- Mental health prescriptions have increased exponentially since the COVID-19爆发。
- Traumatic events cause a similar chemical reaction in the brain as experienced by those with chronic hormonal imbalances.
- Treating depression and anxiety early can result in a quicker recovery and potentially reduce the risk of experiencing a similar episode in the future.
All data and statistics are based on publicly available data at the time of publication. Some information may be out of date. Visit our冠状病毒枢纽并关注我们的live updates pagefor the most recent information on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Depression, anxiety, and insomnia are on the rise, with arecent reportfinding that prescriptions for the treatment of these conditions increased 25.4 percent between Feb. 16 and March 15.
单独的抗焦虑处方表现出增加37.7％。在最后一周（报告调查结果的高峰周）中，填补了所有抗抑郁药，抗癫痫和抗癫痫病症的78％，是全新的处方。
全球COVID-19危机,影响哈ving on life as we know it, is contributing to a concurrent mental health crisis. In response to the mental distress they’re experiencing, people are turning to medications for help — many of them for the first time.
But some still have questions about whether medications can truly help those who have never experienced depression or anxiety before.
Are these medical interventions meant only for those with genuine chemical imbalances? Or can they help those dealing with mental distress as a result of a traumatic event, like this pandemic?
Healthline spoke with experts who gave us answers to common questions such as these, as well as how to recognize the symptoms and manage depression and anxiety in healthy ways during the pandemic.
Tracy Latz博士，女士，是一个持牌，董事会认证的综合精神病学家，拥有30多年的临床经验治疗创伤，焦虑和抑郁症。
“Anxiety and depression are most often treated with antidepressant medications that work by inhibiting the reuptake of neurotransmitters in the synapse (space between neurons) in the mood centers of the brain,” Latz told Healthline.
These medications target neurotransmitters known to be important in calming the mind and lifting mood.
There are three main classes of antidepressant medications, but Latz points out a fourth that should only be used when needed.
“许多人也听说过另一类药物，真正应该只使用短期，如果大大，”拉茨解释说，她说的苯并二氮卓类药物，她说可以是非常成本上瘾的。
Latz outlines the three main classes of antidepressants below.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
血清素是一个重要的神经递质，发现在重大压力和焦虑症，创伤后应激障碍和抑郁症的人中经常低。
When serotonin is low, people often report feeling “blue,” hopeless, and depressed, and may have suicidal or nihilistic thoughts. Concentration becomes more difficult, and people may be irritable or have panic attacks, anxiety attacks, or even compulsive (ritualistic, repetitive) behaviors.
Crying spells, excessive worry, poor appetite, weight loss, and insomnia are also frequently seen when serotonin levels have been low for extended periods.
Norepinephrine-多巴胺再摄取抑制剂（NDRIS）
Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that’s important for giving us “get up and go.” Dopamine gives us the drive to do daily tasks.
When a person is low in norepinephrine and dopamine, they will have a very low energy level and may feel lethargic. They may sleep too much or have difficulty getting out of bed.
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
When a person reports feeling significantly anxious or depressed, and they report all the symptoms noted in the other two drug classes, then they may respond best to a medication in this class that can address all their symptoms.
It’s a common misconception that medications are only helpful for people who are experiencing chronic chemical imbalances, as opposed to depression or anxiety resulting from a traumatic event.
“创伤实际上可以触发大脑中神经递质水平的变化，”Dr. Lindsay Israel，董事会认证的精神科医生和首席医务官员Success TMS。
如果你正在经历抑郁或焦虑，你会处理化学不平衡 - 即使你以前从未有过类似的问题。
The trauma you’ve been through (and yes, the current COVID-19 pandemic does count as trauma for many, even if you haven’t gotten sick yourself) has the potential to actually change your brain chemistry.
“因此，药物可以通过适当调节这些水平来帮助治疗创伤生活事件被创伤生活事件出现的症状，”以色列专门从事抑郁，焦虑和强迫症（OCD）。
但当她谨慎，当抑郁或焦虑因创伤事件而导致的时候，治疗应该始终包括在心理治疗中加工，以获得最佳的长期结果。
Latz and Israel say medication can be especially helpful for people who are:
- 感到不知所措
- finding their symptoms are interfering with their daily social, academic, or occupational functioning
- 体验难以集中
- having sleep disturbances most nights
- 体验胃口波动
- 对爱好或活动缺乏动力或兴趣
- 经历频繁的恐慌攻击
- dealing with dark or negative thoughts about death
- experiencing suicidal thoughts
“每种药物都在达到所谓的”稳定状态“时变化，以色列说。“这是当药物在血液中达到平衡时，均匀分布，使其能够开始以最大效益生效。”
She says this typically takes 4 to 6 weeks, but that every dose increase can mean an additional 2 weeks before the new steady state is achieved.
在大多数情况下，拉丁茨表示您应该在3周内至少遇到一些回复。
If you have no response, she says your dose may need to be increased.
“If you have no response in 3 weeks following an increase in the dose, then you may need to consider a switch to another medication,” Latz explained.
因为我们都希望我们的目前的情况是暂时的，所以有意义的是，在第一次遭受抑郁或焦虑的人可能会诱人来简单地等待它而不是寻求治疗。
But Israel says early intervention is key to the best outlook.
“Depression can worsen over time if there is no intervention to stop it. Seeking help early on, especially if this is a first episode, can not only help you feel better sooner, it can also potentially decrease the chance of another episode occurring in the future,” she said.
对于那些可能感到担心寻求治疗的人来说，Latz还指出，在寻求帮助下没有耻辱。
“只是因为你有短期需要药物治疗并不意味着你必须永远继续继续，”她说。
有时我们只需要一点点帮助到下一个。