Posted by Christ_empowered on November 10, 2014, at 20:20:57
In reply to Re: why do opiates help depression? » rjlockhart37, posted by phidippus on November 10, 2014, at 19:56:48
Opiates can help all sorts of psychiatric ills. I even read a relatively recent little abstract about using some high potency pain killer (I wanna say Dilaudid) in cases of schizophrenia. The abstract mentioned rare cases of TD from heavy opiate use, so...
Anyway, think of it in terms of psychological effects. ADs tend to make emotions flatter, more manageable. Benzos reduce tension and help sleep, which reduces depression according to research scales. Low dose neuroleptics reduce tension, some help sleep, and they induce varying degrees of apathy and indifference, and they can reduce agitation and psychotic symptoms in various mood problems.
So....
...opiates, from my limited experience, help by reducing tension and agitation, lifting mood, and making emotions less burdensome. Some can help sleep, although in my limited experience, that's kinda hit or miss. Also, if there's physical pain involved, obviously dealing with that will reduce "depression."
poster:Christ_empowered
thread:1073295
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20141017/msgs/1073339.html