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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Why do Pain Relievers Improve my Mood?
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
Why do Pain Relievers Improve my Mood?
by curiouslo, May 05, 2006 12:00AM
[ Note: I found this site via a search engine and hadn't realized we pay to ask questions. I thought I was just joining in a discussion when I first posted here:
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/MentalHealth/messages/33213.html
Sorry for the confusion. ]
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I have prescription pain relievers I take for menstrual cramps (usually naproxin but on really rough days I'll take Tylenol 3 with codeine). I am not on any other medication.
I've found that with these, the pain not only goes away, but also my mood is noticeably elevated, even more so than during the rest of the month when I am not PMSing. Within an hour or so, I am in a *Good Mood*.
I don't think I suffer from depression, but my usual state leans towards defensive/ mild bitterness; I hold grudges and often feel like a "miss know it all". I'm not nearly as domestic and/or productive as I could be, either. I know this is not 100% healthy, but I don't really think it's depression, either. (Anyone read "The Woman Destroyed" by Simone de Beauvoir? Almost like that, but not nearly as bad.)
When I take one of the above pain relievers for my cramps, my mood turns to optimistic, happy go lucky, grateful, and generous. I want to clean, cook, look up old friends, throw a party, be more social, practice random acts of kindness, and write a novel, too! I was like this when I was younger and believe it should be my normal waking state. It just feels more "me".
I'm wondering if I could be suffering from some kind of chemical deficiency that the above medications provide. Most of what I've read is that a possible side effect of these drugs is depression, but they have to total opposite effect on me. I become more creative and productive, moreso than in my regular day to day life.
They most certainly elevate my moods (or, "make me feel like myself again, when I was 22"), and I'd like to know how and why so I can access the creative and productive feelings more often.
My question isn't about addiction to pain relievers. I only take these as prescribed for pain. My question is what could I be lacking, that these medications provide, and where can I get it outside of the prescriptions?
I'm open to natural remedies, I just would really like to know "what it is" that brings such immediate and effective mood elevation. It really gives me a clearer mind.
Thank you for your time.
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/MentalHealth/messages/33213.html
Sorry for the confusion. ]
--
I have prescription pain relievers I take for menstrual cramps (usually naproxin but on really rough days I'll take Tylenol 3 with codeine). I am not on any other medication.
I've found that with these, the pain not only goes away, but also my mood is noticeably elevated, even more so than during the rest of the month when I am not PMSing. Within an hour or so, I am in a *Good Mood*.
I don't think I suffer from depression, but my usual state leans towards defensive/ mild bitterness; I hold grudges and often feel like a "miss know it all". I'm not nearly as domestic and/or productive as I could be, either. I know this is not 100% healthy, but I don't really think it's depression, either. (Anyone read "The Woman Destroyed" by Simone de Beauvoir? Almost like that, but not nearly as bad.)
When I take one of the above pain relievers for my cramps, my mood turns to optimistic, happy go lucky, grateful, and generous. I want to clean, cook, look up old friends, throw a party, be more social, practice random acts of kindness, and write a novel, too! I was like this when I was younger and believe it should be my normal waking state. It just feels more "me".
I'm wondering if I could be suffering from some kind of chemical deficiency that the above medications provide. Most of what I've read is that a possible side effect of these drugs is depression, but they have to total opposite effect on me. I become more creative and productive, moreso than in my regular day to day life.
They most certainly elevate my moods (or, "make me feel like myself again, when I was 22"), and I'd like to know how and why so I can access the creative and productive feelings more often.
My question isn't about addiction to pain relievers. I only take these as prescribed for pain. My question is what could I be lacking, that these medications provide, and where can I get it outside of the prescriptions?
I'm open to natural remedies, I just would really like to know "what it is" that brings such immediate and effective mood elevation. It really gives me a clearer mind.
Thank you for your time.
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., May 10, 2006 12:00AM
, May 10, 2006 12:00AM
Neither of those drugs effect the kind of antidepressant centers that antidepresant drugs can effect so I can't tell you the mechanism, but can suggest that since you are so sensitive to these that you ask your doctor for one of the many antidepressants that you can take at the lowest possible dose and see if you get the same effect.
Related discussions
Although I'm not a Doc, I do have a Masters of Public Health...so if you need more info--I've got a ton of books here that can help you. Take care.
I guess I'm looking for a non-addictive, non-prescription supplement. I don't think I run the risk for addiction to pain relievers at the moment: my cramps get so bad I know to save them for when I really need them or I will pay the price. They are not cheap, and I don't have insurance, so I hoard them.
I am <i>not</i> taking them to improve my moods; I just noticed this is an added side effect when I do take them.
I ordered <i>The Mood Cure</i> by Julia Ross from Amazon; it has so many great reviews. I look forward to reading what it says about amino acid deficiencies and supplements.
Also, I started keeping a (digital) journal that records my moods, diet, exercise, activities, caffeine intake, etc. so I can look for patterns between good days and bad days.
What other books do you recommend, and do you know of any natural sources for dopamine? Most search results point to products, but there's so much out there, (and I don't suffer from erectile dysfuntion) so I'm not really sure what to look for.
Can I increase dopamine levels via any of the major food groups?
Thanks again.
I'm writing a book on mind-body therapies with my neurosurgeon father. What we've learned through a library of research is that breathing exercises can help raise your own endorphins.
Forget food: “Breath is the link between the body and mind, and between the conscious and unconscious mind. It is the master key to control emotions and to operations of the autonomic nervous system," according to Andrew Weil, MD.
Breathing can alter neuro, respiratory and digestive peptides. Your gut--your second brain is very dense in neuro-peptide receptors. Breathing affects pain thresholds via the periacqueductal grey (PAG), your pleasure and pain network which is densely packed with opiate receptors.
By breathing deeply, rapidly or holding your breath you can alter your pulmonary peptides and communicate with your PAG. You can reduce fear, pain or change moods.
Recommended reading: Molecules of Emotion, by former Georgetown Med prof and NIH neuroscientist, Candace Pert, MD.
For background, I have been diagnosed as bioplar. It only took about thirty years, so I was a bit hesitant to really believe it. You can imagine because this was after only nine years of weekly counseling. I recently changed medical groups however and got a confirming diagnosis with my new psychiatrist. That makes three so far so I guess it's true. My problem is whenever I ask for a referral to see a specialist on any unrelated medical problem it's as though my chart has been redflagged and I get lectures on how problems can seem very real when in actuality they're not. Osteoathritis? Physchological. Then I demanded an MRI which showed extensive damage to both of my knees. Treatment? Cortisone injectios. Rosacia? Physchological. Now I'm taking antiobiotics and applying a cream. My latest dilemma is impotency. My new shrink says it's mental but I think otherwise. One of the criteria he used in reaching his diagnosis was hypersexuality, which I had before the age of about 31. I recall contracting a virus and then - poof! It was gone, but by increments. This came back to me in my first interview with an endochronoligist {sic?} whom I had purposely lied to to avoid being labeled. I want him to reach his own conclusion independent of any bias. He actually examined me and saw physical indicators of a problem and ordered blood tests. Then he asked me about viral infections and I remembered that landmark day back in the nineties when I had my first ejaculation without an orgasm. I'm cleansing my system of the meds I have been put on for the blood test because it is that important to me. They came after the problem started anyway.
My question {s} is I noticed that he wanted to test my testosterone level {which has been done before} and also my cortisol. What effect if any does this hormone have on potency? I recently started taking Relacore because of belly fat and supposedly it has a soothing effect. Should I be doing this? How does that effect the cortisol? Do I need cortisol? What does it do? A lot of questions for a racing mind. When should I own up to the specialist {I'm sure you'll say right now}? Just another two days before I go back on the meds so don't worry about that. I knew how to taper off and what to expect. I've gone through the worst part already.
Thanks for any help.
I take Gabapentin, Clonazepam, Relacore, and sometimes Hydrocodone for the arthritis. I used to take Mirtazapine for the depression. I went off that some time ago because of adverse reactions {facial edema, restless leg syndrome, etc.} that required my taking yet another medication {Sinemet} to counteract. I just felt too drugged and sluggish. Add to that my face and torso didn't match. I work out endlessly to defy gravity and there isn't an ounce of fat on my body outside of my face. Looked weird.
On the Hydrocodone front - is what you all meant by the Dopamine comments is that it relaxes you? Because I've had the same experience. I've gotten very little 'good' advice from the psychiatric community, but one physchologist once told me {in answer to the chicken and egg theory} that anxiety ALWAYS comes before depression. Darned if he wasn't right. Could the original poster's depression be more than slightly connected to anxiety? When you release pressure from the valve it alleviates other symptoms. Works for me.
Anyway, thanks for any answers and yes! I made it!