A Med in Shining Armor? Exploring the Potential for a Drug that can Prevent PTSD and Depression

By:  Bari Sobelson, MS, LMFT

Pexels[Man’s Hand by lalesh aldarwish on September 2, 2016, CC0]

“The path to better medicine is paved with accidental yet revolutionary discoveries”.

And, that’s exactly what Rebecca Brachman shares with us in this Tedx on her news of a “serendipitous breakthrough treatment that may prevent mental disorders like Depression and PTSD”.

Have you ever wondered how Antidepressants were initially discovered? Would you believe that they were happened upon by accident when creating drugs to suppress allergies and treat Tuberculosis?

Brachman shares the science behind the discovery of Antidepressants and their nearly 30-year focus on Seratonin, while also suggesting that it may be time to look in a different direction when it comes to Mood Disorders.

“We are in the middle of an epidemic of mood disorders like Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. One in four of all adults in the United State suffers from mental illness… Depression has now actually surpassed HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Diabetes and war as the leading cause of disability worldwide. And, also, like Tuberculosis in the 1950s, we don’t know what causes it. Once it’s developed, it’s chronic, lasts a lifetime, and there are no known cures.” 

Brachman contends that it might now be time to look at a drug that prevents Mood Disorders rather than one that suppresses their symptoms like Antidepressants currently do.  In this talk, Brachman shares her discovery of Calypsol as a potential “armor” against Mood Disorders like Depression and PTSD that will act as a resilience-enhancing, prophylactic. You might be surprised about Calypsol, though. To learn more and to watch the talk in its entirety, click on the video below.

We would love for you to share your thoughts with us about this potential drug for Mood Disorders. Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

This post was written by Bari Sobelson, MS, LMFT, the Social Media and Programming Coordination Specialist for the OneOp Family Development Team. The OneOp Family Development team aims to support the development of professionals working with military families.  Find out more about OneOp Family Development team on our website, Facebook, and Twitter.