‘Medications’ at Psychology, Philosophy and Real Life, Page 10

Along with the obvious benefit of chemotherapy — surviving cancer — comes a secondary problem that is often not well understood by friends, family, or even cancer patients themselves. Referred to simply as ‘chemobrain’, its symptoms include memory problems, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. The problem occurs in as many as 99 percent of breast and ovarian cancer patients, and until now, little was known about how to treat it.

A new study of clinical trials involving nearly five thousand patients has reaffirmed that St. John’s Wort reduces symptoms of depression among adults suffering mild to moderate symptoms but questions the herbal extract’s effectiveness for moderate to severe depression. The study also indicates that serious drug interactions can occur between St. John’s Wort and other frequently used anti-depressants.

A study in the Journal of Preventive Medicine indicates that exercising for half an hour per day, six days per week, offers significant mental health benefits — and for those suffering from depression, benefits are comparable to those of medication or cognitive behavioral therapy.

Researchers at the UT Southwestern Medical Center in the United States are seeking participants for a nationwide investigation into pharmaceutical treatments for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Participants receive medication and related medical care free of charge.

The advertising of prescription anti-depressants directly to consumers has been shown to exert a strong influence on the behaviour of prescribing physicians: if a patient requests a specific anti-depressant such as Paxil, they are much more likely to be prescribed that medication by their physician than if they don’t make such a request.