Antidepressants

As the name insinuates, antidepressants are medications used in the treatment of psychiatric complications such as mild to chronic depression, anxiety, social anxiety etc. They may be purchased over the counter or prescribed by a doctor in severe cases where depression interferes with an individual’s daily routine and activities. The cause of depression can be attributed the depreciating levels of neurotransmitters in the brain which are responsible for controlling the moods exhibited by an individual. The major ‘mood-enhancing’ neurotransmitters in the central nervous system are serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine and are vital in bipolar medication. Patients suffering from symptoms of depression have shown to either have a lower level of these neurotransmitters in the brain or exhibit an imbalance amongst them.

Benefits of Antidepressants

The benefits of antidepressants are numerous as they can be seen as a natural mood lifter to the afflicted. Few are discussed as follows.

Increases neurotransmitters in the brain: The primary objective of antidepressants is to restore the levels of the essential neurotransmitter so as to alleviate the negative symptoms associated with depression and other mood disorders such as disorientation, confusion, suicidal thoughts, loneliness and self-pity etc. Depression fighting drugs can modulate the levels of serotonin and other neurotransmitters by either blocking their absorption into the brain, so there are higher levels remnants, or by aiding in the production of more serotonin. Some classes of drugs are also aimed at inhibiting the chemicals that are responsible for the disintegration of serotonin and other neurotransmitters responsible for livelier moods.

Happier state of mind: Apart from fighting symptoms of depression, the benefits of antidepressants include giving people a more positive approach towards life.  People suffering from depression related disorders may find it challenging to do execute daily activities such as waking up in the morning or eating, maintaining hygiene etc. These drugs, when taken under supervision, can result in patients feeling reduced levels of stress, running daily chores joyfully and experiencing a feeling of contentment  overall.

Other benefits: Apart from aiding in the treatment of psychiatric conditions, antidepressant review has also been positive in the treatment of other conditions such as insomnia, migraines, joint pain due to arthritis, snoring, eating disorders such as bulimia etc.

Side Effects Of Antidepressants

Some of the most common side effects of antidepressants include light headedness, loss of short term memory, irregular heart beats or palpitations, fatigue, cold chills or tremors, headaches etc.  If taken in high dosages, patients may suffer from withdrawal symptoms once they stop their medication. Side effects of antidepressants differ amongst different patients. In adverse cases patients may dwindle back to a state worse than prior to starting the drugs.

Antidepressant Review

Antidepressant review is favorable if the right dosage of medication is adhered to. It is thus recommended to start medications only after consulting a doctor. Side effects are common only when the dosage is exceeded without any expert advice. Discussing an individual’s actual problems and biological history with the doctor goes a long way in reducing the occurrence of negative symptoms. It must be noted that in many situations, the actual cause of depression may not necessarily result from the lack of serotonin or other neurotransmitters in the brain. In such cases, consuming antidepressants which are meant to increase the levels of neurotransmitters may only lead to further complications instead.