Types Of Depression Medication: How Do They Help The Brain Cope?

Mild depression does not need treatment or medication. Also, if you are feeling depressed after a stressful event, that is normal and feeling "blue" is expected. It will go away on its own. Because of this, people afflicted with depression should first seek medical help before taking medications. Feeling depressed does not necessarily warrant taking an antidepressant medication. A professional doctor must first conduct the proper diagnosis before prescribing one of the current types of depression medication. 

Taking Medications For Depression

It is the severe form of depression that people must be cautious of, and for this doctors either subject their patients to therapies or prescribe antidepressant drugs. Taking antidepressant medications is not easy; there are a number of side effects, both physical and psychological, that patients experience throughout the medication treatment. Aside from headache, stomach pains, vomiting and slight fevers, patients may experience mild obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety or panic attacks and other manic disorders.

An antidepressant drug is addictive since it provides a certain level of euphoria to drive away the depression. This is the reason why certain types of depression medication such as Zoloft are not easily available over-the-counter and needs a signed prescription from a professional doctor.      

Below, types of depression medication are outlined and a general description and drug mechanism is provided so patients will be able to choose wisely. Be sure to take extra caution when taking antidepressants because of the dangerous side effects that patients can get from the depression medications.              

Types of Depression Medications

Over the years, there have been several types of depression medication manufactured to treat the illness, all of which are focused on the control and management of the neurotransmitters of the brain. The following are the current types of depression medication available in the market today:

• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)
• Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRI)
• Noradrenergic and Specific Serotonergic Antidepressants (NASSAs)
• Norepinephrine (Noradrenaline) Reuptake Inhibitors (NRIs)
• Norepinephrine-Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitors (NDRI)
• Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)
• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOIs) 

These types of depression medication aim to manage and control the action of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. Different approaches are taken by each of these medications and each has its own advantages and disadvantages, such as the number of side effects a person can experience from taking the drug. 

The action of these types of depression medication can be categorized as balancing of neurotransmitters  to keep their level in the brain at a maximum. Lower levels of neurotransmitters have been found to be directly related to such emotions as loss of control of anger, nervousness, anxiety and fear. If the level of the neurotransmitters is kept at a sufficient quantity, the patient will be able to manage and control these emotions.

The SSRI drugs are the most popular types of depression medication. Three depression medication from this class, Escitalopram, Paroxetine and Sertraline, are the most commonly prescribed. The other popular types of depression medication are the SNRI and NDRI class of antidepressant drugs.

Less Expensvie Antidepressant Medication

A patient must realize that the occurrence of side effects is different for each individual and not all of them are present at the same time. There are instances when a particular drug will not have immediate effect on the patient. If you feel that you are not responding well to the drug, report immediately to your doctor for a change in medication or dosage.

When visiting a professional doctor, be aware which antidepressant he prescribes. He may have given you a more expensive drug than what is necessary. Based from consumer sources, the top three cheapest generic antidepressant drugs are as below. Ask your doctor if these are good enough for you.

• Fluoxetine generic drug
• Citalopram generic drug
• Bupropion generic drug