

Many forms of psychotherapy can help individuals with depression. These include exposure therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, life coaching, talk therapy, spiritual counseling, and many others. Thankfully, there are many different forms of counseling and genres of psychotherapy.

Talk Therapy as Alternative Trazodone Treatment
#Trazodone for insomnia elderly free#
Low-glycemic diet, free of chemicals or additives, preferably organic 16.Bright light therapy (includes sunshine!) 19,20,25.Check for and correct nutrient deficiencies 1,14-16,22,23.Test for and remove toxic accumulations 13.Talk therapy such as CBT, DBT, and Exposure therapy 8,9,10,11.2,3,4Īt Alternative to Meds Center, we aim to address each person’s unique profile and the symptoms they wish to be rid of with a customized holistic trazodone tapering and alternatives program to achieve maximum relief of symptoms, without side effects from the treatment. There are safer trazodone alternatives that do not carry such risks, and some of these will be discussed in more detail as you continue reading. Some doctors who are not aware of better alternatives may even suggest electroconvulsive therapy. 26,27 As far as other drugs that may be recommended as “alternative choices,” they have just as high a risk of being ineffective and causing adverse or unwanted side effects. As noted on the FDA label, Trazodone has been given a black box suicide warning and can also induce the potentially lethal condition called serotonin syndrome, so these risks can be quite dangerous. 26Īt lower doses, Trazodone acts as a hypnotic, and at higher doses, as an antidepressant by blocking the serotonin pathway. Trazodone can bring on a condition called priapism, (persistent, painful penile erection) requiring urgent surgery to save the organ. 7Īccording to a 2017 study on the effects of antidepressants for treating insomnia, the results showed that while trazodone was more effective than some other antidepressants at improving sleep, it may lead to other problems such as oversedation, REM sleep behavior disorder, and others. Trazodone is only FDA-approved for the treatment of depression. That is a partial list of off-label uses for trazodone. Trazodone is frequently prescribed off-label to treat insomnia, OCD, anxiety disorders, pain, bulimia, and even to mitigate the side effects of other medications. If it is considered necessary, then it should be used at the lowest possible dose and for a limited time.The Alternative to Meds Center specializes in providing the types of treatment that are designed to help a person transition to a drug-free and symptom-free daily life. But your health care provider should watch you carefully to make sure that the drug is helping and not causing bad side effects. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl Allergy, Nytol, Sominex, Gravol, generic)Ĭonsider these drugs if the sleep problems are affecting your quality of life and nothing else has helped.Avoid these over-the-counter sleep drugs: Side effects of some drugs can be especially bothersome for seniors: next-day drowsiness, confusion, constipation, dry mouth, and difficulty urinating.

Over-the-counter drugs may not be a good choice. Sometimes medications under the class antipsychotics or antidepressants are prescribed primarily for sleep including: Kinds of sleeping pills (sedative-hypnotics).Īll of these pills have risks, especially for older adults: Sleep problems can be caused by depression or anxiety, pain, restless leg syndrome, and many other conditions.Įven if an exam does not turn up an underlying cause, you should try other solutions before you try drugs (tips for better sleep are found below). There are also concerns they may be as addictive as other sedatives. Studies suggest they have as much or more risk than the older sleep drugs. “Z” drugs include Zolpidem (Ambien and generic) and Zopiclone (Imovane and generic). These are common causes of hospitalization and death in older people. More than double the risk of falls and hip fractures.The drugs can cause confusion and memory problems as well as changes in balance that: Seniors are likely to be more sensitive to the drugs’ effects than younger adults.Īnd these drugs may stay in their bodies longer. Sleeping pills can have serious, or even deadly side effects.Īll sedative-hypnotic drugs have special risks for older adults.
