Antidepressant Medications
There are many different types and variations of antidepressant medications available, but they all work towards the same goal: treating the problem of depression. A person who is classified as needing antidepressant medications may exhibit one or more of the following symptoms: insomnia, restlessness, chronic pain, severe loss or increase of appetite, an inability to pay attention, sadness, and thoughts of suicide or death.
Using antidepressant medications may be a difficult decision. Patients who feel that they may have a problem with depression should first consult with their local physician to make sure that antidepressant medications are the best solution for their individual case. The doctor will assess the present symptoms and will prescribe an antidepressant medication based on the patient's individual set of symptoms and medical history. The dosage may be adjusted in the early stages of treatment until the correct dosage level has been found. Many patients do not have noticeable results until after six weeks as the drug is not at full effect until then. The benefits found while using antidepressant medications may be tremendous. Sixty percent of patients that try antidepressant medications are able to experience a general better physical and mental state. Combined with a regular program of psychotherapy, depression may be effectively cured.
The most common antidepressant medications are broken down into five main groups: monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), tetracyclic antidepressants (TeCAs) such as Mirtazapine, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as Effexor. MAOIs are generally used when other antidepressant medications have failed to be effective and must be taken cautiously as there are serious interaction issues with various foods. The most popular MAOI is Emsam, which is used as a transdermal patch. Although TCAs such as Amitriptyline are the oldest grouping of antidepressant medications, they are not used very often in present times due to better options being available and possible interaction issues. On the other hand, SSRIs are the most popular current available antidepressant drugs. This grouping includes the well-known medications Celexa, Prozac, Zoloft, Escitalopram, Paxil, and Lexapro and are commonly used because they tend to have less side effects and are more effective than other groupings of medication.
Although antidepressant medications may be an effective treatment for many sufferers, caution should be taken as most users experience at least one of the following side effects: constipation, light-headed, nausea, sexual dysfunctions, insomnia, sleeping during the daytime, diarrhea, cottonmouth, headaches, weight gain, or nervous shakes. If a patient notices that these side effects are present, his or her local physician may advise that alternate antidepressant medications be used in the future.
