Drug therapy for depression is one of multiple treatment options available to any and all people suffering from depression. Everything from psychotherapy to natural healing alternatives to medicinal prescriptions can be utilized to battle the debilitating mental disorder, and which one a given sufferer opts to use largely depends on what they feel will serve them best.
According to many studies, depression is rooted in a chemical imbalance in the brain. These studies note that low levels of serotonin can lead to depression, and the key in ridding a sufferer of this condition is bringing those serotonin levels back to where they should be with drug therapy for depression.
Here are some of the most common types of antidepressants in drug therapy for depression, and a bit of detail about what treatment involving them entails:
There are recognized as the original antidepressants used in drug therapy for depression that now hits millions of people every day. Essentially, they alter the levels of two specific chemical messengers -- norepinephrine and serotonin -- in the brain, and in doing so, produce largely effective results. The notable downside to these antidepressants is their numerous side-effects.
Another early-form antidepressant in drug therapy for depression, this option is generally utilized when other treatment options have failed. Because substances in various forms of foods like wine, cheese and many others interact with MAOIs, this option must be heavily researched before used, and strict diet rules always apply.
Unlike the aforementioned treatments, SSRIs are fairly new to the antidepressant drug game. They take effect by changing the amount of serotonin in the brain, and thus, taking out depression. They also feature less harmful side-effects than the earlier varieties, which makes them all the more handy and a lot less risky.
This is also a new addition to the antidepressant line-up in drug therapy for depression, and much like SSRIs, functions because of its ability to alter the availability of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain.
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