Family History and Stress Triggers Depression in Politician
Recently, a Maryland Governor candidate dropped out of the race because of his depression. Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan said that family history and stress triggered his depression, which was newly diagnosed during the race even when he had suffered symptoms for longer; his father had bipolar disorder and died in 2001.
Many famous politicians and public figures suffered from depression, including Abraham Lincoln, Richard Nixon, and Winston Churchill. Although we still have a long way to go, politicians who admit their battle with depression know that this would no longer end their political careers.
Political figures have also been known to commit suicide relating to depression. Baltimore Sun noted U.S. Rep. William O. Mills and Former state Sen. George R. Hughes Jr.
Susan Levine, a Washington Post Staff Writer also reported on this incidence in a separate and related story.
Politician’s History of Being Physically Abused Surfaced during Campaign
In a related post for today’s entry on politicians and mental illness, Kathleen Troia “KT” McFarland’s past history of being physically abused as a child surfaced during her campaign.
The media got a hold of letters that McFarland wrote in 1992 to her parents at the advice of a counselor. This caused McFarland to disclose her history with physical abuse. McFarland’s father was allegedly the abuser.
Wellbutrin Increasing Dosage Sexual Side Effects?
A visitor asked about an unusual side effect of increasing Wellbutrin (bupropion) dosage from 150 to 300 mg: increased libido.
I looked at the package insert (prescribing information that the FDA approves for a drug) and didn’t see increased libido in the side effect profiles, including the rare side effect profiles. I did a medline search and saw a couple of case reports of hypersexuality from bupropion:
J Clin Psychiatry. 2003 Oct;64(10):1268-9. “Effect of bupropion on sexual dysfunction induced by fluoxetine: a case report of hypersexuality.” Chollet CA, Andreatini R.
Publication Types:
* Case Reports
* Letter
PMID: 14658981 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Can J Psychiatry. 1998 Aug;43(6):644-5. “Bupropion-SR-induced increased libido and spontaneous orgasm.” Labbate LA.
Publication Types:
* Case Reports
* Letter
PMID: 9729695 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
I wanted to see if anyone either knows additional information about this or have experienced this. Wellbutrin is often prescribed for those concerned with the sexual side effects of SSRI-type of drugs, and the low incidence of sexual side effect is a feature of this drug that the manufacturer markets to physicians. However, I’m not aware of this drug increasing libido to a debilitating level.
Can anyone help with this visitor’s question?