You mean I can't drink coffee?
One very important fact which is often overlooked in the treatment of depression is the disruptive role of caffeine and other "over the counter" substances. It has been my observation over the years that caffeine directly opposes the action of antidepressants and mood stabilizers.
This is true of all "stimulants" like ginseng, royal jelly, bee pollen, ephedra, decongestants and many other "natural" products designed to "pick you up" or help you lose weight. In each case the stimulant increases the repetitive disturbing thoughts that the medications are trying to subdue.
Caffeine and other stimulants work directly against the medications. I have been astonished at how much my patients improve when they eliminate caffeine and stimulants from their diets. In some cases I have been able to reduce their medication doses once the aggravating substance has been removed. I have also noticed that a frustrating tendency for antidepressants to lose their effectiveness over time is reduced if caffeine is eliminated.
Caffeine comes in many products including pain killers, coffee, tea, many soft drinks and chocolate. Whenever there is an unexpected decline in the mood of one of my patients, I always look for something they may be consuming that is causing a drug interaction with their medications.
The text of this section contains excerpts from "Healthy Moods".
Illustrations by Rev. Jim Keddy
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