Causes of Depression - Types of Antidepressants
Depression patients should realize that depression is a chronic illness just like diabetes or asthma. People experiencing depression feel hopeless. They may have feelings of worthlessness and experience a loss of interest in every-day activities such as work, hobbies or physical intimacy.
Many factors can trigger depression such as: being out of work, serious illness, divorce, flunking out of school, loss of a loved one. Sometimes there is no apparent factor that triggers a depression.
There are many prescription drugs as well as illegal drugs that can cause depression.
Fortunately, depression is a highly treatable condition. If you are diagnosed with depression and you take the medications that your doctor prescribes, there is an excellent chance that your depression will fade away, like a bad dream.
Scientific studies have determined that antidepressants work best when they are combined with counseling, such as seeing a
psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker or other health professional on a regular basis.
It is essential that depressed people who are on medication do not discontinue taking their medication even when they feel great. You need to take your medications religiously every day regardless of how you feel.
If you discontinue taking your medications without the advice and approval of your doctor, there is a good chance that you will fall into a tailspin and become depressed again, possibly severely, and the medicines may take longer to work.
Antidepressants are powerful drugs and should never be taken without a doctor's prescription. You don't want to self treat depression (even if you are a doctor) because the consequences could be disastrous.
Use in children
Antidepressants carry a strong warning regarding their use in children and adolescents. This warning admonishes doctors and parents that " Patients who are started on therapy should be observed closely for clinical worsening, suicidality, or unusual changes in behavior".
If your child is taking an antidepressant you must notify the prescriber at once if you notice any change in his behavior.
How can drugs help depression?
The brain communicates with itself through the use of special chemicals called neurotransmitters such as "serotonin" and "norepinephrine". There is correlation between the amount of these chemicals in the brain and a person's mood. Low levels of serotonin and norepinephrine have not been proven to cause depression but it widely believed that elevation of these chemicals is associated with improvement in mood in depressed people, particularly when their use is combined with
psychological counseling.
Doctors elevate these brain chemicals with the use of drugs.
There are many different families of antidepressants available today. The two most common groups are:
- SSRI's (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)
These drugs ncrease the brain's level of serotonin, and are associated with an improvement in mood. SSRI's have also been shown to be useful in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder and some forms of severe shyness. These drugs come with strong warnings regarding their use in children. There is data to suggest that occasionally when kids take
SSRI's some of them engage in self destructive thoughts.
However, many times the benefits of giving your child a SSRI far outweigh the possible side effects. That is a decision for you and your doctor.
They are generally well tolerated and effective. Some common SSRI side effects include: heartburn and drowsiness. They can sometimes produce a transient loss of appetite. SSRI medications can have drug interactions. You should consult with your doctor or pharmacist prior to mixing them with other medications.
Tricyclic antidepressants get their name from their chemical structure. Tricyclics were first discovered in the 1950's. Prior to that, depression was commonly treated with barbiturates or shock treatment. This class of drugs is effective in combating depression but is associated with troublesome side effects such as drowsiness, dry mouth and constipation. They are also associated with weight gain and sleepiness.
Another drawback to tricyclic antidepressants is that these drugs are dangerous when taken in an overdose.
For this reason, doctors usually prescribe the smallest number of pills possible -- they do not want a patient to commit suicide by taking an overdose of tricyclics.
Tricyclic antidepressant medications can have drug interactions. You should consult with your doctor or pharmacist prior to mixing them with other medications.
- MAOI's (monoamine oxidase Inhibitors). MAOI's are very effective but have potentially life-threatening drug interactions and food interactions. If you are taking a MAOI drug, it is important that you consult with your doctor before you take any other medicines. Your doctor will also tell you which foods to avoid mixing with your medicine.
SSRI's: General Citalopram; Drug Family: SSRI; sometimes referred to as "Celexa". These days, nobody buys brand Name Celexa. However, generic citalopram is widely available at low prices.
