Posted by SLS on February 14, 2005, at 10:31:07
In reply to Does Depakote help with Depression or just Mania?, posted by theo on February 14, 2005, at 9:41:59
> I was wondering if Depakote can be used mono for both depression and anxiety?
I think it would be unusual for Depakote to exert a robust antidepressant effect when treating unipolar depression. It could, however, have an anxiolytic effect of sorts. Although I have never heard of its use in panic disorder, it might be interersting to do some snooping around to see if it has.
Some people with bipolar depression do indeed experience an antidepressant effect from Depakote. This is probably the exception rather than the rule, though. For people who are not manic, Depakote can sometimes make depression feel mildly worse. In bipolar disorder, from mania comes depression*. If you can prevent the manias, you very often prevent the depressions as well. Depakote can do this and is thus a mood stabilizer.
* Generally, the cycle of bipolar disorder is:
normal -> mania -> depression -> normal -> mania -> etc...
Although unusual, some people experience a different pattern:
normal -> depression -> mania -> normal -> depression -> etc...
The latter pattern is much harder to treat it seems.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:457547
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050212/msgs/457573.html