“Alzheimer’s” is a mental disorder which destroys certain brain cells causing problem with memory, behavior and interaction at home, work and in the society. As the disease progresses, the symptoms might include hallucinations, violent behavior, loss of memory about past events including life history, and forgetting who certain people are.

It gets further distressing when the patients forgetting their spouses or partners start developing intimate relationships outside marriage. Johns Hopkins’ newsletter “Health after 50” tries to lessen the accompanying distress due to these affairs outside marriage and suggests ways to cope up with the emotional health challenge. After all it is very frustrating and sad to see one’s partner losing track of all the memories of the past life and all the intimacies shared with a partner.

Developing an understanding behind the reasons why your partner suffering from ‘Alzheimer’s disease’ seems to forget, who you are would help in reducing the level of anger and mental disturbance. Dr. Peter Rabins, M.D., Professor, Psychiatry and Health Policy, and Director, Division of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neuropsychiatry at Johns Hopkins say, “Many people with Alzheimer’s (and some patients recovering from stroke) develop a condition called ‘prosopagnosia’, which is an isolated inability to recognize familiar faces.” So that’s why they stop recognizing their spouses.

continue reading Coping Up With Emotional Distress with Alzheimer’s Patients Seeking Intimacy outside Marriage

What are antidepressant drugs and how do they work? In cases of depression where psychotherapy alone fail at treating the condition, people seek alternatives, often of which takes on the form of a pill. What many people fail at realising is that antidepressants are not panaceas. While they do relieve depression in some people, these prescription drugs carry risks and should only be taken under the supervision of a medical practitioner. The result of ingesting these antidepressants varies according to people’s age, severity of depression, and history of illness. Furthermore, it is important to watch out for possible drug interactions when taking antidepressants in conjunction with other medications.

Types of Antidepressants

Antidepressants are available in three main forms, they are: selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). The SSRIs are a form of antidepressants which includes drugs like Prozac and Zoloft, as implied by the name; they work through inhibition of the presynaptic serotonin transporter receptor. TCAs were introduced in the 1950s and works through prevention of the nerve cell’s ability to reuptake serotonin and norepinephrine, Elavil is an example of this form of antidepressant. Finally, we look at MAOIs, which are amongst the earliest form of antidepressants developed works through inhibition of monoaxine oxidase, an enzyme which plays a large role in the determination of one’s mood by its effect on neurotransmitters. The drugs Nardil and Parmate are commercially available examples of MAOIs.

continue reading What You Ought to Know About Antidepressants