Antidepressants are medications prescribed to treat depression, which the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance says affects nearly 14.8 million Americans. There are several different types of antidepressants, but they all act by affecting the...
Antidepressants are a type of medication prescribed to treat depression and other mental health conditions, such as anxiety or personality disorders. There are four different classes of antidepressants approved by the U.S. Food and Drug...
Antidepressants are used to treat many different conditions, including depression, panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. There are several classes of antidepressants, which differ in their effect on neurotransmitters. Some...
Effexor is the brand name of the antidepressant medication known generically as venlafaxine. It falls under the classification of a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, or SNRI. Effexor helps the two neurotransmitters work more...
Drug overdose occurs when an amount of drug in excess of the recommended dose is ingested. Overdose can be intentional, but it can also happen accidentally as a result of other drug and/or alcohol interactions. Overdosing on Lexapro, a drug for...
Serotonin, sometimes referred to as the happiness hormone, is an important regulator of many bodily functions, including mood, gastrointestinal activity, heart rate and breathing. In depressed individuals, serotonin is typically too low,...
The Epilepsy Foundation states that each year, 300,000 people have their first seizure, a brain condition in which patients have abnormal electrical activity. When a seizure interferes with the brain's electrical activity, it disrupts normal...
According to the Geriatric Mental Health Foundation, symptoms of depression and anxiety often occur simultaneously in older adults. Although it is normal to feel anxious or sad in response to particular life events, long-term depression and...
When a patient has a grand mal seizure, also called a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, she experiences a loss of consciousness and muscle control. MedlinePlus explains that patients have muscle contractions and may bite their tongues or cheeks...
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, causes problems with sustaining attention and controlling impulses and activity level. Symptoms of ADHD can start during childhood and continue into adulthood. Some patients manage their symptoms...
Neurons in the brain communicate through neurotransmitters and electrical signals. When those electrical signals become abnormally excited, a seizure occurs. Seizures affect about 2 percent of adults, according to the Merck Manual Home Edition. In...
Concerta (Methylphenidate HCI) is a medication used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in patients 6 years or older. It is also used to treat narcolepsy. It is in a class of medications called central nervous stimulants. In...
Some people think a glass of wine or something stronger helps them relax, and in moderation, alcohol may cause few problems. However, if the individual is taking prescribed medications, over-the-counter drugs or herbal supplements, alcohol can...
Suboxone is the brand name for the combination of buprenorphine and naloxone prescribed as a sublingual tablet for treatment of opiate addiction. The treatment is usually indicated for those narcotic pain killers derived from the opium poppy. It...
A grand mal seizure, also known as a tonic-clonic seizure, is characterized by loss of consciousness and loss of muscle control. Grand mal seizures occur when the brain's electrical activity changes, altering how it effectively communicates,...
According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 20 million people in the U.S. have some form of depressive disorder. Everyone experiences a down or depressed mood now and then, but true depression is a serious mental illness and involves...
OCD medication typically helps regulate serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter found throughout the brain. Some of the brain's receptors absorb serotonin and release it again, which plays a major part in the way the brain works. Though studies...
Street drugs refer to chemicals ingested for their mind- or body-altering properties rather than for medical purposes. In other words, most recreational drug use is pursuant to "getting high" and occasionally for other reasons, such as the case...
Trazodone is a mood stabilizer used to fight mental depression and anxiety disorder depression. It is marketed as Desyrel or Desyrel Dividose in pill form. A major depressive episode, RxList.com states, is when you experience symptoms of...
Lorazepam treats anxiety caused by depression and anxiety disorders. It is a bendodiazepine, which is a type of drug that balances the anxiety-causing chemicals in the brain. While this drug can effectively treat anxiety, there are some side...
Herbs have been trusted for centuries to cure, prevent and treat disease. However, with the introduction of more conventional methods of medical treatment, experts have now concluded that folk remedies and ancient healing techniques are not all...
The experience of depression in children and teens is somewhat different than that of adults. Depression in childhood is more likely to lead to the continuation of depression in adulthood, as well as other, more serious mental illnesses. When...
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter created in the brain that impacts multiple body functions. Cardiovascular, renal, immune and gastrointestinal processes are all influenced by serotonin production. In addition, any imbalance in serotonin affects the...
Depression is the extreme feeling of sadness that interferes with daily activities, physical functions and social interactions. Depression is a common illness, with more than 14.8 million Americans affected in any given year, according to...
