Astral Codex Ten

Prazosin

3 min read

Prazosin

Article

Prazosin is a recurring brand in the Astral Codex Ten archive, appearing 2 times across 2 issues between December 22, 2021 and June 16, 2022. The archive places it in contexts such as “Prazosin for PTSD nightmares? Off-label and dirt-common”; “Prazosin is the standard anti-nightmare drug, and can be taken at doses from 1 - 12 mg”. It most often appears alongside Scott, Amazon, aspirin.

Metadata

  • Category: Brands
  • Mention count: 2
  • Issue count: 2
  • First seen: December 22, 2021
  • Last seen: June 16, 2022

Appears In

Source Context

Recovered passages from the original issue text. When the raw archive preserved outbound links inside the source passage, they are listed directly under the quote.

The FDA Has Punted Decisions About Luvox Prescription To The Deepest Recesses Of The Human Soul
December 22, 2021 · Original source
Or maybe you’re afraid of lawsuits. If you get sued for malpractice, it’s nice to be able to tell the jury “it says this drug is okay for this condition right on the label”. But this doesn’t usually stop doctors from doing off-label prescriptions. Gabapentin is the 18th most-prescribed drug in the US, almost always for nerve pain or anxiety, but its label only officially endorses use for seizures or shingles. Beta-blockers for social anxiety? Off-label and dirt common. Prazosin for PTSD nightmares? Off-label and dirt-common. How do doctors sleep at night, knowing they’re constantly at risk of getting sued for off-label prescriptions? Probably using trazodone, the #2 most popular sleeping pill in the US, whose label says it should only be used for depression. No, seriously, it’s because most doctors don’t even know these indications are off-label, plus their medical school professors all did it too so it doesn’t feel transgressive.
Peer Review: Nightmares
June 16, 2022 · Original source
Summary: Nightmares happen when the process of dream generation is biased by ambient stress - or sometimes for other reasons. Anything that decreases stress, increases comfort while sleeping, and deepens sleep quality will also improve nightmares, including colder, darker rooms, less indigestion, and treating any comorbid psychiatric or medical conditions. If that doesn’t work, several kinds of therapy - including Image Rehearsal Therapy, Systematic Desensitization, and Lucid Dreaming - may be helpful. Prazosin is the standard anti-nightmare drug, and can be taken at doses from 1 - 12 mg, but watch out for side effects.
We’ll look at a few of these further: Desensitization and LDT, the two highest-performing therapies. IRT, the best-studied therapy. And prazosin, the highest-performing medication.
The standard of care is prazosin, an alpha-blocker. Here is a good review study.
Inline links: Here