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Opiates for Depression
Opiates may be used to treat this depression, a disorder that plagues millions every year. Because of the disorder’s wide reach and many forms, researchers are constantly seeking out new and more effective means for dealing with the side-effects and symptoms of depression.
Opiates for Depression: A commonplace treatment in the 1950s
Prior to the 1950s, opiates for depression were a commonplace treatment for an assortment of mental conditions. This remained the case until the development of tricyclic antidepressants.
Despite the fact that opiate usage declined, the results weren’t always better with the new forms of treatment. In fact, some studies showed that only 2 of 3 depression patients responded to the newer forms of non-opiate antidepressants. Some researchers even indicated that ECT (electroconvulsive therapy), a very common means of dealing with depression, had a remission rate of about only 70 percent.
Opiates for Depression: The problem of addiction
The addictive properties of opiates make them a double-edged sword for users because although they work effectively for depression, they open a whole new can of worms by way of their addictive properties. That was part of the reason why specialists advised going in a different direction with depression treatment.
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