How to Relieve Neck & Shoulder Tension: Massage & Stress Relief | eHow.com

How to Relieve Neck & Shoulder Tension: Massage & Stress Relief | eHow.com

Relieving neck and shoulder tension is one of the most common advantages of getting a massage, and usually requires more pressure in the tense areas. Get rid of your neck and shoulder tension with tips from a licensed massage therapist in this free video on massages.

Can I Consume Alcohol When Taking Antidepressants?

The incredible popularity of antidepressant pills has, according to some experts, changed the way Americans think about depression. With the introduction of these pills, depression began to be accepted as a neurochemical imbalance to be corrected with the medications, more like high blood pressure or diabetes. For many people, these compounds are lifesavers. They relieve depression, improve outlook and make life worth living. They can provide a sense of optimism and energy. In addition to restoring hope, some of these drugs have also been employed to battle bulimia (an eating disorder) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

Since a lot of people are on antidepressants, a question about alcohol consume when taking antidepressants has become quite common today. Although it's generally best to avoid combining antidepressants with alcohol, practically many people are not willing to completely give up alcohol when taking antidepressants. That's why many health care providers take a moderate approach, recommending abstinence from alcohol as the best choice but also providing some guidance for the use of alcohol and antidepressants.

What is moderate drinking?

When health care providers recommend a moderate consume of alcohol, they mean just one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. Because the alcohol content in drinks varies, what counts as one drink also varies. When health care providers talk about one alcoholic drink, they are referring to one of the following examples:

• 12 ounces of beer
  
• 5 ounces of wine
• 1 ounce of 80-proof whiskey, or 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits.

Remember that having a little food and drinking your alcohol slowly can help minimize any problems caused by combining alcohol with antidepressants.

Still, there are some side effects which may happen when mix alcohol with antidepressants and you should be aware of them:

• You may feel more depressed. Alcohol can worsen depression symptoms, so by drinking it, you could counteract effects of your medication and lessen its benefit.

• You may become more intoxicated than usual. Some antidepressants may cause you to feel more intoxicated than normal when combined with alcohol, which can impair your judgment and ability to drive or do other tasks that require focus and attention.

• The side effects from your medication may worsen. Some antidepressants cause drowsiness, dizziness, slow reaction time or even passing away, and so does alcohol. Mixing the two could make you sleepy, which is dangerous in situations where you need to be alert. So combining antidepressants with alcohol may affect twice your ability to perform certain functions as driving a car or operating machinery.

• Deadly reactions can occur with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Examples of MAOIs include isocarboxazid (Marplan) phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate). When combined with certain types of beverages and foods, these antidepressants can cause a dangerous spike in blood pressure, leading to a stroke. If you take an MAOI, be sure you know what's safe to eat and drink, and which alcoholic beverages can cause a reaction.

The first time you combine alcohol with an antidepressant, be sure to do so in a safe situation, in the company of someone you trust. And of course, while it's generally better not to drink at all if you are depressed, ask your doctor. It may be OK to have an occasional drink depending on your particular situation, but it's better to tell your doctor in advance about any other health conditions you might have and any other medications you take. Each, even insignificant detail can be very important and create side effects you would never expect.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antidepressants-and-alcohol/AN01653

Antidepressants Treatment – Pros And Cons.

Modern life sets incredibly high requirements for the society. It resembles the biggest race of mankind. Far not everyone can follow it, which creates nervous break-downs and deep depressions. The latter, as a result, leads to the weakening of the immune system – creating a fertile ground for diseases.

Sometimes medication is necessary to treat symptoms of depression and anxiety if these symptoms interfere with a person's ability to handle daily life events.

For example, anxiety and fear is a common part of person's life. Feeling anxious before a stressful event or while walking down a dark street is not bad - these kinds of responses can make you more alert or careful. Normal, healthy anxiety usually ends soon after a person is out of the situation that caused it. But for 40 million adults in the United States, feeling of anxiety does not go away and get worse over time. Anxiety disorders range from feelings of uneasiness to immobilizing bouts of terror. People experiencing an anxiety disorder may have chest pains or nightmares or even be afraid of leaving home.

In this case the medication treatment is not just recommended, but necessary. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, 90 percent of people with emotional illnesses can improve or recover if they receive treatment. With proper antidepressants, many people experiencing anxiety disorders can live a full life. The incredible popularity have received such antidepressants as Zoloft, Prozac and Lexapro. But these strong medications have their own pros and cons, which a person should consider when decides to take it.

Pro: Effective Treatment of Depression

Like the name suggests, antidepressants do treat depression effectively when therapy might have failed or when they are used concurrently with psychotherapy.

Pro: Help Against Eating Disorders

Antidepressants also help battle eating disorders, such as bulimia and anorexia.

Con: Decreased Sexual Abilities

Some antidepressants cause delayed ejaculation in men, inability to achieve orgasm and decreased sexual appetite in general. Some people are willing to forego sexual activity to feel better. Others find this trade-off unacceptable.

Con: Wide Variety of Side Effects

Antidepressants cause a variety of side effects, differing from person to person, thus making it hard to guess how the medication will negatively affect someone. However, not everyone who takes antidepressants will experience side effects. In fact, most patients taking antidepressants tolerate them well.

The most widely prescribed antidepressants come from a class of medications known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The SSRIs include: Fluoxetine (Prozac), Fluvoxamine (Luvox), Sertraline (Zoloft), Paroxetine (Paxil), Escitalopram (Lexapro), Citalopram (Celexa).

Common side effects of SSRI antidepressants:

• Nausea
• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Restlessness
• Decreased sex drive
• Dizziness
• Weight gain or loss
• Tremors
• Sweating
• Sleepiness
• Fatigue
• Dry mouth
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Headaches

We hope that learning the facts about antidepressants and weighing the benefits against the risks can help you make an informed and personal decision about whether medication is right for you.