Depression Learning

How do SSRI Antidepressants affect People with Depression?

A very large number of people in the United States suffer from some form of depression. Most people who are clinically depressed have major depression disorder (MDD), chronic depression, situational depression, and a certain percentage of people have bipolar depression. Depression drugs are very effective in treating most forms of depression. Almost everyone knows someone who is on prescription antidepressants. However, there are people who cannot take antidepressants for whatever reason. Some people have side effects from depression drugs, and the side effects are worse than the depression. Some people can be so sensitive to antidepressant drugs that they have episodes of paranoia. Some people who take antidepressants don’t like the tremors they get, and some of the other symptoms.

Depression drugs are is very effective for most individuals. However, a small percentage of individuals have side effects that are very troublesome. Most people have no significant side effects from antidepressants. However, some side effects that have been listed for many of the commonly used depression drugs are very rare. Common side effects of most antidepressants are loss of appetite, tremors, reduced libido, insomnia, muscle weakness, acne, high cholesterol, and canker sores. Uncommon or very rare side effects are anxiety, panic attacks, hallucinations, suicidal thoughts, and bad dreams. If anyone experiences any untoward affects from their prescribed depression drugs the individual should report it immediately. Furthermore, if anyone experiences the more serious rare side effects, the individual should see a doctor and report what is happening while he/she is taking the drug.

One of the cons of depression drugs, and almost any type of drug, is that prescription drugs are designed to treat an illness, not cure it. Antidepressants do not cure depression; antidepressants treat depression. Most depression drugs are SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). SSRI depression drugs are designed to increase serotonin levels in the brain and to keep serotonin (neurotransmitter) in the space between nerve cells called a synapse, or synaptic gap. The receptive cells recognize the neurotransmitters and receive them. The SSRI antidepressants work by keeping serotonin in the synaptic gap for a longer time. The longer serotonin stays in the synaptic gap the less depressed one feels.

SSRI depression drugs are used to treat major depression, chronic depression, and some panic disorders. There are always risks of side effects when you take SSRI antidepressants. However, your doctor prescribed antidepressants for you because the benefit you will get from the drug is greater than the risk of side effects. Some common SSRI antidepressants are Prozac, Cymbalta, Celexa, and Paxil.

If your doctor put you on antidepressants, it is important that you take them as prescribed, because if you were to stop taking them as ordered, you can experience withdrawal symptoms, which may feel like muscle spasms, electric shock sensations, irritability, anxiety, agitation, mood swings, loss of coordination, dizziness, and flu-like symptoms. If your doctor is going to take you off from antidepressants, he/she is more likely to take you off them slowly. Most people start antidepressants at low doses and then work up to the therapeutic dosage. You should do the same thing in reverse if you are going to come off an antidepressant, because you are likely to become depressed if you stop taking your antidepressants all at once.

A very small percentage of people found they couldn’t take SSRI antidepressants, because they had an idiosyncratic response to the drug. A person having increased depression, bad dreams, and suicidal thoughts may be having an idiosyncratic response to their antidepressant. If you have any serious side effects to an SSRI or any medication, stop taking it and contact your physician immediately for further advice.

Related Depression Posts

• Can St. John’s Wort Treat Depression?
• When Can Vagus Nerve Stimulation be used to Treat Chronic Depression?
• Does Positive Thinking Affect Depression?
• Common Depression Symptoms
• Top 15 Questions about Depression
• Depression Test
• The Shame, Guilt and Depression Associated with Prescription Drug Abuse