Ask The Expert - Florida Neuroscience Center Blog

Men and women who experience depression have a series of treatment options: if the depression is mild, they may start an exercise plan, improve their nutrition, find ways to manage their stress and look at other lifestyle strategies. If this depression is mild to moderate, they may visit a psychotherapist and start a cognitive-behavioral plan that will hopefully help them bounce back as soon as possible. If the depression is moderate to severe, the next step is to consider all the previous strategies and to add medication therapy.

How about being depressed and pregnant? This recent article from the Wall Street Journal addresses this issue. While many women – and men – may be apprehensive about seeking for medication treatment, the same standards prevail: if you are pregnant and feel moderately or severely depressed, chances are, you will have trouble taking good care of yourself and taking good care of your pregnancy. While there may be safety concerns regarding a small risk for miscarriage (early in the pregnancy), heart problems (first twenty weeks), neurological depression (during the delivery) or some potential withdrawal symptoms for the baby (after the baby is born), discussing the advantages and disadvantages of being on medication therapy – or not being on medication therapy – is a must-talk about topic with your partner, your obstetrician, and your psychiatrist.

For more information about depression, visit: National Institutes of Mental Health and American Psychiatric Association

By Dr. Gabriela Cora

In some studies, only about 70% of patients took medications as prescribed by their physician, despite almost all of them claiming to have followed instructions as given. Although as physicians we realize there may be difficulties in buying your medication or in following up our recommendations, we also want to ensure we can help you in the best possible way. As doctors, we understand that you may feel uncomfortable sharing very private information that may even make you blush. On the other hand, you have trusted us to help you recover and feel better than you felt before you came to us.

(more…)

By Dr. Gaby Cora

October 10^th is National Depression Screening Day.

The current economic and financial crisis has created increased pressure on all of us. As many struggle with the uncertainty of whether or not they will continue to have a job, others deal with the challenges of laying people off, many of whom may have been colleagues and friends. With stress reaching epidemic numbers, many struggle with staying healthy during rough times. Stress affects the most vulnerable systems: some people will experience frequent migraine headaches, whereas others will develop gastrointestinal problems, and others will have high blood pressure. Stress may trigger panic attacks in some people and will affect others with clinical depression.

(more…)