8 Things You Must Know About Antidepressants Before Taking Them
Just as the name suggests anti-depressants are medicines that are given or taken to treat depression in adults. There is however nothing straight forward about the use of anti-depressants though. Anti-depressants should be taken only when you are diagnosed with clinical depression and only when your doctor prescribes it as it can be dangerous otherwise. Here are some things you must know about anti-depressants before you take them.
1. There are five main types of anti-depressants
They are, Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs), Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), Noradenaline Re-uptake Inhibitors (NRIs), Multiple Re-uptake Inhibitors and Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs). There are few other miscellaneous antidepressants which do not come under any of those categories.
2. Anti-depressants are used to treat other illnesses apart from depression
Anti-depressants are not prescribed only for treating depression; but are and may be used for treating severe anxiety disorders and panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress and chronic pain.
3. It is not really known for sure how anti-depressants work
But what is known is that they slow down a chemical called Monoamine Oxidase, which breaks down neurotransmitters. They help your brain cells get to soak in the right chemicals for longer.
4. Not everyone should be treated with anti-depressants
Antidepressants should not and are not used for treating mild depression. It is because if you are not severely depressed they do not work on you and you would just have the placebo effect. Even though they do not work on your mild depression, they do have other side effects, so you should handle them with care.
