Depression Medication Guide
A quick reference guide to understanding what some of the more popular depression medications are and how they work.
Depression medications, called anti depressants, are divided into three basic categories. The MAOI's, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, (SSRI's) and tricyclics, or TCA's.
MAOI's are an enzyme which breaks down the neurotransmitters in the brain that are responsible for moods, and an imbalance causes mood swings, or mood disorders.
The inhibition of the enzyme allows for more of the good neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and norepinephrine to reach the brain.
SSRI's work on one neurotransmitter - hence the term selective - by blocking serotonin and therefore preserving norepinephrine transmitters which fire in the brain.
They became a popular depression medication for those recovering from drug and alcohol abuse, wherein the drugs caused an imbalance in the brains ability to fire off the neurotransmitters which cause feelings of well being. Drugs inhibit, or cause the neurotransmitters to fire too often, causing them to wear out.
Tricyclics are a depression medication first used in the fifties and work much like SSRI's, except that they target actual brain cells rather than transmitters. They are sometimes called heterocyclic.
Some people will have to take depression medication for life, while others need only take it until the neurotransmitters in the brain rebuild themselves. The body and brain are amazing.
Very few people have to take anti depressants forever.
Your brain wants to get well, and often these medications are prescribed in the interim, until a healthy balance of physical brain function and mental health counseling alleviate the symptoms of depression.
Depression is a little different from the sadness we experience through everyday stress. If you think stress may be a factor in your depression, learn more about it before considering medication by reading "Conquering Stress," by C.J. Green.
Both depression medication and mental health therapy are usually necessary to ensure that you are getting better.
Some people who are prescribed depression medication take it only until they feel better, and without mental health therapy, return to the depressive state after discontinuing use.
Mental health professionals can help monitor the dosages of depression medication and increase or lower the dosage as you begin to become healthy again.
Back from Depression Medication
to Depression Help Treatment