Movie Memorabilia

High Anxiety Is Nothing To Joke About

A 1977 film by film-maker Mel Brooks entitled, High Anxiety takes a comedic look at the mental health industry and the various approaches taken to treat anxiety disorder.  The movie was given two Golden Globe nominations even if it did not do too well at the box office.   Brooks, known throughout Hollywood as a comedic genius, deliberately made this movie as a spook of the more-serious psychological thrillers made by Alfred Hitchcock.

While it is true that laughter is the best medicine, high anxiety is certainly no laughing matter. In real life,
High anxiety can lead to panic attacks, phobia and other disturbing behavior associated with excessive nervousness or fear. It is an unpleasant feeling that is often accompanied by palpitations, chest pain, nausea, and headaches.

But what exactly is the cause of anxiety? According to medical experts, a “re-setting” of an organ in the brain called “amygdala.”  Amygdala is an ancient Greek word for almond.  The amygdala, shaped like an almond, is found inside the medial temporal lobes of the brain.  As part of the limbic system, it performs a role in the processing of emotional reactions and memory.  This organ is connected to several brain centers such as the visual cortex and the neocortex.  In recent laboratory research, people who were made to view depressing images or films showed changes in their glucose metabolism.  After watching horrible scenes such as a plane crash or predatory scenes in animals, men were found to have had increased glucose metabolism on the right side of the amygdala.  Women, on the other hand, developed increased metabolism on the left side of the said organ.  

If left uncontrolled, emotional disorders can cause major health problems, suffer poor performance at work or in school, and even cause damage to their professional and personal relationships.  To avoid a total mental, emotional and physical breakdown, people suffering from emotional disorders should consult a doctor or a therapist.  Often, after a careful interview and evaluation, the doctor would prescribe   
anti anxiety medication.  The drugs are given to help relieve the symptoms of anxiety.  These prescription pills work to block the neurotransmitters that are known to influence cases of depression.  It is very important to control depression because, as medical histories have shown, it is one of the most common causes of relationship problems, health degradation, and even in the rise of suicidal thoughts among depressed individuals.

One of the more effective prescriptions today is bupropion, an antidepressant and a substance used to control excessive smoking.  Clinical studies involving the introduction of multi-placebo samples showed that the use of bupropion is effective for the treatment of depression. The said substance is said to be the fourth most prescribed antidepressant in America today, grossing over 21 million prescriptions since it was released in the market.      First developed in 1966, bupropion was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 1984 for medical and therapeutic use.
Today, bupropion is marketed under the brand name Wellbutrin, which is strictly a prescription drug that comes in slow release and extended release variants.  If taken without doctor supervision, the drug may cause seizures.  It is also not recommended for patients below 18 years old.  But under the care of a doctor or a health professional, the of use of this drug can be the fastest way to remove the symptoms of excessive fear and apprehension.

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Mel Brooks on The Tonight Show

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