UnfoldingSky Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 http://www.alternet.org/story/156232/take_a_pill,_kill_your_sex_drive_6_reasons_anti-depressants_are_misnamed?page=1 AlterNet / By Bruce E. Levine Take a Pill, Kill Your Sex Drive? 6 Reasons Antidepressants Are Misnamed Two researchers say calling these medications "antidepressants" may make marketing sense -- but it's not very scientific. July 11, 2012 Should a drug that produces sexual dysfunction for the majority of users and which doubles the risk of a suicide attempt be labeled an antidepressant? No, argues a recent Scientifica article, “Relabeling the Medications We Call Antidepressants." The article's authors, David Antonuccio, psychologist at the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Nevada School of Medicine, and David Healy, psychiatrist at the Department of Psychological Medicine, Bangor University in the UK, point out that “to call these medications antidepressants may make sense from a marketing standpoint but may be misleading from a scientific perspective.” They conclude that “it may make just as much sense to call these medications antiaphrodisiacs as antidepressants because the negative effects on libido and sexual functioning are so common.” If a greater percentage of antidepressant users suffer from sexual dysfunction than are relieved of depression, in a scientific sense, it is not silly to label the medication in terms of the condition that it affects most? And while Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft are antidepressants for some people, for other people they are suicidality inducers, agitation enhancers and mania stimulators. Antonuccio and Healy offer six reasons why Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro and other so-called antidepressants should not be labeled antidepressants. 1. An Actual Antidepressant Should Not Interfere with Sexual Functioning Loss of interest in pleasurable activities such as sex is one symptom of depression, and so it is odd that a medication that results in a loss of interest in sex could be labeled as an antidepressant. Antidepressant manufacturers estimate that 2% to 16% of antidepressant users experience sexual dysfunction. However, a 2001 study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry examined 610 women and 412 men with previously normal sexual functioning who were being treated with antidepressants, and it found that 59% reported sexual dysfunction, 62% of the men and 57% of the women (women reported more severe symptoms). Dysfunctions included decreased libido and inability to have an orgasm. Comparable rates of sexual dysfunction have been found in a 2010 Psychiatry Investigation study. In antidepressant trials, 30% to 40% of subjects routinely gain relief from depression, and so the percentage of antidepressant users who suffer from sexual dysfunction is higher than the percentage who gain relief from depression. 2. An Actual Antidepressant Should Not Increase Suicidal Thoughts and Attempts The Food and Drug Administration analysis of antidepressants trials in 4,400 depressed young people found that antidepressants doubled the risk of “suicidality” (suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts), which occurred in approximately 4% of those taking antidepressants compared with 2% of those taking a placebo. Antonuccio and Healy note that, “While the risk of increased suicidality appears to be relatively low (i.e., two extra suicidal patients for every 100 treated with an antidepressant compared with a placebo) and no patients actually completed suicide in the FDA database of controlled trials, the stakes are clearly high.” The risk is serious enough to warrant FDA “black box warnings” about increased suicidality for patients under the age of 25. More at above link... I am not a medical professional and nothing I say is a medical opinion or meant to be medical advice, please seek a competent and trusted medical professional to consult for all medical decisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexjuice Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Thanks for posting the link. Who is Bruce Levine? I'm not familiar with him. Edit: I just googling him so now I know... :-) "Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me. Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there Everybody's got to move somewhere Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow Things should start to get interesting right about now." - Zimmerman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparrow Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 What's a "sex drive"? Sparrow 2009-2011: tapered off Trazodone, Namenda, Lamictal, Dextroamphetamine, Zyprexa; cold-turkeyed Pristiq; reduced Lexapro dose 50%.On clonazepam since 2004, 0.5 - 1.0 mg daily PRN. Three failed (too rapid) partial tapers, 2010 - 2011.Dec. 2011 - March 2013: Tapered off 0.5 mg clonazepam (Klonopin) August 2013: Switched to liquid escitalopram (Lexapro) and began tapering from 10 mg. January 2014: 4.5 mg escitalopram March 2014: One year off benzos May 2014: 3.0 mg escitalopram June 2014: severe depression, updosed to 4.0 mg Sept 1, 2014: 2.7 mg Dec 7, 2014: Can't get below 2.5 mg without unbearable symptoms. Doing an extended hold (I hope) March 2015: TWO YEARS POST-BENZO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarannamated Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Thanks for posting the link. Who is Bruce Levine? I'm not familiar with him. Edit: I just googling him so now I know... :-) LOVE Bruce Levine!! He speaks the truth with a great dry wit that is befitting. I'll try to find some of his videos. I believe he may have begun the "BE NONCOMPLIANT!" movement. Great article. "Antidepressant" is the greatest misnomer in medical history. Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarannamated Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 What's a "sex drive"? What is sex? Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexjuice Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 What's a "sex drive"? What is sex? Something people watch on the Internet, I think? "Well my ship's been split to splinters and it's sinking fast I'm drowning in the poison, got no future, got no past But my heart is not weary, it's light and it's free I've got nothing but affection for all those who sailed with me. Everybody's moving, if they ain't already there Everybody's got to move somewhere Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhow Things should start to get interesting right about now." - Zimmerman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbarannamated Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 What's a "sex drive"? What is sex? Something people watch on the Internet, I think? Ooooh....yea. Think I've heard of it... Pristiq tapered over 8 months ending Spring 2011 after 18 years of polydrugging that began w/Zoloft for fatigue/general malaise (not mood). CURRENT: 1mg Klonopin qhs (SSRI bruxism), 75mg trazodone qhs, various hormonesLitigation for 11 years for Work-related injury, settled 2004. Involuntary medical retirement in 2001 (age 39). 2012 - brain MRI showing diffuse, chronic cerebrovascular damage/demyelination possibly vasculitis/cerebritis. Dx w/autoimmune polyendocrine failure.<p>2013 - Dx w/CNS Sjogren's Lupus (FANA antibodies first appeared in 1997 but missed by doc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikki Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 And while Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft are antidepressants for some people, for other people they are suicidality inducers, agitation enhancers and mania stimulators. The suicide ideation was caused for me by WD. Agitation is my biggest issue while on and coming off ssri's. Mania sets in when I WD. So what should they be called? Monthly supply of Agitation Enhancers Nikki Intro: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1902-nikki-hi-my-rundown-with-ads/ Paxil 1997-2004 Crossed over to Lexapro Paxil not available at Pharmacies GSK halted deliveries Lexapro 40mgs Lexapro taper (2years) Imipramine Imipramine and Celexa Now Nefazadone/Imipramine 50mgs. each 45mgs. Serzone 50mgs. Imipramine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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