Thursday, May 22, 2008

A few quick notes re the PBS show on Depression

Last night's show, DEPRESSION: Out of the Shadows . PBS, was pretty good. Most of it focused on the suffering that patients feel and how depression can affect the whole family. The most telling part, for me, was when one of the subjects showed all of the prescription medications that he takes daily - anti-depressants, adjunct meds, meds to counteract the side effects of other meds. There's interesting research coming out regarding Area 25, a central part of the brain that appears to affect mood, pleasure, energy, and mental focus.

The follow-on discussion host by Jane Pauley was also good. Of particular note is how anti-depressants alone can have devastating consequences for people, such as Pauley, who have biopolar disorder. Anti-depressants in those cases can trigger even wider mood swings and suicidality.

In all, it was worth watching.

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