Depression attacks the mind and the body. Depression
often presents itself as a long period of sadness that you just can't shake. The
symptoms of the state of depression include a continual feeling of fatigue,
insomnia or oversleeping, extreme changes in weight, a decreased sense of
self-worth, a feeling of hopelessness, a feeling of helplessness, and the
inability to enjoy normally enjoyable activities. Depression is more common in
women than men, but it is common in both. There are now various depression pills
that can help both men and women return to their normal levels of function and
life satisfaction.
Understanding Depression Pills
Depression pills are typically only prescribed to those
who have been diagnosed with clinical depression. Clinical depression is a
diagnosis that indicates you have chronic sadness and lowered energy levels. It
is known that there are chemical changes that take place in the brain during
depression. A family history of depression makes it more likely you will develop
depression yourself, probably because of the balances and tendencies of these
chemicals in your own brain. Most depression pills prescribed today are an
attempt to restore the proper function of the brain's neurotransmitters.
Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that scientists have
been able to most closely correlate with depression. Serotonin levels are known
to have an impact on appetite, mood, and sleep. Generally, depression
seems to be the result when serotonin levels get very low. It is also known that
shortages of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine are correlated with depression.
Currently, most depression pills attempt to increase the availability of these
two neurotransmitters to the brain.
Currently SSRIs (Serotonin Selective Reuptake
Inhibitors) are the most widely used depression pills. You have probably heard
of such SSRIs as Prozac, Wellbutrin, Zoloft, and Effexor. These depression pills
attempt to keep the brain from discarding or re-absorbing serotonin so that the
serotonin levels will remain high. This is often referred to as the
bioavailability of serotonin. This means simply that the serotonin is kept
available for use by the brain instead of being discarded.
Tricyclics are another class of depression pills that
attempt to work on the neurotransmitters of the brain. Tricyclic depression
pills are no longer prescribed as much as they used to be. Two of the best known
tricyclic depression pills are Pamelor and Elavil. SSRIs are generally more
successful with less side effects, but they don't always work for everyone so
occasionally they will be replaced or supplemented with tricyclic depression
pills. The common side effects of tricyclic depression pills are sedation,
weight gain, and dry mouth.
