The Antidepressants , Popularly known as"pills for depression", are psychotropic drugs designed to treat Symptoms of Depression , Although in many cases professionals Health professionals prescribe them to treat other problems like anxiety, insomnia or some eating disorders.
The fact that it is a psychotropic drug means that it acts on the Central Nervous System (CNS) producing temporary changes in the functions Psychic as perception, attention, concentration, mood, consciousness...
Some of the best known and most commonly used antidepressants are:
- Fluoxetine
- Paroxetine
- Sertraline
- Escitalopram
- Duloxetine
Do you hear any of them? If you do not hear these antidepressants by their generic names, you may be more familiar by their trade names: Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro and Cymbalta.
Antidepressants are the drugs of first choice for Treat depression , A problem that affects 350 million people worldwide.
Its consumption has tripled between the year 2000 and the year 2013, going from 26'53 doses per thousand inhabitants per day to 79'5, according to the Agency Of Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS).
This increase is due to a growth of mood disorders in the population that has been aggravated in recent years by the crisis and The problems derived from it (dismissals, evictions, decrease of the quality of life...).
When I speak of depression I mean a state of sadness, apathy , Reluctance, isolation, lack of interest, vitality... that occurs in the person Throughout the day and continuously in time, preventing him from leading a normal life.
Many people confuse having the above-mentioned symptoms at any given time with depression, and it is not. If one day you are sad, Discouraged and uncaring does not mean that you have depression, it means that you are sad, discouraged and disheartened.
Remember that depression is a serious problem whose symptoms persist over time, reaching weeks, months and even years, and Which should not be confused with having a low mood at any given time.
Common brand names and antidepressants
The antidepressants we mentioned at the beginning of the article belong to the group of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and the Group of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Noradrenaline (IRSN).
These two groups of antidepressants have the least side effects, which is why doctors choose them as first-line drugs Choice to treat depression.
These antidepressants help your brain better use certain chemicals related to the state of mind And stress.
Next, I will analyze the five most commonly used antidepressants:
1. Fluoxetine
Fluoxetine, better known as Prozac, is used primarily for the treatment of depressive disorders, Obsessive-compulsive disorder , the Bulimia nervosa And, in certain cases, to deal with alcoholism .
It is used with both adults and children and belongs to the group of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs).
Its main side effect is sexual problems and dysfunctions.
2. Paroxetine
Paroxetine, better known as Paxil, is used to treat depression and, thanks to its anxiolytic effect, to treat anxiety disorders ( Anxiety disorder with and without agoraphobia , social phobia , Obsessive-compulsive disorder ...).
This antidepressant was used a few years ago with adults as well as with adolescents and children, but recent studies have shown that its use in Minors is not adequate because they increase their suicidal thoughts and attempts to harm themselves.
It belongs to the SSRI group.
Its main side effects are:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sexual problems and dysfunctions
If nausea and dizziness are among the side effects of a drug, you should be especially cautious when driving. For any doubt, Consult your doctor.
3. Sertraline
Sertraline, better known as Zoloft, is prescribed for the treatment of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and Anxiety disorder With and without agoraphobia. It belongs to the SSRI group.
Depending on the problem you want to treat, it can be used only with adults or also with children and adolescents.
Its main side effects are:
- Diarrhea
- Sexual problems and dysfunctions
4. Escitalopram
He Escitalopram , Better known as Lexapro, is mainly used for the treatment of depressive disorders, anxiety disorder with and without Agoraphobia, social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder And obsessive-compulsive disorder.
This drug should not be taken if the person has epilepsy. It belongs to the SSRI group.
Its main side effects are:
- Insomnia And drowsiness
- Sexual problems and dysfunctions
5. Duloxetine
Duloxetine, better known as Cymbalta, is the only Selective Serotonin and Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) in this group.
It is used to treat major depressive episodes, generalized anxiety disorders and pain associated with various physical illnesses.
Its main side effects are:
- Headache
- Sickness
- Dry mouth
Duloxetine is one of the best antidepressants that can be used, since it produces few side effects and minimizes some nasty ones (such as Sexual dysfunctions and problems) without its effect varies.
Consumption of antidepressants
Antidepressants should only be consumed under medical prescription and always following the guidelines indicated by the health professional.
Physicians and psychiatrists are the professionals who have the responsibility to know and correctly evaluate the patient to finally decide if You need some kind of antidepressants to overcome your problem or, conversely, it is not necessary.
In many cases the person who visits the doctor in search of an antidepressant that relieves their symptoms does not need to take it, either because their depression is Mild and can be cured through other ways or because its symptoms do not qualify as depression.
Some of these people come because they have just separated or divorced, because they have lost their job, because a loved one has died, because of a crisis Existential
If finally your doctor decides that you should take antidepressants to be able to improve, you have to know that your action is not immediate. It can take days, Weeks and even a month in seeing its effects and noticing the improvement of the drug.
In many cases the person has to try several types of antidepressants and modify several times the dose until finding the one that better alleviates their Symptoms and fewer side effects it produces.
According to statistics only three out of five people with depression begin to improve as soon as they start taking an antidepressant.
As you can see, the onset of depression in many cases is slow, but despite the difficulties At the beginning, one should be consistent and responsible with the consumption of antidepressants.
These drugs act at the brain level, so they should never be removed suddenly. Although at the beginning of treatment the effects and Improvements are slow, be patient and never give up treatment without medical supervision.
Although it does not happen in one hundred percent of cases, antidepressants should be considered second-line treatment, ie before consuming Antidepressants should be explored other ways of improving, such as Psychological therapy .
Here are the main benefits of psychological therapy in depression compared to antidepressants:
- It is more effective than antidepressant drugs
- It is effective both short-term and long-term
- Reduces symptoms of depression
- It carries less health risks
- It has fewer side effects
- There is greater adherence to treatment
- Lower dropout rate
- Prevents the chronification of the disorder
- Prevent Relapse
- Reduce absenteeism
- It's cheaper
- Does not discriminate among children, adolescents, pregnant women, adults and the elderly
- Etc.
For these and many other reasons, psychological therapy is the primary recommendation in the treatment of depressive disorders.
Precautions when taking antidepressants
Before starting treatment with antidepressant drugs, you should consult your doctor or psychiatrist and inform you about the precautions you must have Before, during and after treatment.
For example, if you are taking any type of medicine, vitamin or herbal product you should tell the healthcare professional you are supervising Your case, since the combination of these products with the antidepressants can have undesirable effects.
If you drink alcohol regularly you must be careful at the beginning of treatment. I advise you not to combine both substances until you know which drug and Dosages are good for you until you see how the drugs for depression affect your body.
It is also very important that you know the main side effects that produce these psychotropic drugs, which I expose you to continuation:
- Weight gain
- Increased heart rate
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Headache
- Sickness
- Nervousness
- Dizziness
- Feeling of weakness
- Dry mouth
- Drowsiness
- Sweating
- Tremors
- Panic
- Suicidal thoughts and ideas
- Anxiety problems
- Sleeping problems (insomnia and hypersomnia)
- Sexual problems
- Blurry vision
- Vomiting
- Etc.
These side effects occur in the first few weeks of treatment and diminish over time. If they do not decrease, you should consult With your doctor as the dose or medication may not be right for you.
To avoid such side effects or to minimize them as much as possible, you should start to consume antidepressants in low doses.
How to stop antidepressants
This type of drugs should be left in a proper way, that is, reducing the dose gradually and always under medical supervision.
If you stop taking antidepressants abruptly and suddenly, you will suffer unwanted and annoying side effects such as:
- Abstinence symptoms such as headache, dizziness, fainting, nausea, vomiting, irritability, anxiety, sleep problems, sadness...
- Increased suicidal thoughts and attempts.
- Return of depression.
For this reason you should never stop using antidepressants abruptly and without prior consultation with your doctor or psychiatrist.
Many people abandon antidepressant treatment without warning because they are better off than at first. They believe that being better off does not They should continue to take them and leave them without first consulting with their doctor.
Even though you are better off you should never leave the drugs for depression in this way, since the symptoms of withdrawal, suicidal thoughts and Depression, they can return and you will have to start over again the treatment.
Any changes or modifications should be made under medical supervision.
Depression and its symptoms
Depression can arise in a person through the experience of a stressful event, due to illness, personality traits, Genetic inheritance, biochemical imbalances in the brain...
That is, depression can arise for many reasons and very varied.
Regardless of the reason depression develops in the person, the most common symptoms that derive from such pathology are:
- Social isolation
- apathy
- Low self-esteem
- Low energy level
- Changes in eating (eating more or eating less than usual)
- Difficulty thinking
- Decreased vitality
- Decreased sexual interest
- Fatigue
- Suicidal Ideas and Self-Ethical Attempts
- Inability to make decisions
- Irritability
- Thoughts of death
- Loss of interest in what previously interested and was pleasurable
- Weightloss
- Pessimism
- Anxiety problems
- Concentration problems
- Sleep problems (insomnia and hypersomnia)
- Physical problems (headaches, gastrointestinal problems...)
- Feelings of guilt, uselessness, despair, hopelessness, impotence, emptiness...
- Sadness
- Etc.
Who best detects these symptoms is not usually the depressed person but those who are often by his side (family, couple, friends, The co-workers...).
For this reason, it is not surprising that a person who is already depressed or in the process of depression comes to a consultation at the express request of a family member or friend who is Concerned about its current state.
References
- American Psychiatric Association. (2014). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. (5th ed.). Medical Publishing
Pan American. - Dharmshaktu, P. Tayal, V. Kalra, B. S. (2013) Efficacy of Antidepressants as Analgesics: A Review. The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 52 (1), 6-17.
- Medicines for Treating Depression: A Review of the Research for Adults. (2012). Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality .
- Web page of the National Library of Medicine of the United States (.nlm.nih.gov).
- Pigott, H. E. Leventhal, A.M. Alter, G. S. Boren, J.J. (2010). Efficacy and Effectiveness of Antidepressants: Current Status of Research. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 79 , 267-279.
- Stone, M. Laughren, T. Jones, L. M. Levenson, M. Holland, P. C. Hughes, A. Hammad, T. A. Temple, R. Rochester, G. (2009). Risk of suicide in clinical trials of antidepressants in adults: analysis of proprietary data submitted to US Food and Drug Administration. BMJ , 339.
- Use of antidepressant drugs in Spain during the period 2000-2013. Medication utilization report. (2015). Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality.