Types of Depression Medication

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Depression medication can be a wonderful way to help people who are dealing with depression. Many misconceptions accompany depression medication. Contrary to popular belief, antidepressant drugs are not happy pills. They are only used to help in dealing with depression. They are not the only option for treatment; however research is available to prove that they do indeed help. They are prescription-only drugs that do have risks associated with their use, and one must remember that depression medication must be prescribed only by a doctor. When trying to decide what type of medication to prescribe, doctors have three main categories that depression medication falls into. They are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclics, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

One type of depression medication that doctors use is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors otherwise known as SSRIs. SSRIs are different than tricyclics and MAOIs because they work only on the neurotransmitter serotonin. These types of antidepressants also have fewer lingering effects than the other types of drugs used for treatment for this mental illness. Some well known SSRI's that are used regularly include Lexapro, Celexa, Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft.

Many times when a woman is dealing with postpartum depression, these are the types of drugs that are prescribed. Side effects of SSRIs may include nausea, insomnia, headache, and dry mouth. There is one thing to keep in mind when using depression medications within the SSRI category. It can take up to eight weeks for the full effects of the medication to be felt. They do not work overnight, but they do work if given the chance and are taken regularly.

The second category of depression medication that doctors prescribe from is tricyclics. These drugs have been used to treat depression more than any other type. They affect the body differently than the SSRIs do. In contrast, they work with various body chemicals besides serotonin to achieve the desired results. However, just like SSRIs, these too have side effects that include blurred vision and increased heart rate. Well known tricyclics include Elavil and Pamelor.

The last category that it can fall under is monoamine oxidase inhibitors or MAOIs. MAOIs are like tricyclics by the way they affect the body. MAOIs interact with various body chemicals along with serotonin. MAOIs are less commonly used out of the three categories of depression medication. One reason that MAOIs are not used as frequently is because of the side effects.

For example, MAOIs such as Nardil and Parnate can cause weakness, dizziness, and tremors. MAOIs are also likely to interact in a negative way with over the counter medication such as Aleve. Several different over the counter drugs have warnings on their labels advising people to not mix their MAOIs with the over the counter medication.

Different types of depression medication are available to help a person overcome their disorder. A doctor can pick and choose which medication is right for an individual based on their body chemistry and family history. If these drugs are taken correctly, the effects can be dramatic. Since this is a real illness, real medication is necessary to help someone recover. No matter what a person thinks about depression, getting help is just a quick phone call away.

Finally, I'd like to thank you for reading this article and i hope it was helpful information.

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