Little bit
09-26-2016, 06:43 PM
Having taken Lexapro myself in 2007, I was surprised to learn at one point that doctors don't really know how antidepressants work. There were theories, but they didn't really know if, or how, they work, and many suggested it was just placebo effect. I participated on a few threads at 23andme which illustrated how differently people react to antidepressants, some having very bad reactions, while others had very good reactions, all to the same drug or class of drugs. As for myself, I had a tough time getting on antidepressants because of side effects, some very unexpected (back pain, who knew?), but once on, I felt it alleviated my depression. I could only stay on for around 3 months, however, because at that point, the side effects started to negatively affect my mood (sleep issues, digestion problems, restlessness, and inability to tolerate alcohol made life less fun.) Going off was a breeze which was surprising given the horror stories I found online, with about a week of tapering off. No problem and no significant relapses other than normal seasonal/situational blues. But I still wondered, why did it work for me and not others? This new study suggests a possible reason why:
Antidepressant Effects Thwarted by Stressful Environments
SSRIs may even be harmful for those whose depression emerges from stressful situations
Since the simplistic serotonin imbalance theory of depression has fallen out of favor, other neurological theories have taken its place in the attempt to find a medical intervention for depression. One current theory involves an immune response in the brain. In previous studies, SSRIs were found to decrease inflammatory responses in the brain, which was theorized to be part of the mechanism of their antidepressant effect.
However, attempts to replicate these studies were inconsistent. Some researchers found pro-inflammatory responses in the brain, while others found anti-inflammatory responses. Because of this, it is unclear whether pro- or anti-inflammatory responses are associated with antidepressant effects.
Given these contradictory results, researchers have hypothesized that the degree of inflammatory response caused by SSRI use is dependent on another factor, the environment. “The increase in serotonin levels induced by SSRIs enhances neural plasticity, rendering individuals more susceptible to environmental conditions,” write the researchers, led by Silvia Alboni at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
However, these results confirm the growing body of literature that indicates that antidepressant drugs may only be effective for individuals who are living relatively unstressed lives. This finding calls into question the effectiveness of these medications for those who need appropriate treatment most—those who have particularly taxing occupations, who live in poverty, who are homeless, who are facing an abusive partner, or who deal with racism on a daily basis, for instance. Indeed, if antidepressants increase susceptibility to stress, as this study indicates, then these drugs may even be less effective than no treatment for most people with depression.
http://www.madinamerica.com/2016/09/antidepressant-effects-thwarted-by-stressful-environments/?ref=yfp
Although my life wasn't without stress at the time, I wasn't facing anything very serious like abuse, poverty, or homelessness so perhaps that's why it worked for me? Actually, looking back, I had it pretty good and I'm wondering if the drug allowed me to finally see that? Have you taken an SSRI, and what do you think? Could this also explain why young people are more susceptible to having a negative experience/suicide risk?
Antidepressant Effects Thwarted by Stressful Environments
SSRIs may even be harmful for those whose depression emerges from stressful situations
Since the simplistic serotonin imbalance theory of depression has fallen out of favor, other neurological theories have taken its place in the attempt to find a medical intervention for depression. One current theory involves an immune response in the brain. In previous studies, SSRIs were found to decrease inflammatory responses in the brain, which was theorized to be part of the mechanism of their antidepressant effect.
However, attempts to replicate these studies were inconsistent. Some researchers found pro-inflammatory responses in the brain, while others found anti-inflammatory responses. Because of this, it is unclear whether pro- or anti-inflammatory responses are associated with antidepressant effects.
Given these contradictory results, researchers have hypothesized that the degree of inflammatory response caused by SSRI use is dependent on another factor, the environment. “The increase in serotonin levels induced by SSRIs enhances neural plasticity, rendering individuals more susceptible to environmental conditions,” write the researchers, led by Silvia Alboni at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
However, these results confirm the growing body of literature that indicates that antidepressant drugs may only be effective for individuals who are living relatively unstressed lives. This finding calls into question the effectiveness of these medications for those who need appropriate treatment most—those who have particularly taxing occupations, who live in poverty, who are homeless, who are facing an abusive partner, or who deal with racism on a daily basis, for instance. Indeed, if antidepressants increase susceptibility to stress, as this study indicates, then these drugs may even be less effective than no treatment for most people with depression.
http://www.madinamerica.com/2016/09/antidepressant-effects-thwarted-by-stressful-environments/?ref=yfp
Although my life wasn't without stress at the time, I wasn't facing anything very serious like abuse, poverty, or homelessness so perhaps that's why it worked for me? Actually, looking back, I had it pretty good and I'm wondering if the drug allowed me to finally see that? Have you taken an SSRI, and what do you think? Could this also explain why young people are more susceptible to having a negative experience/suicide risk?