Symptoms and Side Effects When Beginning an Antidepressant

February 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Symptoms and Side Effects When Beginning an Antidepressant

When you decide that you want to start taking a medication to deal with depression, one of the considerations that you are going to want to make is the symptoms and the side effects that occur when you begin taking such a medication. All of these medications are going to take a little bit of time before they begin to work inside of your system, and then at that point the symptoms are going to start to slip away so that you no longer have to struggle with your depression. This period of time can generally take between one week and three, meaning that at first you will still be experience the symptoms of your depression when you begin taking your medication. Do not be discouraged if you do not see the results that you seek right away, just be patient and the symptoms will go away.

After you actually begin taking an antidepressant, something else that you are going to need to consider is the fact that there are some basic side effects that you may end up experiencing. It really depends on what type of medication you are taking, however, and you should be aware of the fact that most of these side effects are only temporary, and they will begin to go away as your body becomes accustomed to the new medication. As long as you continue to take your medication the way that your doctor prescribed it to you, the side effects will dissipate just as your symptoms of depression do, leaving you feeling a whole lot better in the long run.

If you ever have specific concerns or questions about the medication that you are taking, then it would be really smart for you to sit down and talk to your physician. Your physician is going to be able to answer questions for you and help you determine whether what you are feeling is normal or not.

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Notes and Considerations on Choosing an Antidepressant

February 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Notes and Considerations on Choosing an Antidepressant

Are you suffering from depression, or do you feel that you may be? If so, then you should be aware of the fact that there are a wide selection of different antidepressants and mood stabilizers that you can try. Choosing the appropriate medication needs to be an agreement with you and your physician. Luckily, when you first get started your physician will probably have some valuable insight and guidance for you because they already have experience diagnosing depression and choosing appropriate treatment solutions.

Your doctor is going to consider your own feelings and his or her own experience when choosing a mood stabilizer or an anti depressant to help you deal with what is ailing you. There are four things that might go into the choosing of an appropriate antidepressant or mood stabilizer for you, and these are:

- The past experiences that the doctor has had with an antidepressant or a mood stabilizer.
- The past history that you have had with the antidepressant or a mood stabilizer.
- Family considerations or family history pertaining to the antidepressant or the mood stabilizer.
- Health issues that you may have had that could interfere with the antidepressant or a mood stabilizer.

If your doctor has prescribed a certain antidepressant before, then he or she may recommend the same one since then your physician would be dealing with something already familiar to him or her. The same goes for if you have used an antidepressant in the past that worked for you, since it will be likely to work again. Family considerations mostly matter if you have a family member that has successfully used an antidepressant in the past, since the same product may also work for you as it did for a family member in the past. Health considerations may be the most important considerations, because some antidepressants can react badly if you have certain conditions or are taking certain medications, so exercise full disclosure when telling your physician about your medical history.

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The Different Types of Antidepressants

August 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

While there is no one singular ‘treatment’ for depression, antidepressant medication is one way that an individual can fight depression. Because the true sources of depression are yet unknown, treating them biologically is only one of the ways a person suffering can go about changing his or her mood. As the psychologists say, everything biological is equally as psychological. For different people, this means different things, but people suffering from depression shouldn’t rely solely on medications to treat their disorders. Therapy, conversation, exercise, sociability, and creativity are other ways a person can work out their sadness and melancholy.

But sometimes, when the psychological treatments aren’t enough, medications can be used to rebalance the chemicals that have gone askew in the body. Different antidepressants exist for different types of depression, so if and when you’re seeking a prescription, make sure you know the exact workings of your condition, because merely painting over a crack in the wall doesn’t make the crack disappear.

Types of antidepressants include Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs), Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), and Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs), and a few others. Though the names of these drugs may seem a mouthful, they are exact descriptions of what chemicals these drugs help balance. For example, studies show that one of the chemical effects/causes of depression has to do with a lack of serotonin in the brain, which is used by neurons as a type of transmission fluid. Presynaptic neurons are responsible for moderating the ‘uptake’ of serotonin, and if your chemicals are out of balance, you need some intervening chemical (or medication) to block the ability of your presynaptic neurons to restrict serotonin. Drugs like Prozac and Zoloft are examples of drugs that do this.

Oddly enough, however, some of the side-effects of antidepressants can actually show up as symptoms of the depression they’re attempting to treat, so medication should never be a first option. Sometimes, however, medication is necessary.

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How to Naturally Increase Serotonin Levels

August 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Olives in olive oil
Image via Wikipedia
A crucial neurotransmitter in the brain, Serotonin affects everything from body temperature to behavior, to sleep and mood. When there are low levels of serotonin in the body, depression and mental disorders are usually present. Therefore, it is believed that Serotonin is directly related to our well being and should be kept at a balanced, relatively high level.
There are several natural ways to increase serotonin levels, which can be done easily and on a daily basis.
The first is to eat a Mediterranean diet that is full of fish, fruit, vegetables, legumes and nuts. Consisting of monounsaturated fats like olive oil, a Mediterranean diet is high in folates and B6, which are helpful nutrients that stimulate serotonin conversion in the body. This diet also advises a low amount of diary products, meats, and alcohol.
The next is to get a healthy dose of sun, or light exposure. Studies have proven that being exposed to light helps with depression and stimulates serotonin production by counteracting the production of melatonin—a hormone created by darkness that induces sleep. You don’t just have to be in the sun to get light exposure. You can purchase lights specifically designed to increase serotonin.
Finally, exercise has been found to elevate serotonin levels significantly. Research suggests that as little as a half hour a day increases amino acids in the brain that are help to build and maintain serotonin. What’s more is that as people engage in regular exercise they also naturally increase the growth of the hippocampus in the brain, which positively affects peoples emotions and makes them feel good.
There are medications known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) that act as anti-depressants and help to boost serotonin levels. However, they do come with side effects and can cause potentially dangerously high serotonin levels in the brain.
In sum, by naturally increasing serotonin levels you can help improve your mental health, easily and risk-free.

A crucial neurotransmitter in the brain, Serotonin affects everything from body temperature to behavior, to sleep and mood. When there are low levels of serotonin in the body, depression and mental disorders are usually present. Therefore, it is believed that Serotonin is directly related to our well being and should be kept at a balanced, relatively high level.
There are several natural ways to increase serotonin levels, which can be done easily and on a daily basis.
The first is to eat a Mediterranean diet that is full of fish, fruit, vegetables, legumes and nuts. Consisting of monounsaturated fats like olive oil, a Mediterranean diet is high in folates and B6, which are helpful nutrients that stimulate serotonin conversion in the body. This diet also advises a low amount of diary products, meats, and alcohol.
The next is to get a healthy dose of sun, or light exposure. Studies have proven that being exposed to light helps with depression and stimulates serotonin production by counteracting the production of melatonin—a hormone created by darkness that induces sleep. You don’t just have to be in the sun to get light exposure. You can purchase lights specifically designed to increase serotonin.
Finally, exercise has been found to elevate serotonin levels significantly. Research suggests that as little as a half hour a day increases amino acids in the brain that are help to build and maintain serotonin. What’s more is that as people engage in regular exercise they also naturally increase the growth of the hippocampus in the brain, which positively affects peoples emotions and makes them feel good.
There are medications known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) that act as anti-depressants and help to boost serotonin levels. However, they do come with side effects and can cause potentially dangerously high serotonin levels in the brain.
In sum, by naturally increasing serotonin levels you can help improve your mental health, easily and risk-free.

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Filed Under: Mental Health Guidance Tagged With: , , ,