Tag: Empathy

Medication non-adherence is a common issue, with studies showing that up to 50% of patients with chronic illnesses do not take their medications as prescribed. For caregivers, learning **how to help someone who won't take their meds** requires understanding the underlying reasons for refusal and approaching the situation with empathy and patience.

Research indicates that approximately 40-60% of people taking SSRI antidepressants report some level of emotional blunting [1.2.1, 1.2.2]. This leads many to ask: can antidepressants make you less empathetic, and what is the pharmacological reason for this change?

While love is a complex human emotion, certain substances, like MDMA (Ecstasy), are commonly known as a "love drug" due to their ability to induce feelings of euphoria, empathy, and closeness. However, it's crucial to understand that chemically altering brain chemistry to mimic affection is fundamentally different from authentic human bonding, and comes with significant health and relationship risks. This article delves into the chemicals and pharmacology behind the so-called love drugs, separating the scientific reality from the myth.