Can Botox also cure depression?
Botox has already been approved for multiple uses, most remarkably, as an anti-wrinkle treatment. The next thing you know Botox might also change oil in your car and prepare coffee in the morning.
Jokes aside, a new study by dermatologist Eric Finzi and psychologist Erika Wasserman, has found that Botulinum Toxin A, commonly known as Botox, is an effective new treatment for clinical depression. The results concluded nine out of ten clinically depressed patients who were treated with Botox Cosmetic for glabellar frown lines (between the eyes) were no longer clinically depressed two months after treatment.
According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), an estimated 10 to 25% of women and 5 to 10% of men will develop a major depressive disorder at some time in their lives. External symptoms often include facial muscles that create a distressed or sad appearance: furrowed brows, raised eyebrows, or anxious expressions.
Dr. Finzi initiated an open pilot trial to determine whether inhibiting facial frowning by injecting the wrinkle treatment Botox could improve depressive symptoms. Finzi created the trial after learning that patients with paralyzed facial muscles often had difficulty feeling sadness. He also noted that significant depression diagnoses showed up in patients with very strong frown lines. Interestingly, early scientist Charles Darwin suggested that facial muscle and skin movement may contribute to our moods and emotions.
The study found that nine out of the ten patients treated with Botox were no longer depressed two months after treatment, and the tenth patient reported an improvement in mood. “These findings are very promising, and it is my and Dr. Finzi’s hope that a larger scale study will be conducted,†said Dr. Wasserman. Dr. Finzi added, “This treatment is a safe and potentially effective way to help millions of clinically depressed people who are not responding well to drugs and psychotherapy treatments.â€
While cosmetic surgery has been shown to improve self esteem and enhance a woman’s desire to have some fun in bed, nothing in life is so simple. Many women kill themselves when they expect too much from their surgeon but see that while they look better, nothing else has changed. To the best of my knowledge, depression is very complex and not feeling good about one’s appearance is one of the many reasons. I also know that by trying to spend time with friends, having a good time, taking care of oneself, dressing well, working on one’s self esteem, and changing one’s lifestyle are helpful in curing depression, I would not go as far as Finzi and Wasserman go to suggest that Botox can be an actual treatment for depression.
Related links
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.