Depression can be a serious ailment though treatable. It is a disease that silently sucks out the joy and energy from somebody. A continued state of sadness or emotions different from a person’s usual behaviour is termed as depression. If this behaviour starts interfering with one’s daily activities, it is time to consult a psychiatrist. The primary symptoms of depression include anger, irritability, social withdrawal, a feeling of hopelessness or sadness, changes in sleep and appetite, fear of rejection, crying, fatigue and difficulty in concentrating. Often, suicidal tendencies tend to develop in many individuals suffering from prolonged depression. Depression can attack anybody irrespective of age.
Depression can be treated through both counseling and medications. If the depressed condition lasts for more than two weeks and interferes with one’s ability to work and enjoy, medicinal treatment should be started after consulting a psychiatrist. Antidepressants are used mostly for severe depressions. These medications reduce the symptoms and help the depressed person feel happy. They can block the symptoms of panic and terror.
A psychiatrist prescribes medications depending on the patient’s symptoms. It takes some time before improvement begins to show, about one to three weeks. Often, the patient’s energy level or sleeping or eating patterns improve before the lifting of depression. And if no changes are visible after five to six weeks, the medication is changed. Treatment needs to be continued for several months and sometimes for years. For some people, depression can occur frequently and become severe with age. They need to continue with antidepressants.
The commonly used medications have no long-term side effects and can be continued indefinitely. The dosage varies depending on the person’s age, body weight and the type of drug. Usually, dosages are started low and gradually increased until the desired result is achieved. If side effects occur, the dosage is changed. An overdose of antidepressants can be lethal and requires immediate medical attention.
Tricyclic antidepressants are commonly used for treating major depressions. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors or MAOIs are helpful in ‘atypical’ depressions which have symptoms like anxiety, oversleeping, phobias and panic attacks. Among the new antidepressants are the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs. These include fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil) and sertraline (Zoloft). Luvox is used for obsessive-compulsive disorder and Paxil for panic disorder. Two other antidepressants approved by the FDA are venlafaxine (Effexor) and nefazodone (Serzone). These new medications have few side effects than the earlier tricyclic ones.
Tricyclic antidepressants can make people feel drowsy or anxious and restless. Tricyclics can complicate certain heart problems. Other side effects include dry mouth, blurred vision, weight gain, constipation, fatigue and changes in sexual desire. Some side effects disappear after a few days but some can remain for the entire length of treatment. Tricyclics can also interact with certain other medications and hormone like the thyroid hormone, antihypertensive medications, oral contraceptives and some blood coagulants.
Among the common side effects of the newer antidepressants are gastrointestinal problems, headache, insomnia and agitation. Some SSRIs can affect metabolism of certain other medications in the liver. MAOIs can react with certain foods, alcoholic beverages and medications like cold and allergy preparations, insulin and some narcotics.
Read more on Herbal Depression Products and Yoga for Depression Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/disabilities-articles/list-of-anti-depression-drugs-919009.html
Related Posts - Impingement Syndrome - Don't Suffer In Silence Shoulder injuries like Impingement Syndrome are unbelievably common. Also known as swimmers shoulder or throwers shoulder it can be very painful and is not to be laughed at. I know because a few months ago I injured my shoulder. It was easily done, I was trying to lift something that......
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Chronic Fatigue SyndromeChronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is one of those obscure medical problems upon which researchers and physicians seem unable to agree. Some say it is caused by a virus, others say it is allergy-related or a symptom of depression, and others, not knowing what to think or say, suggest......
- Quick Relief from Frozen Shoulder Frozen shoulder or Adhesive capsulitis is an extremely painful and debilitating condition in which movement of the shoulder is severely restricted and even small routine tasks become impossible. In it the capsule surrounding the shoulder joint contracts and forms scar tissues. Pain is constant and certain movements can cause sudden......
- Anxiety Panic Disorder Remedies Anxiety Panic Disorder is a disorder in which the anxiety a person feels is above the normal anxiety most people feel before they make a speech or perform in front of an audience. They feel scared like something very terrible is about to take place. They feel as though......
- Electric scooters are a great solution for people with limited mobility One of the hardest things about growing older can be giving up your independence. As arthritis pain increases, you need a lot of help moving around, and so you may have to get a wheelchair. However, for people who live alone, a wheelchair is not a viable option since it......
Related Websites - Chronic Fatigue -- The Facts You Should Know There is significant concern about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, also known as CFS. In fact, there are criteria patients must meet in order to be diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Receiving the diagnosis may be difficult for some patients because the guidelines for diagnosing are very specific. The fatigue must have......
- BioHRT Announced Launching of BioDiets in Arizona BioHRT Technologies, Inc. announced in December 2008 the launch of a brand new website, BioDiets.com, which is an all inclusive medical weight loss program including a specially prepared organic diet with calorie restrictions attached. The diet plan is touted as a safe, healthy and sustainable program for weight loss that......
- how to stop drinking soda Many of the choices we make in terms of the substances we ingest determine our health, of course, but also influence our wealth, happiness and emotions. A lot of the âingestiblesâ in America are really bad for you. This is not solely an American problem but it seems to......
- Life Just Sucks Sometimes As I sit and try to write a post tonight/this morning (I know I should have posts prepared for days in advance) my mind kept racing back to one topic, and since this blog is anonymous why shouldnât I bring it up. It has nothing to do with finance, but......
- My Life as a Volunteer Tax Preparer - Week 8 This week's edition of my experiences in the AARP Tax-Aide volunteer's office will be somewhat abbreviated. Recent demands of my paying job are extending the Mr. ToughMoneyLove work day at both ends. I had five appointments plus one who just randomly showed up and whom I worked in. One couple......
Related posts:
- Overcome Panic Attack Anxiety Disorder As a human being and a creature of this wonderful...
- Anxiety Panic Disorder Remedies Anxiety Panic Disorder is a disorder in which the anxiety...
- Want To Stop Panic Attacks Once And For All? There are many medicines that claim that they can stop...
- Stop Your Anxiety Attacks-Panic Attacks Naturally If you are one of the millions of people who...
- Depression and I Depression and I I really hate this disease and what...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
