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Re: opiates for depression

Posted by linkadge on February 21, 2007, at 16:02:22

In reply to Re: opiates for depression, posted by Quintal on February 21, 2007, at 6:35:53

I don't think it is fair at all for somebody to say that anyone using opiates for depression is merely chasing a high.

We don't fully understand the biochemical abnormalities in depression.

I think it is completely possable, that opiates target some aspect of the affective process, while potentally causing euphoria as a side effect.

It is just like how drugs for ADHD are not treating ADHD *by* causing euphoria. Euphoria is simply a side effect. The theraputic effect is not due to dopamine release in the neucleus accumbens, but rather dopamine release in the frontal cortex.

Similarly, I think it is possable that opiates do something in addition to their abuse poetneial. There is a link, for instance between depression and pain. Opiates affect the activity of substance P for instance. Substance P inhibitors are being investigated as a means to treat depression without euphoria.

So to say that a person using opiates for depression is just trying to get high may not be entirely accurate as there may be two entirely separate procesess at work.


Linkadge



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