Category: Antidepressants

Antidepressants are an excellent option for depression treatment. Despite the fact that too many people get antidepressants, they really are a lifeline for many of them. Moreover, drugs of this type sometimes save lives.

List of approved indications

Everyone understands that antidepressants are used to treat depression, which is clear from the name of the drug group. Few people know that such medicines provide not always a fast, yet an effective treatment of other diseases and disorders, such as:

  • Phobias
  • Agitation
  • Migraine
  • Insomnia
  • Chronic pain
  • Generalized anxiety disorder
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Panic disorder
  • Social anxiety disorder
  • Obsessive compulsive disorder
  • Urinary incontinence, including in children
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder

Not all enlisted indications are approved by the government regulatory agencies. However, antidepressants can be used “off-label”, if it is recommended by your doctor.

Antidepressants: choosing the one that suits you

There is a number of available antidepressants, which work in different ways. List of drugs for the treatment of depression is indeed large, even if we discuss the most popular ones. Here are some examples:

  • Zoloft
  • Prozac
  • Lexapro
  • Paixil
  • Luvox
  • Cymbalta
  • Effexor
  • Wellbutrin
  • Viibryd
  • Parnate

We will not show you the popularity rating of antidepressants, since it makes no sense. One drug may work for some people and be ineffective for others. Choosing the best of the drug depends on various conditions, such as:

  • Type of disorder;
  • The severity and duration of symptoms;
  • Whether this treatment worked in a close relative;
  • Interactions with drugs that you already use;
  • Other health conditions.

How to use antidepressants

It is important to take antidepressants according to the instructions. Otherwise, they will not be effective.

The doctor will tell you how to do it. We only provide you with general recommendations:

Do not skip doses. Treatment may begin with low doses, which will gradually increase. However, you will not get a good result, if you do not take antidepressants consistently from the very beginning of treatment.

Be patient. Most people notice no difference within the first 10-20 days of treatment. It may take several weeks or months for the full effect to manifest.

Add psychotherapy. Let’s not forget about psychotherapy. Antidepressants in combination with psychotherapy relieve the symptoms of depression much faster, than each method separately.

Do not stop the treatment. Sudden cessation of treatment can worsen depression.

Avoid alcohol. Alcohol worsens the depression symptoms, though this is not obvious to most people. In addition, alcohol has a high potential of interaction with antidepressants, which makes it difficult to treat depression.

Generics

Psychiatric medicines are usually intended for long-term use. For some patients, the high cost of purchasing antidepressants can become an insurmountable obstacle to the implementation of the doctor’s recommendations.

You’ve probably heard about the drugs listed above. If you have already treated depression, you already know that the price of antidepressants (especially newly developed ones) can be very high.

You can save a good amount of money by choosing generics. After all, generic versions of antidepressants in online pharmacies can cost 85% less than their branded competitors.

You can buy the brand antidepressants listed above under their generic names, such as:

  • Sertraline
  • Fluoxetine
  • Escitalopram
  • Paroxetine
  • Fluvoxamine
  • Duloxetine
  • Venlafaxine
  • Bupropion
  • Vilazodone
  • Tranylcypromine

Generic substitutes are effective and FDA approved options for people with depressive disorders. Such medication are identical to their brand-name alternatives by a number of categories, including method of administration, dosage, form, strength, side effects and performance characteristics.