title: Subjective effects of antidepressants: a pilot study of the varieties of antidepressant-induced experiences in meditators.
abstract: The use of antidepressants continues to increase, yet relatively little is known about their precise subjective effects, and there is growing concern about subtle psychological side effects. One novel investigative approach to these problems may be to use introspectively trained subjects such as meditators. Experienced meditators recently taking antidepressants rated antidepressant effects on multiple dimensions of experience and reported significant emotional, motivational, and cognitive effects and benefits. This study suggests that a) meditators may benefit both clinically and meditatively from antidepressants, b) meditators may provide significant novel information on antidepressant effects, c) meditators may prove valuable for phenomenological investigations of psychopathology, drug effects, and therapies, d) meditation may prove a helpful maintenance therapy for depression, and e) enhanced equanimity may contribute to the broad therapeutic efficacy of antidepressants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California-Irvine, College of Medicine, Irvine, California, USA.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bitner
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hillman
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Victor
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Walsh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010465:Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D010865:Pilot Projects
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents