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- What are anti-depressant medications?
- Important anti-depressant medications facts
- Why anti-depressant medications are important
What are anti-depressant medications?
Anti-depressants (or antidepressants) are medication which are prescribed to people who have the following mental health conditions:
- Anxiety disorder
- Depressed
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Anti-depressants are prescribed as a way of reducing the symptoms of the depression and anxiety disorders. Sometimes they are used alone, but often they are used with some sort of counselling or cognitive therapy, to help the individual deal with the disorder more effectively.
There are several different classes of anti-depressants:
- Benzodiazepines - these medications are prescribed at low doses for short periods as they can become addictive; they have relatively few side effects (other than feeling sleepy)
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) - these are an older type of anti-depressant which need to be closely monitored as they cannot be taken with certain foods and other medication, as they can produce serious side effects
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) - these are a newer type of anti-depressants which work on increasing serotonin uptake; they produce less side effects than the older class of drugs
- Tricyclics - these are an older type of anti-depressant which have some side effects, that can be reduced by lowering dosage or switching to another type of tricyclic
Important anti-depressant medications facts
- Anti-depressants can be a successful therapy for many people with mental health disorders
- Anti-depressants work on balancing the chemicals in the brain (neurotransmitters) to reduce symptoms
- Anti-depressants can take up to four weeks to start working
- Some people may have side effects to the anti-depressant medication and may need adjustment of the dosage, switching to another type of maybe trying a different therapy approach - only a medical professional can help make this decision for you
Why anti-depressant medications are important
Anti-depressant medications reduce the symptoms of the mental health disorders (depression, anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder), such as:
- Feeling excessively guilty
- Loss of concentration and thinking
- Loss of interest in life
- Sadness (for no apparent reason)
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Worrying too much
Anti-depressants are also used for PMDD - a very severe form of PMS which affects a small percentage of women.
references
- Marieb EM, Hoehn K. Human Anatomy & Physiology. 7th edition, 2006. Benjamin Cummings Publishing
- Tortora GJ, Derrickson BH. Principles of Anatomy & Physiology. 11th edition, 2005. Wiley Publishing
To learn more, go to the following web sites:
- TGA Australia - Alerts & Advisories on SSRIS
- Beyond Blue - Antidepressants in Pregnancy
- Blue Pages ANU (Australia)
- Sane Australia
