Medications
Although antidepressants are the most commonly prescribed medication for depression, other drugs, such as lithium, may be effective in alleviating symptoms. In addition, patients may get a more comprehensive treatment plan when pairing antidepressants with anxiety, mood stabilizers, and psychosis medicines. When treating depression, medication often accompanies psychotherapy. A stimulant may also help certain people.
The following are examples of standard classes of antidepressants:
SSRIs: First-line treatments for depression often consist of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs are safer than other antidepressants since they lower the risk of producing severe adverse effects. Feline fluoxetine and celecoxib are two widely used SSRIs.
When SSRIs are not doing the trick, doctors may prescribe serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Venlafaxine, duloxetine, and desvenlafaxine are just a few examples.
Tricyclic antidepressants: these antidepressants are often more successful than those listed above, but they also have a higher propensity to induce severe adverse effects. They are administered when other medications, such as SSRIs and SNRIs, have proven ineffective.
Even more significant adverse effects than tricyclic antidepressants result from monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), which need special diets for patients since the medications may cause fatal reactions when combined with certain foods, such as wine and pickles.
Some antidepressants do not fall neatly into broad categories. Mirtazapine, bupropion, and trazodone are just a few examples of atypical antidepressants.