Pfizer to pay record $2.3 billion penalty

Justice Department cites unlawful prescription-drug promotions

"Federal prosecutors hit Pfizer Inc. with a record-breaking $2.3 billion in fines Wednesday and called the world’s largest drug maker a repeating corporate cheat for illegal drug promotions that plied doctors with free golf, massages, and resort junkets."

Click here to read the entire Associated Press article on MSNBC

A recent New York Times article describes how Forest Laboratories, makers of Lexapro, turned "a medicinal afterthought into a best seller."

This is another example of how Big Pharma influences what medical professionals prescribe.

Click here to read the New York Times article.

If you haven't read the Tip from July 2009, and you believe that anxiety and depressive disorders are caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain or genetic predisposition, you may want to click here and discover what new research and others are saying about these false notions.

Can anxiety reduce sex drive?

Since anxiety stresses the body, and stress can reduce sex drive, yes, being anxious can reduce sex drive. In fact, many believe that stress is one of the leading causes of sexual dysfunction.

Stress hormones inhibit the body's main sex hormone, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), and subsequently suppresses sperm count, ovulation and sexual activity. Elevated stress also reduces testosterone, which is, in a sense, the body's natural aphrodisiac (the female body also relies upon small amounts of testosterone for healthy physical and mental function). As a result of these changes, elevated stress often causes sexual dysfunction.

And because of the chemical changes stress cause, stress also is one of the main causes of infertility.

But anxiety and stress also can cause an increase in sex drive, for some people, as well as cause random swings in either direction. So all combinations are common and possible when the body is experiencing elevated stress, including the stress caused by being anxious.

Members can read today's posting in the member's area for more information about how anxiety and stress can affect sex drive.

For more information about common anxiety symptoms, anxiety therapy, anxiety cure, anxiety treatment, anxiety attacks, and anxiety disorders.

Have a great week!