The Basic Info You Always Wanted To Know About Antidepressants

Antidepressants can be god-sent items for those in the world who are suffering from clinical depression, or any of its many sub-varieties. It has even been known to help those with conditions other than depression, having appreciable effects on conditions such as anxiety, panic, posttraumatic stress disorder, and some cases of obsessive compulsive disorder. Some of these medications have also been used to treat medical conditions that are nowhere near the realm of mental illness. Antidepressants like Prozac and Wellbutrin XL have sometimes found use as treatment for chronic pain. Tricyclic antidepressants, in particular, have been found to be very effective in this particular function. Note that these medications are not recommended uses for these medications, and the Food and Drug Administration has not approved their use for such things.

Antidepressants function by affecting some of the neurotransmitters in the brain. The human brain functions through chemical signals being directed to different sections of it, with mood being just one of the things that these chemicals can have an effect on. The brain also relies on electrical impulses to send signals from various parts of the body to the brain, and vice-versa. In terms of mood, certain compounds, such as serotonin, can have a tremendous effect on a person’s mood and perception. Emotional processing can also be affected by these chemical transmitters. The typical antidepressant functions by reducing the imbalance of these chemicals, attempting to restore them to their normal levels. Once the levels have been normalized by a drug like Prozac or Fluoxetine, then the person’s mood should begin to recover.

One of the most important things to remember when taking antidepressants is that they do not work instantly. More often than not, even if the medication manages to reduce the imbalances done by the condition, it takes a while for changes to kick in. It is not unusual, therapists say, for medication to have any sort of appreciable effect after a patient has been on it for six weeks. For others, the results come only after a delay of eight weeks. Note that these are only estimates. Brain chemistry, like blood chemistry and fingerprints, are unique to every individual. Since these drugs have not been specifically designed to treat any given person’s symptoms, being only meant to handle as many cases as possible, these medications will cause different reactions.

These divergent reactions also causes some people lose heart in taking medication prescribed by therapists. The reality is that not everyone is going to react to Prozac, even if that particular medication has managed to get its way into popular culture as a psychological marvel. Some people may react better to a drug that has a different chemical composition, or perhaps to a drug that is from a different type of antidepressant entirely. There are also cases where the drug will not work at all, which is something very few pharmaceutical companies would like to openly admit. In the event that one’s medication does not work as planned, they should be patient and work with their doctor to find the antidepressant that will work for them.

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Harvey Ong is currently employed as a researcher for an online media company, currently writing about pharmaceutical products and herbal remedies. DrugstoreTM.com is a reputable online drug store. order fluoxetine online

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