Remember Me
forgot your password?

Do You Know About the Various Treatments for Depression That are Available?

Powered by iMedix Search for health information:

e.g.: diabetes, headache, Lipitor etc.

Treating depression involves a combination of therapy and antidepressant medication. Even then, depression is difficult to treat, especially in younger (children and adolescents) and older (the elderly) patients, as well as in those with histories of chronic disease. There are many options for treating depression, varying from medication to self-help to therapy. Most treatments are combinations of these, specially formed for an individual.

Every individual suffering from clinical depression exhibits physical, mental, and psychological symptoms, but the symptoms of one person is almost never the same as another's. This means that, at least to date, there is no known cure-all for depression. It is important to identify the specific symptoms that plague a depressed individual, as well as their frequency and severity, in order to arrive at the best combination of treatment.

Medication treatments for depression are quite popular treatments, with antidepressant medications often the first treatment option considered by health professionals. Antidepressants help individuals suffering from depression by relieving its symptoms, therefore making it easier for the patient to realize his/her problems and take appropriate, more effective action to solve them. Some of the more popular medication treatments for depression are listed below.

Tricyclic Drugs

These drugs prevent the reuptake of serotonin or norepinephrine (or both) into the presynaptic nerve endings, which results in increased synaptic concentrations of these neurotransmitters. These drugs also cause a reduction in beta-adrenergic receptors. Examples of tricyclic drugs include tricyclic antidepressants (TCA’s) such as amitriptyline. TCA’s are the most widely used antidepressant drugs in treating depression.

MAOI (Monoamine oxidase inhibitors)

MAO inhibitors hamper the enzymatic degeneration of serotonin and norepinephrine. MAO inhibitors are usually prescribed for patients suffering from atypical depression (depression that’s marked by a need for sleep and increased appetite, as opposed to insomnia and anorexia), as well as for some patients who fail to show improvement after taking TCA's. MAO inhibitors carry a high risk of toxicity, and patients must comply with necessary dietary restrictions when under this form of medication. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid (Marplan).

SSRI (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)

SSR inhibitors are gradually becoming the preferred medications for treating depression, as they have been shown to be more effective than TCA’s as well as producing fewer side effects. The downsides to SSR inhibitors include sleep and GI problems, in addition to changes in sexual function and libido. SSR inhibitors include fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), and paroxetine (Paxil).

Antidepressants

Antidepressants treat depression by blocking reuptake of norepinephrine, serotonin, and epinephrine, respectively. The reason why antidepressants are not used as commonly as the other medications is due to increased adverse effects. Antidepressants include trazodone (Desyrel), bupropion (Wellbutrin), and maprotiline.

Other medications used to treat depression include anticonvulsants, antianxiety medications, and antipsychotic medications. These treat a specific aspect of the depression (or one of its side effects) instead of the underlying causes, unlike the aforementioned medications. They are often prescribed as secondary treatments for a depressed individual, and may also be suggested for individuals suffering from milder forms of the mental illness.

Tim F Clark

Tim Clark writes health related articles, the majority of which can be found on his website on bi polar disorder , where he has a large listing of bi polar articles. For more information on various treatments for depression please click the link.

Rate this Article: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)
Print Email Re-Publish


Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/do-you-know-about-the-various-treatments-for-depression-that-are-available-397695.html
Add new Comment



Captcha

  • Latest Health Articles
  • More from Tim F Clark

Be Sure You Know The Symptoms Of High Cholesterol Are You Watching For The Symptoms Of High Cholesterol?

By: Henry KH Fong | 05/07/2009
Generally speaking, almost all of the symptoms of high cholesterol are rare and hard to determine. Almost always cholesterol levels are found by taking a routine blood test; moreover, if symptoms of high blood pressure are present or do exist in a patient, then chances are the patient's high cholesterol levels have led to much more serious condition.

Causes of Recurrent Yeast Infections and How To End Them

By: Chris Haycock | 04/07/2009
It is a fact that seventy-five percent of women will experience a yeast infection at some stage in their lives.

The Truth About Six Pack Abs

By: Tomas | 04/07/2009
How to Lose Belly Fat Fast with Truth About Abs The Truth About Six Pack Abs is a new program that claims to burn and melt away excess body fat through a full body workout that maximizes the body’s metabolic response to fat-burning hormones.

Burn The Fat Feed The Muscle

By: Tomas | 04/07/2009
How to lose stubborn body fat - natural bodybuilding champion reveals all the secrets…

Vince DelMonte’s Muscle Building Tips and Six Pack Secrets

By: Tomas | 04/07/2009
Vince Delmonte’s No Nonsense Muscle Building is a complete training, workout and diet guide to help hardgainers to gain muscle mass.

Add 3 to 6 inches to Your Height in 6 Weeks

By: Tomas | 04/07/2009
The Secret To Growing Taller By 3 Inches Or More In Just 6 Weeks! Regardless Of Your Age!

Get Six Pack Abs

By: Tomas | 04/07/2009
Most men want six pack abs, but what most men are not sure of how is how to achieve this lofty and sometimes inaccessible goal. Changes in diet, exercise, and habits are necessary to obtain the goal of getting a washboard stomach, but if you were not willing to make the changes necessary or at least curious about what you need to do to actually get six pack abs, you would not be reading this particular article.

Best Workout Program to Get Rock Hard Abs

By: Tomas | 04/07/2009
When working out the last ting you’d want to do is waste your time. Too many people at the gym work on pointless and ineffective exercises that are just a waste of time and will never produce results.

Do You Know About the Various Treatments for Depression That are Available?

By: Tim F Clark | 27/04/2008 | Health
These treatments for depression have helped thousands of people throughout the USA. Find out what some of the most common treatments are and how they work in this article.

Stopping Hyperhidrosis Using Surgery Could Change Your Life

By: Tim F Clark | 26/04/2008 | Health
Hyperhidrosis can create a lot of social anxiety for sufferers, but it is treatable, and surgery is an option.

How the Signs of Bipolar Affective Disorder Often Affect People

By: Tim F Clark | 25/04/2008 | Health
Bipolar affective disorder has one of the highest suicide rates among teens, and its signs often go undetected for years.

Reigning in Hyperhidrosis Using Medicine Could Change Your Life

By: Tim F Clark | 24/04/2008 | Health
Discover whether your hyperhidrosis can be treated with medicine or not.

Spotting the Signs of Depression Can Literally Save Lives

By: Tim F Clark | 23/04/2008 | Health
Identifying the signs of depression and getting help is essential in increasing a sufferer's chances of survival.

Spotting Early Symptoms of Bipolar Depression Can Save Lives

By: Tim F Clark | 21/04/2008 | Health
Identifying the symptoms of bipolar depression and getting treated for them is essential in increasing a sufferer's chances of survival.

Treating Overactive Sweat Glands: There are Some Realistic Options

By: Tim F Clark | 20/04/2008 | Health
Overactive sweat glands can create a lot of social anxiety for sufferers. But there are treatments available to help treat and reduce this problem.

Submit Your Articles Free: Signup


Article Categories




Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2008 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved. (0.27, 6)