, change position slowly to avoid a drop in blood pressure when going from sitting to standing, or when getting out of bed. Also, make sure you are consuming enough salt and fluids.


Drowsiness is frequently produced by virtually every antidepressant, though less so with the newer selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Most people adapt to it in time, and it is rarely a reason to quit taking the medication. However, while you are adjusting, don’t drive or operate dangerous equipment an extra cup of coffee will often perk you up.


Loss of libido is a common effect of the SSRIs. That is often hard to evaluate in someone who’s depressed, since lack of interest in sex often accompanies depression anyway. But if it is a real problem, ask your doctor about some of the new sex medications. And if they don’t work, there’s always golf.

1.Top 7 Tips To Treat And Prevent Depression

Top 7 Tips To Treat And Prevent Depression

Chronic illness, loss of family members and friends, social isolation, and financial worries all contribute to late-life depression. Though depression is one of the most common psychological disorders among those over 60 – affecting up to 15 percent of the population over 60 years of age – it is not a normal part of aging. To bolster your resilience, here are a few suggestions that can help you.


1. Brew Up Herbal Relief


One herb, hypericin has been found to cause significant reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety. Several of its constituents all contribute, perhaps, synergistically to the increase in compounds that relieve depression. To try it, it is recommended using tinctures, or evening primrose infusions, in which the flowering tops have been steeped. Or use just plain old teas. Suggests steeping one to two teaspoons of the dried herb in a cup of boiling water for 10 minutes and drinking one or two cups of the tea daily for four to six weeks.


2. Try Déjà Vu All Over Again


One terrific antidote for the blues is doing an activity you used to enjoy but have not participated in for many years. Bowling, camping, fly-fishing, and other long-dormant hobbies can spark fond memories that will actually uplift your spirits. But if you just sit at home, none of these positive things are going to occur.


3. Try Seafood


Eating tuna, salmon, and other fish loaded with omega-3, a type of polyunsaturated fat, may help bolster your mood. The low levels of omega-3 in your nervous system may increase your vulnerability to depression. So regular consumption of fish once or twice a week may prevent the blues. Lobster, crab, shrimp, and other shellfish also contain some omega-3.


4. Keep Yourself Busy


If you keep yourself absorbed in gardening, woodworking, traveling, and other projects, it will prevent you from dwelling on whatever is making you feel unhappy. Write down a list of goals you want to accomplish in the next week or month and dive into them. Always have something to look forward to, and you will be less susceptible to the blues.


5. Try Writing


If you are uncomfortable talking about your depression with others or have no one whom you can share your thoughts with, write down your feelings in a journal. Writing will help you organize your thoughts and provide an outlet for your feelings that can help you organize your thoughts and provide an outlet for your feelings that can help dissolve unpleasant emotions. Set aside 20 to 30 minutes daily to jot down your thoughts, feelings, and observations about life.


6. Exercise Regularly


Regular aerobic exercise like walking, swimming, and dancing increases the production of mood-enhancing chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, that can help pull you out of a funk. Try exercising for at least 20 minutes a day three times a week.


7. Share Your Feelings


Share your feelings with one or two close friends or relatives. More than likely, you have helped them through many upheavals in the past, and if you allow it, they will let you lean on them for emotional support for a while now. This does not mean you are asking them to solve the problem for you. It simply means you are asking them to listen, allow you to get things off your chest, and be supportive.