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Seratonin-enhancing medications

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What you need to know about serotonin-enhancing medications

 

" Psychedelic agents mimic the effects of serotonin. "

 

The brain chemical these drugs increase, serotonin, is the same

brain chemical that LSD, PCP and other psychedelic drugs mimic in

order to produce their hallucinogenic effects. And remember that

psychedelic agents are " a class of compounds with no demonstrated

therapeutic use, a history of extensive abuse, and the ability to

provoke psychosis. Yet many brain researchers value the psychedelic

agents above any of the other psychoactive drugs " because " the

research into psychedelic drugs has already enriched our

understanding of how the brain regulates behavior. " (Dr. Solomon

Snyder, DRUGS AND THE BRAIN). Just how much will these brain

researchers learn from our experience with these drugs designed to

specifically increase serotonin, the same brain chemical the

psychedelic agents mimic to produce their effects?

 

We know that these drugs interfere with serotonin metabolism

(demonstrated by levels of the serotonin metabolite 5HIAA). It is

not serotonin that is low in these disorders, it is this by-product

5HIAA, which indicates the level of serotonin metabolism, that is

low in depression, suicide, etc. Yet as serotonin (5HT) goes up

serotonin metabolism (5HIAA) generally comes down. We already have

studies demonstrating at what percentage each of these drugs

increase 5HT and decrease 5HIAA. Here are the results of elevated

levels of serotonin (5HT) and decreased levels of serotonin

metabolism (5HIAA):

 

Elevated 5HT (serotonin) levels:

 

schizophrenia, psychosis, mania, etc.

mood disorders (depression, anxiety, etc.)

organic brain disease - especially mental retardation at a greater

incident rate in children

autism (a self-centered or self-focused mental state with no basis

in reality)

Alzheimer's disease

old age

anorexia

constriction of the blood vessels

blood clotting

constriction of bronchials and other physical effects

Lower 5HIAA (serotonin metabolism) levels:

 

suicide (especially violent suicide)

arson

violent crime

insomnia

depression

alcohol abuse

impulsive acts with no concern for punishment

reckless driving

dependence upon various substances

bulimia

multiple suicide attempts

hostility and more contact with police

exhibitionism

arguments with spouses, friends and relatives

obsessive compulsive behavior

impaired employment due to hostility, etc.

All are exactly what patients and their families have continued to

report to be their experience on these drugs since Prozac was

introduced! These individuals are frantically searching for answers

while this research sits right under our noses. Although this is a

totally different picture than pharmaceutical marketing departments

would have us believe, marketing claims and reality rarely have much

in common.

 

Researchers tell us that five, ten or twenty years later it is not

uncommon to find we have another thalidomide on our hands. Raising

5HT (serotonin) and lowering 5HIAA (serotonin metabolism) in such a

high number of people can produce very serious, extensive and long

term problems for all of society. Even more frightening for the

future of our society is the rapidly rising and widely accepted

practice of prescribing these drugs to small children and

adolescents. This crucial medical research must be addressed openly,

without delay, rather than remain buried in seldom read medical

research documents as has been the case in the past with other mind-

altering medications, once thought to be safe, which were

subsequently prohibited by law.

 

[sOURCE: PROZAC: PANACEA OR PANDORA?, BY ANN BLAKE TRACY, PH.D.]