![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by RG on June 9, 1999, at 10:05:20
I am on 40 mgs of Celexa (Prozac wasn't working too well) also, 45 mgs of Buspar divided at three times in the day. I have been looking into Naltrexone due to this embarrassing little habit of always twisting hair, picking or scratching at chest, scalp and back and/or biting my lips. It is bugging me a lot. Could Naltrexone help with this?? My depression is mostly a melencholia/dysthymia. I am a recovering alcoholic and have been sober for 2.5 years. Celexa may be starting to improve mood some, but too early to tell. I just would like to start having some enjoyment and fun in my life. Any Advice will be heard.
Posted by JD on June 10, 1999, at 5:27:00
In reply to Self-Injury (picking, bite lips, twisting hair), posted by RG on June 9, 1999, at 10:05:20
RG,
My impression is that naltrexone has a pretty good track record in controlling behaviors like the ones you describe. The term "self-injury" is usually saved for stuff that's more severe (cutting, burning, etc), but from what I've read naltrexone seems also to work pretty well with things like compulsive hair-pulling (which has its own fancy name) or skin-picking. The underlying mechanism seems to be that your system gets "addicted" to the endorphin rush of some kind of pain or injury--Naltrexone blocks this rush and helps the "addiction" to subside. As I'm sure you probably know, naltrexone is currently being used pretty successfully to treat alcohol abuse and craving, too, which has led some people to suspect that alcohol causes a similar "endorphin addiction" in some people. Since you have had some alcohol problems in the past, this may be all the more reason to look into exploring naltrexone with your doctor and/or psychiatrist. Hope this helps.
Best of luck,
JD
> I am on 40 mgs of Celexa (Prozac wasn't working too well) also, 45 mgs of Buspar divided at three times in the day. I have been looking into Naltrexone due to this embarrassing little habit of always twisting hair, picking or scratching at chest, scalp and back and/or biting my lips. It is bugging me a lot. Could Naltrexone help with this?? My depression is mostly a melencholia/dysthymia. I am a recovering alcoholic and have been sober for 2.5 years. Celexa may be starting to improve mood some, but too early to tell. I just would like to start having some enjoyment and fun in my life. Any Advice will be heard.
Posted by Ann on June 19, 1999, at 8:36:20
In reply to Re: Self-Injury (picking, bite lips, twisting hair), posted by JD on June 10, 1999, at 5:27:00
I got really good results on a low dose of lithium, which my doctor gave me to "boost" my antidepressant (effexor xr). The urge to pick and scratch went away by magic. When I stopped the lithium, it came right back. I can't take naltrexone for other medical reasons.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.