Study, Sep/17: Acute change in anterior cingulate cortex GABA w/citalopram

The full title of this American/Israeli study is "Acute change in anterior cingulate cortex GABA, but not glutamine/glutamate, mediates antidepressant response to citalopram".

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28892734 

Hi Lapis, is good to see that finally some light has been shed into those issues, even though it talks about GABA levels and not GABA receptors per se. But it's a good start.

 

I am not familiar with the proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, I guess it is still inaccessible to public use.

 

Hi new0girl,

Yes, I'm also not familiar with this type of testing, but what strikes me is how unaware the researchers are about what the psych drugs actually do in the brain. These meds have been out on the market for years, and they're still not sure how they work. The fact that the SSRIs affect not only serotonin, but other neurotransmitters as well, is important to know.

 

I took not only benzodiazepines, but also Prozac, and I will forever regret that. I'm sure the combination of neurotransmitter-altering meds has much to do with what has happened to me -- and others around here, for that matter. 

Yes, it is shocking, and also revolting how this is going on, legally.

 

Medicine on the whole has helped humanity tremendously, but from what I've read about psychiatry since my benzo w/d, also from that Guardian article you posted not long ago, I'm convinced now that psychiatrists don't have a clue what they are doing. It's nearly impossible to measure neurotransmitter levels for any individual person as they don't freely circulate in the blood. The mind is insanely complicated and I think humanity is not there yet.

 

I'm sorry that they put you through this, not only damaging your brain with the benzos, but with the a/ds on top of that! Infuriating! But they do this all the time really. After I started to experience tolerance w/d symptoms and feeling very sick, I went back to see 3 psychiatrists and they all wanted me to go on a/ds and anti-pshychotics on top of an up dose in benzos. I find that more than irresponsible.

 

Hope you will find in you the strengths and resources to cope with this all, and congrats on your courage to face life and heal. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!  :-*

 

Thank you so much, new0girl, for your lovely, kind words. So many people around here have been dealing with similar issues, and yes, it's infuriating. I'm glad you didn't take any further medication after a certain point. I guess we've all had to learn the hard way about how dangerous the medications are and how little is actually known.

 

The brain is a splendiferous thing that shouldn't be meddled with, in most cases. I don't know about things like psychosis or other severe mental illnesses, but for anxiety and depression, I just can't see why meds are the best route. So many risks.

I don't understand either.

I wonder if 99% of the patients benefit from them and we found ourselves in the tiny minority.

Many of the negative studies on ADs were not made public and/or covered up. The placebo effect seems to play a role in some cases where there's a positive outcome, and in my books, it just doesn't make sense.

It's a mess, really.

There ARE people who have benefited from ADs. If people feel they get benefits, then power to them. But for many, there's more harm than good. The UK's Council for Evidence-Based Psychiatry (CEPUK) did a great forum last year on this topic that was entitled "More Harm Than Good". Very impressive. There's enough evidence to show how problematic the drugs are for a great many people. Check out CEPUK, if you're interesting in what they do and who they are.

Thank you,  Lapis! I'm trying to get some documents together, some evidence that I am not making this stuff up. Maybe bring them to my pdoc and GP. Although they will probably dismiss me.

 

But I need to DO something.

Here's the link:

 

http://cepuk.org/ 

 

There's so much good info on that site. Check out the advisors, videos and unrecognized facts. Many of the advisors have written books and papers on such topics. They're forward-thinking and they challenge the status quo. Really, there's quite a bit of literature out there.

Lapis, you are wonderful!

:smitten:

Glad to help, new0girl! Just sharing info, as we do here at BB! I have so much respect for the CEPUK people -- doctors and PhDs who are doing the right thing and speaking the truth. They're leading the way, and hopefully, some real action will come about as a result of their good work.

Just checking the site -- it's the "members" who are the doctors and PhDs. Be sure to check them out.