Depression Medicines, Medications, Drugs - Overview

The use of depression medicines and drug therapy, comprising mainly of antidepressants, is one of the most commonly and widely used modalities for treating people suffering from depression.

With newer and more powerful pharmacological drugs entering the market, there are over twenty antidepressants that are being used today. These antidepressants can be categorized into several groups, with some newer types of medications for depression having replaced older drugs for depression. Some very popular types of depression medicine / antidepressants include monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI), tricyclic antidepressants (TCA), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), receptor blockers like mianserin and trazodone, and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).

In gist, such depression medicines work by reacting with various receptor sites to try and bring about balance in neurotransmitter levels; neurotransmitters affect moods. MAOIs and TCAs, for example, work quite similarly, as they have similar chemical compositions and they react at various receptor sites to try and balance neurotransmitter levels in the human brain. The main problem with such depression medicines and drugs for depression is, of course, their many potential side effects, some of which can be extremely serious.

Indeed, most chemical medications, including depression medicines and depression pills, come with their own individual set of side effects, both physiological and psychological in nature. While most people pay more attention to the physical symptoms and try and change the course of treatment, people seldom notice or take the psychological side effects seriously. Therefore, one must be extremely cautious before starting on medication that could cause more harm than good.

Dangers of Pharmacological Drugs in General

The way of the modern world, unfortunately, is that most people are often seeking solutions which promise quick fixes and magic cures. Such solutions, especially in the form of chemical medications, almost always present many side effects, some of which can cause long-term damage to the human body. Some even cause depression, suicidal tendencies, serious illness, and even death.

Any medication, when taken for a prolonged period of time, results in creating a lot of toxicity in the human body, and affects the person both psychologically and physiologically. It is thus very important for people to understand and consider all options and treatment forms before popping pills for quick relief.

What is most dangerous, of course, is one slipping into serious emotional problems like depression because of taking medication, and one’s inability to recognize or arrive at the cause of the problem. Imagine being prescribed a drug for acne, for example, taking it, and then lapsing into depression because that is a side effect of that drug.

Extreme caution should be exercised before commencing drug medications, especially on a long-term basis, and one must seriously consider alternate forms of treatment which are non-invasive, with no side effects, and create less physical and mental problems. Treatment should always address the cause and eliminate the same, rather than deal with the symptoms and only the symptoms, which is the case for pharmaceutical drugs.

This form of treatment is incomplete and, if the cause persists, sooner or later, the symptoms will recur and, once again, one will be subject to more and stronger doses of medication, which could prove even more harmful to the body and its smooth functioning.

Several forms of alternate and natural treatments are available and equally (and often even more so) effective in curing several severe conditions. Herbal remedies, acupuncture, naturopathy, etc, are all extremely beneficial and help treat conditions with minimal or zero side effects, both physiologically and psychologically.

Read more about depression medicines on the following pages:

Types or Categories
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOI)
Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCA)
Serotonin Antagonists
SSRI Drugs - Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

Specific Drugs
Mirtazapine - Depression Drug
Synthroid Depression Medication
Venlafaxine - Depression Drug
Zoloft Depression Medication
Zyban Depression Medication

Useful Depression Resources