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If you think you experience symptoms of depression, we suggest you to consult your health-care provider. He may suggest the course of treatment and prescribe you some antidepressant medications.

Antidepressants are used to treat a variety of conditions, including depression. They help prevent suicidal attempts and provide other benefits like improvement of your mood, sleep, appetite and concentration.

Antidepressant medications help people with depression by making the natural chemicals, called neurotransmitters (that are needed for normal brain function) more available to the brain.

The antidepressants like many other medications can cause some side effects, like insomnia or tiredness. But, as usual, these disappear in a short period after you start taking them. Also, it is very important to continue taking the drugs as it was prescribed by your doctor, even if you feel better.

Antidepressants are usually taken every day. It can take up to a month to achieve therapy results, but ,again, your doctor decides for how long you will take them, as it depends on how serious the situation is.

There are several categories of antidepressants:

  • 1. Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)
  • 2. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
  • 3. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
  • 4. Serotonin Antagonists
  • 5. Bupropion (Wellbutrin)
  • 6. Venlafaxine (Effexor)
  • 7. Mirtazapine (Remeron)
  • 8. Reboxetine

Combining antidepressants has to be done very carefully. Certain antidepressants have dangerous interactions when taken together. For example, TCAs can interact with MAOIs and lead to such side-effects as fever, agitation, convulsions and even death.

You can find antidepressants in your local pharmacies or in online drugstores.

Citalopram (Celexa): usual dosing is 20 mg initially; maintenance 40 mg per day; maximum dose 60 mg per day.

Escitalopram (Lexapro, Cipralex): usual dosing is 10 mg and shown to be as effective as 20 mg in most cases. Maximum dose 20 mg. Also helps with anxiety.

Paroxetine (Paxil, Seroxat): Also used to treat panic disorder, OCD, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and PTSD. Usual dose 25 mg per day; may be increased to 40 mg per day.

Fluoxetine (Prozac): Also used to treat OCD, bulimia, and panic disorder. Long half-life; less withdrawal when medication is stopped. Dosing is 20 mg to a maximum of 80 mg.

Fluvoxamine (Luvox): Although primary used in the treatment of OCD, a doctor may prescribe it for depression. Initial dose is 50 mg, increasing by 50 mg every 4-7 days.

Sertraline (Zoloft, Lustral): Also used to treat panic disorder, OCD, PTSD, social anxiety disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Dosing is 50-200 mg per day and should be titrated upward.