FDA Approves First Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression

Re:FDA Approves First Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression by pc86 on Tuesday August 08, 2023 @08:34PM (#37057323)

The chemistry of your brain literally changes, so yes, it's an issue that pharmaceuticals can help with tremendously. I am often the first person to rail against overprescribing of medication, particularly psychiatric medication, but this is categorically a Good Thing. And nothing in the article suggests this is anywhere close to a "just take this pill" type of treatment. This is part of a holistic treatment plan.

All that being said, if you want spiritual support go to your church, you shouldn't be getting that from your OB or pediatrician.

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Re:FDA Approves First Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression by marginalia_nu on Tuesday August 08, 2023 @10:12PM (#37057959)

The brain is an electrochemical machine. Your brain chemistry changes when you're happy, sad, hungry, sad, angry, bored, horny, sleeping; pretty much every human experience is mediated through brain chemistry changes.

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Re:FDA Approves First Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression by pc86 on Wednesday August 09, 2023 @08:18AM (#37061522)

And in any other machine when something breaks you fix it. If your rotator cuff gets torn you don't say "just stop having shoulder pain" or "shoulder is a natural part of the process of life and you have to deal with it," you go to a PT, maybe have surgery, maybe even take a pill or two.

If you think PPD (or any other form of depression) is "brain chemistry" on the same level and getting hungry or horny you grossly misunderstand what depression is at a fundamental level.

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Re:FDA Approves First Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression by marginalia_nu on Wednesday August 09, 2023 @09:12AM (#37062163)

Well it is and it isn't.

The serotonin imbalance hypothesis of depression, widespread as it is in popular culture, has actually been pretty thoroughly debunked at this point[1]. We know that SSRIs do have a therapeutic effect, but it seems their effect is oddly enough unrelated to serotonin levels.

What they seem to do is mask the depressive symptoms to the point where you're given a sporting chance to "behave" less depressed, which is what seems to be the most effective treatment. It's fairly analogous to how painkillers can cure back pain by permitting you to move around more.

Not acting like you're depressed is the real cure, which is of course very cruel, because as anyone who has had a depressive episode will attest to, just getting out of bed may be a struggle.

[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-022-01661-0

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