Depression medication - treatment with the use of drugs

Depression medication is by far one of the most widely used means by which to treat the various symptoms of depression. Before being prescribed a course of antidepressants patients will first need to undergo a number of tests so as to ascertain exactly which depressive disorder they are suffering from and which medication will be best suited to their individual needs and symptoms.

One of the main causes of depression is the imbalance of levels of specific chemicals or neurotransmitters in the brain. Antidepressants work by stabilising the levels of these of neurotransmitters in the synapses. Usually, antidepressants take between two and a half and three weeks to work, although relief from minor symptoms such as insomnia and lethargy may occur within a few days.

Doses of the drugs need to be carefully monitored so as to ensure that they are therapeutic as opposed to detrimental. In addition, antidepressants may cause side effects, the severity of which may vary from individual to individual.

It is recommended that patients suffering from depression continue to take their medication for at least six months after symptoms of their disorder disappear. In severe cases of depression, this time period may extend to up to a year or more. Antidepressants can be divided into various classes each of which having its own unique benefits and side effects. Some commonly used types of antidepressant drugs include monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclics, lithium based drugs, heterocyclics and Prozac.

Tricyclics are commonly used in the treatment of ordinary clinical depression and include drugs such as Vivactil, Tofranil, Norpramin, clomipramine, dothiepine and lofepramine. All Trcyclics require a certain level in the blood stream before they will have any effect on depressive symptoms and should only be used over a limited period of time. The main disadvantage to this class of antidepressants is the fact that they may induce sleepiness and can easily be fatal if taken in incorrect doses.

MAOIs include drugs like Nardil, Parnate, Marplan, Isocarboxazid, Tranylcypromine, and Phenelyzine. These drugs are especially useful in the treatment of depression which is primarily due to anxiety. The main drawback to this class of antidepressants is the fact that if combined with certain foods they may cause incredibly unpleasant side effects, and in some cases even strokes. Foods to avoid when taking MAOIs include cheese, red wine, pickles and yeast extracts.

SSRIs have only come onto the market relatively recently and are believed to have fewer side effects than Tricyclics and MAOIs. The group encompasses drugs like sertraline, paroxetine, fluoxetine and fluvoxamine as well as notorious drugs such as Paxil, Zoloft and Prozac. All drugs in this group work on the serotonin levels in the brain and are thought to have a more direct effect than most other forms of antidepressants.

Finally, Lithium is seen as the magic key in the treatment of the manic episodes which typically occur as part of bipolar disorder. The medication targets manic symptoms specifically and is known to reduce manic episodes by up to 50% within the period of one year. The only disadvantages to the medication are that doses need to be carefully monitored so as to ensure that amounts in the bloodstream do not reach toxic levels. In addition, patients will generally need to continue with prescribed doses of the medication for life. This is often a difficult feat, especially in adolescent patients who more often than not crave the feelings of power that episodes of mania give them.

© The Pink Fridge Online Magazine 2008 - Depression Medication

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