Depression Medication

There is a wide range of antidepressant medications for treating depressive disorders. Common depression medication includes selective serotonin reputake inhibitors (SSRIs), the tricyclics and the monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

The SSRIs, as well as other newer medication, affect neurotransmitters and generally have milder side effects than tricyclics.

Psychotherapists often try several medication types before finding the one that works best for a patient. Depression medication has to be taken for 8 weeks for full therapeutic effects to occur.

How To Take Depression Medication

Many patients are tempted to stop medication too soon, either because they feel better and think there's no need to keep taking them or because they don't seem to have any effect. Though side effects may appear before the actual medication effect, it is important to keep taking them.

Even when you feel better, you have to continue with the medication for 4 to 9 months to prevent depression from reappearing. There are medications that need to be stopped progressively in order to allow the body to adjust. For patients who suffer from bipolar disorder or chronic depression, the medication has to be taken for an indefinite period of time.

Depression medication is not addictive. However, as with all long-term treatment, they have to be monitored by a doctor to check the dosage and the effectiveness.

Antidepressants should not be mixed with any other medicines before consulting a doctor. If you have other health problem while on depression medication and you are prescribed a treatment by another medical specialist, you have to inform him you are taking antidepressants. Some medicines, even if they have minor or no side effects when taken alone, can have dangerous side effects when mixed with other medication.

You should also avoid street drugs and alcohol because they can reduce the effectiveness of the antidepressant treatment. However, doctors often allow patients who take newer depression medication to drink small amounts of alcohol.

Anxiety medications are not antidepressants. Even though they are sometimes prescribed along with depression medication, when taken alone they are not an effective treatment against depression. Stimulants, such as amphetamines, are not effective antidepressants either and they also involve habit-forming risks.

If you have doubts or questions about your prescription or encounter problems related to medication, discuss them with a doctor. However, you should never stop taking the treatment before consulting with a specialist.

Special Precautions

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) are the best antidepressant treatment for a small number of patients. When taking them, you have to avoid foods that contain high quantities of tyramine, such as cheese, wine or pickles, as well as decongestants.

Mixing MAOIs with tyramine may cause a hypertensive crises, a significant increase in blood pressure and even a stroke. Your doctor should provide you with a list of all prohibited foods that you should always carry around. Other depression medications have no food restrictions.

Lithium has been the popular choice in bipolar disorder for many years, because it can be highly effective in smoothing our the mood changes associated with this disorder. However, its use has to be monitored carefully, because there's a very thin line between an effective dose and a toxic one.

Lithium is not recommended for individuals with epilepsy or thyroid, kidney or heart disorders. There are other medications that have been found effective in controlling these mood swings, such as carbamazepine or valproate.