Tips for Stress free life  >  Expert Zone   > Depression

       Depression Tips by experts


A Look at the Different Depression and Anxiety Medications


While it may be easy to recite the various brand names and generalize their benefits enough to know they put us (or are supposed to put us) in a better mood, for lack of a better term, the drugs themselves can all be categorized individually, each working in a slightly different way.

The following is a list and very brief description, by category, of depression and anxiety medications currently prescribed by physicians.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

SSRIs, which are fairly new to the arsenal of depression and anxiety medications, have gained immense popularity among prescribing psychiatrists within the past 10 years. They are usually prescribed during the early stages of depression, if a person has sought help and behavioral and/or psychotherapy has not proven effective enough. With appropriate dosage, SSRIs can "catch" depression before it becomes severe. Although they do not work for 20% to 40% of people who try them, their ability to work for people with minor (and even major) depressive illnesses makes them attractive enough to prescribing psychiatrists to try them first before moving on to more serious depression and anxiety medications and methods, if need be. SSRIs work on serotonin, one of the brain's three neurotransmitters.

SSRIs Brand name (chemical name)

Celexa (citalopram), Lexapro (escitalopram oxalate), Luvox (fluvoxamine), Paxil (paroxetine), Prozac (fluoxetine), Zoloft (sertraline)

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MOAIs)

MAOIs are the type of depression and anxiety medications that work for people who are mildly depressed, develop mild depression over a long period of time, are overly sensitive to their environment, or who are easily able to emerge from periods of depression. People who demonstrate an excess of a particular activity (ie, overeating, oversleeping, emotional overreaction) as compensation with stress can benefit from MAOIs, which work on the three neurotransmitters (called monoamines) found in the brain: norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine. These are usually only prescribed when a person hasn't responded to any of the other types of depression and anxiety medications.

A strict diet must be followed if taking an MAOI, because in conjunction with certain foods, the body can react with elevated blood pressure, headaches, fluctuating blood sugar (for people with diabetes), and in more severe cases, brain hemorrhage. Because of these risks, MAOIs were taken off the American market for a while, but were reintroduced for patients who haven't had luck with any other depression and anxiety medications.

MAOIs Brand name (chemical name)

Nardil (phenelzine), Parnate (tranylcypromine)

Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)

Tricyclics have been available longer than any other depression and anxiety medications. In 1958, the first tricyclic, imipramine (Tofranil), was released to help combat major depression, and physicians saw a 70% positive response within their patients. Previously the only treatments for severely depressed patients were amphetamines and electroshock therapy. TCAs increase the brain's supply of serotonin and norepinephrine, two of the brain's three neurotransmitters, but it also affects some of the brain's other nerve impulses as well, and this allows for more side effects.

Severely depressed and/or hospitalized patients see the most benefit from taking TCAs because of its sedative effect. In the past, patients were usually prescribed tricyclics before anything else, but with the movement of psychiatrists (and patients!) toward heading off depression before it becomes severe and/or chronic, TCAs are now usually only prescribed if the other types of depression and anxiety medications don't work.

TCAs Brand name (chemical name)

Adapin (doxepin), Anafranil (clomipramine) , Elavil (amitriptyline), Endep (amitriptyline), Ludiomil (maprotiline), Norpramin (desipramine) , Pamelor (nortryptyline), Pertofrane (desipramine), Sinequan (doxepin), Surmontil (trimipramine), Tofranil (imipramine), Vivactil (protriptyline)

Non-specified or "Other" depression and anxiety medicationsBecause their chemical make-ups do not fit into any of the other categories, the following list of depression and anxiety medications can only be termed as "other." Wellbutrin, Desyrel, Remeron, and Effexor are prescribed most. Each of the four drugs affects at least one of the brain's three neurotransmitters (norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine), and as a result, each has its own particular set of side effects. As a result, psychiatrists are much more likely to prescribe one of the other types of depression and anxiety medications (SSRIs, MAOIs, TCAs) before switching to one of these. In some instances, a patient's regimen is augmented by combining an SSRI or TCA with an"other" depression and anxiety medications, but because of an MAOI's particular chemical make-up and dietary requirements, it is prescribed alone.

Brand names (chemical names) of Non-specified depression and anxiety medications

Buspar (buspirone), Cymbalta (duloxetine), Desyrel (trazodone) , Effexor (venlafaxine), Edronax, Vestra (reboxetine), Remeron (mirtazapine), Serzone (nefazodone), Wellbutrin (bupropion).

In August of 2004, the FDA approved the investigational drug Cymbaltaâ?¢ (duloxetine HCl), which demonstrated rapid relief of anxiety symptoms associated with depression that was sustained for the length of the study period, according to new data published in the journal Depression and Anxiety. In clinical studies, researchers attribute the medication's effect on a broad spectrum of depression symptoms, which include emotional and painful physical symptoms as well as anxiety, to its dual reuptake inhibition of both serotonin and norepinephrine.

Learn more about treating depression at http://www.e-mentalhealth.com

Charles E. Donovan

Author

Out of the Black Hole: The Patient's Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression


MORE RESOURCES:

See the complete list of Articles on Depression here

Have a look at Best Selling Books on Depression

 

Google

See also : Other articles on

Depression, Grief Loss, Happiness, Humor, Inspirational, Motivation,
Positive Attitude
,  Meditation, Spirituality

Latest info on : Depression

 


Times Online

Teenage Depression is at the Heart of the Movie
ABC News
The film is energized by amazing action sequences, special effects and Pattinson's stunningly good looks, but teenage depression is at the heart of the ...
New Moon: Five reasons the movie beats the bookDallas Morning News
'Twilight' fans approve of 'New Moon' filmManila Bulletin
Kevin Carr's Weekly Report Card for 11.20.09Film School Rejects (blog)
University News (subscription) -Richmond.com -Global Grind
all 4,583 news articles »


Washington Post

Baseball attendance drops 6.7 percent
The Daily News Online
Selig said final figures for this year are still being calculated and everyone is living in the most difficult economic times since the Great Depression. ...
Baseball still faces tough economy: commissionerReuters

all 465 news articles »


PhysOrg.com

Child asthma, mother's depression linked
United Press International
20 (UPI) -- Maternal depression may aggravate a child's asthma but how often a child had symptoms did not seem to affect the mother's symptoms, ...
Maternal depression may aggravate childhood asthmaTimes of India

all 26 news articles »


Momlogic.com

Woman Loses Sick-Leave Benefits for Depression Thanks to Facebook Pics
PsychCentral.com
Nathalie Blanchard, a 29-year-old IBM employee from Quebec, took a long-term sick leave from her job after being diagnosed with major depression. ...
Facebook Photos Cause Woman to Lose InsuranceMyFox Phoenix
Woman loses sick pay over Facebook photosCanada.com
Insurers using Facebook to investigate claimantsV3.co.uk
E Canada Now -The Next Web
all 50 news articles »


Why Grandma Should Get Online
FOXNews
Hence, they are less susceptible to depression. "Considering that depression costs the US economy about $100 billion annually, Internet use for the elderly ...

and more »


Trying to define binge eating disorder
Los Angeles Times
Binge eating was long seen by psychiatrists as an unusual symptom of major depression or an anxiety disorder. ...

and more »


New Zealand Herald

Atty seeks psych care for Mo. teen murder suspect
The Associated Press
A teenager accused of killing a 9-year-old neighbor should be sent to a psychiatric hospital because she shows signs of severe depression and anxiety, ...
Atty seeks psych care for Mo. teen murder suspectWLOS
Troubled Teen Faces Gruesome ChargesCourthouse News Service
Teen has history of mental health issuesJefferson City News Tribune
Fulton Sun
all 961 news articles »


Times Online

Little hope of depression lifting as England head into match with All Blacks
Times Online
For what it is worth, and Martin Johnson is not one to concern himself with statistics, should England lose to New Zealand at Twickenham this afternoon then ...

and more »


Books about civil war, Great Depression win Cdn Children's Literature Awards
The Canadian Press
TORONTO — Books about civil war and the Great Depression have won Canadian Children's Literature Awards. "The Bite of the Mango," written by Mariatu Kamara ...

and more »


25 Reasons We Will Not Have a Depression
Seeking Alpha (blog)
I am arguing we will not have a depression and things will pick up, just more slowly than we would like and in the face of more risk, such as much higher ...


Google News

Why not be an expert yourself  ?

 If you can write on any of the above topic, you are welcome to submit your
 articles in our database :

 Submit your article here   Our Article Area

 

You are here Home > Tips for Stress free Life > Expert Zone > Depression


| Depression Home | Depression Tips - Complete list 

| Main Home | | Meditation Corner

                |Health Tips  | Workplace Tips  | Soul Tips  |Expert Zone  |

Recommend us  |

 Books, DVDs and accessories on meditation & yoga  |

[About us] [Contact] [Privacy Policy]

Copyright 2006, Meditation is Easy.com, All rights reserved