Pharmaceuticals Anonymous

Thursday, August 21, 2008

When Thyroid Imbalance Masquerades as a Mood Disorder

Dr. Escamilla suggests that as scientific understanding of the interactions between genetics, biophysiology, and mood dysfunction advances, "it may be only a matter of time before many of the patients who we currently diagnose as having bipolar disorder will actually have more specific designations that describe in detail their underlying pathology."

NOTE: Comprehensive Thyroid Assessment is important for assessing underlying clinical and subclinical thyroid imbalances linked to a variety of mood disruptions, including chronic anxiety, depression, insomnia, and restlessness. This evaluation of central and peripheral thyroid metabolism can pinpoint hidden causes of treatment dilemmas.
Source: Nath J, Safar R. Late-onset bipolar disorder due to hyperthyroidism. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2001;104:72-75.


Article is here.

Tranquilizer Addiction Rampant in the UK: Daily Mail


"It's thought that between three and seven million Britons are affected, with antidepressants, tranquillisers, sleeping pills and pain-killers the main culprits.

A recent report by the United Nations' International Narcotics Control Board predicted that the scale of the problem of addiction to legal drugs will soon overtake addiction to banned substances.

Yet despite this, few patients receive any effective help - meanwhile, millions of pounds are spent helping those addicted to illegal drugs. In fact, the problem of prescription addiction has, for years, been ignored or denied by drug companies and successive governments."

Story here.