Medications for depression are in the hands of the beholder

Depression is caused by a variety of factors. It can by biological, genetic, physical and emotional. Simple daily life and surroundings are important. Stress and other negative influences are known to contribute. Complicated illnesses like depression are not easy to decipher. We also recognize the complexity of man’s mind.

The medical profession is constantly working in an attempt to study the mind and how it works. A chemical imbalance in the brain is known to cause depression. Every day we learn more about how the whole process works. The best treatments come from more knowledge. Depression treatment comes from a variety of medications on the market. Quick fix schemes also exist, but they don’t work. You should be careful when looking for medications that have been clinically studied and that have been shown to have positive effects in the treatment of depression.

There was a time in our history when if something related to a mental illness affected you, you would be thrown into a mental room and lost yourself in the system. It is good to know that this is no longer the case. In 1988, the antidepressant ‘Prozac’ first hit the market in the United States. It has been shown to work and is therefore still prescribed today even though it can have serious side effects. There are several types of depression medications (antidepressants) that are used to treat depression and conditions that have depression as a component of the illness, such as bipolar disorder. These medications improve symptoms of depression by increasing the availability of certain brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. These brain chemicals are believed to help improve emotions.

The main types of antidepressants include:

* Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) are some of the first antidepressants used to treat depression. They mainly affect the levels of two chemical messengers (neurotransmitters), norepinephrine and serotonin, in the brain. Although these medications are effective in treating depression, they have more side effects, so they are generally not the first medications used.

* Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are another early form of antidepressant. These medications are more effective in people with depression who do not respond to other treatments. They are also effective for other mental illnesses. Substances in certain foods, such as cheese, beverages like wine, and medications can interact with an MAOI, so these people taking this medication must adhere to strict dietary restrictions (see below). For this reason, these antidepressants are also not the first medications used.

* Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a new form of antidepressant. These drugs work by altering the amount of a chemical in the brain called serotonin.

* Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) are another newer form of antidepressant medication. They treat depression by increasing the availability of brain chemicals serotonin and norepinephrine. Medications affect your brain chemistry in different ways, so you can try different medications or combinations of medications to find a treatment that works for your depression. Most people find a drug that works in a few tries, but for some people, depression may be more difficult to treat. In some cases, a combination of antidepressants may be necessary. Sometimes an antidepressant combined with a different type of medication, such as an anticonvulsant, a mood stabilizer, or an anti-anxiety medication, is effective.

Since then, a new class of antidepressants has been used more and more. SSRIs or (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) such as Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa and Luvox are currently being used to treat depression. They have all been shown to be effective but come with a variety of side effects. Most antidepressants are believed to work by slowing down the removal of certain chemicals from the brain. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are necessary for normal brain function. Antidepressants help people with depression by making these natural chemicals more available to the brain. Antidepressants are generally taken for at least 4 to 6 months. In some cases, patients and their doctors may decide that antidepressants are needed longer.