Depression is a mental illness that affects the mood of a person. It mainly disrupts the levels of neurotransmitters that are responsible for relaying of the nerve impulses. There are many people who suffer from this condition. Several factors had been identified to cause this condition. Due to the increasing cases of depression that affects people, there are new medications that are being developed as additional types of treatment for depression.
Depression Medication
Depression is commonly treated with antidepressant medications. Antidepressants work to balance some of the natural chemicals in our brains. These chemicals are called neurotransmitters, and they affect our mood and emotional responses. Antidepressants work on neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
The most popular types of antidepressants are called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). These include:
- Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- Citalopram (Celexa)
- Sertraline (Zoloft)
- Paroxetine (Paxil)
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)
SSRIs and SNRIs are popular because they do not cause as many side effects as older classes of antidepressants. Older antidepressant medications include tricyclics, tetracyclics, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) For some people, tricyclics, tetracyclics, or MAOIs may be the best medications.
Celexa is used for treating depression. Celexa is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). It works by restoring the balance of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain, which helps to improve certain mood problems.