Antidepressants - How Effective Are They?

People suffering from major depression can find some form of relief using antidepressants. But keep in mind, such medications are not absolute solutions that can blast depression out of existence. Antidepressants also have their share of dangers and ill-effects. Recent studies have even begun to question their efficacy. It is important to learn the antidepressants facts and weigh their upsides against any potential risks so informed decisions can be made.

Antidepressants - What You Don't Know about Anti-Depression Medication

It's all over television, in newspapers, the radio, and doctors even proclaim it. Depression stems from a brain chemical imbalance that can be corrected with medication. The theory on chemical imbalance says that a low serotonin level results in depression. Serotonin is a type of brain chemical. Antidepressants drive up serotonin levels to normal values.

The truth of the matter is - researchers have limited knowledge regarding how anxiety depression medication works. No test is capable of measuring serotonin amounts in a live brain. There's even no way of finding out what is normal, high or low serotonin level, which makes it tougher to demonstrate the manner by which depression meds repair such levels.

Experts now believe that there's more to depression than plain unfavorable brain chemistry. Many factors besides serotonin come into play when it comes to this disorder. New studies claim other biologicals contribute to the depressed state, including high stress hormones, abnormal activity in sections of the brain, inflammation, shrinking brain cells, nutritional deficiency and immune system suppression. Psychological and social factors like inadequate exercise, low self-esteem, loneliness and poor diet also impact depression.

The research community agrees that medication is extremely helpful in severe depression. Still other studies reveal that the upsides of depression drugs have been blown out of proportion. Some researchers go on to conclude that with regard to mild or moderate depression, antidepressants just slightly demonstrate greater effectiveness than a placebo.

Depression treatment drugs include atypical antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI), and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). After-effects are fairly common among all antidepressant meds. For most people, the ill-effects can prove so serious that they are forced to stop using the medicine.

After a person begins taking anti anxiety or depression drugs, quitting the stuff can be quite a challenge. Many experience withdrawal symptoms that make getting off the meds even tougher.

For those bent on ceasing their antidepressant intake, remember to do it gradually. Stopping abruptly can mean encountering several nasty withdrawal symptoms - from extreme restlessness to fatigue, to pains and aches, to dizziness and crying spells. All these make up what is collectively called the antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. This is observed most especially among people who gave up taking Zoloft or Paxil, but all drugs for depression treatment can set off withdrawal signs.

Anxiety depression is another common antidepressant withdrawal symptom. With depression being a symptom of withdrawal, it usually is worse than what the person dealt with originally. Sadly, many mistake such a symptom as their depressive illness returning so they get back on the meds, and the cycle repeats.

Avoid withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants by never halting medication intake cold turkey. Tapering the dose little by little is the trick. Allow for one to two weeks interval between dosage reductions of the antidepressants. The taper process might last months. Do it under the close supervision and monitoring of a qualified medical practitioner.