Treatment strategies for emotional disorders
It's easy to minimize the emotional symptoms that can interfere with your health and well-being. Consumer Reports offers this overview of eight different disorders related to mental health and depression.
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| Disorder, symptoms | Drug treatment | Best talk therapy |
| Alcohol dependency: Inability to cut back on drinking, strain on work or home life, resulting medical problems. | Acamprosate (Campral), disulfiram (Antabuse), or naltrexone (ReVia). | Counseling by physician, Alcoholics Anonymous or similar program. |
| Anxiety disorder (generalized): Persistent and uncontrollable worrying, trembling, headaches, insomnia, stomach trouble. | SSRI antidepressant, such as escitalopram (Lexapro) or paroxetine (Paxil); benzodiazepine sedatives, such as alprazolam (Xanax) or lorazepam (Ativan). | Cognitive-behavioral therapy, relaxation therapy. |
| Bipolar disorder: Boundless energy, sleeplessness, impulsive or reckless behavior regarding money, sexuality, and other areas. | Lithium (Eskalith), lamotrigine (Lamictal), or valproic acid (Depakene). | Psychotherapy, support groups. |
| Depression: Sadness, hopelessness, changes in appetite, weight, or sleep patterns. | SSRI antidepressant, such as citalopram (Celexa) or fluoxetine (Prozac); bupropion (Wellbutrin); possibly dietary supplement St. John’s wort or SAM-e for mild-to-moderate symptoms. | Cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy. |
| Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Recurrent thoughts, repetitive and irrational behaviors. | SSRI antidepressant, such as fluoxetine (Prozac) or sertraline (Zoloft). | Cognitive-behavioral therapy. |
| Panic disorder: Heart palpitations, profuse sweating, shortness of breath, avoidance of situations that induce panic. | SSRI antidepressant, such as fluoxetine (Prozac) or sertraline (Zoloft); tricyclic antidepressant, such as desipramine (Norpramin); MAOIs, such as phenelzine (Nardil) or tranylcypromine (Parnate). | Cognitive-behavioral therapy. |
| Post-traumatic stress disorder: Reliving a trauma through flashbacks or nightmares, avoiding things pertaining to the trauma, feeling emotionally numb, feeling irritable, trouble sleeping or concentrating. | SSRI antidepressant, such as paroxetine (Paxil) or sertraline (Zoloft); tricyclic antidepressant, such as imipramine (Tofranil); MAOIs, such as phenelzine (Nardil) or tranylcypromine (Parnate). | Cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy; possibly “critical incident debriefing.” |
| Social phobia: Avoidance of social gatherings because of heart palpitations, trembling, sweating, or blushing. | SSRI antidepressant, such as paroxetine (Paxil) or sertraline (Zoloft); beta-blocker, such as propranolol (Inderal). | Cognitive-behavioral therapy. |
If you suspect you are suffering from depression, make an appointment with your doctor soon. Prompt, proper treatment of depression can control symptoms and restore your quality of life. With many drug and nondrug options available, having up-to-date, unbiased information is very important.
This article originally appeared in Consumer Reports on Health in February 2005.
This site is for your information only. For medical advice, consult a health professional.
