Antidepressants. We've all heard of them. We've all seen or heard advertisements for them everywhere; on the TV, radio, Internet, billboards, magazines, etc. Zoloft. Prozac. Paxil. Celexa. Cymbalta. All antidepressants commonly advertised and commonly known. But do we all know what they are? What they do? The answer is no.Antidepressants are a common treatment for depression
and is an effective one for most people. However "antidepressant drugs are not happy pills, and they are not a panacea. They are prescription-only drugs that come with risks as well as benefits, and should only ever be taken under a doctor’s supervision" (http://www.healthyplace.com/). Whether or not antidepressants is a good treatment choice is different for each person, depending on the patient's age, personal preferences and history of illness. Most combine therapy with medication and are usually taken for a period of 4 to 6 months.
So what do they do? Most are thought to work by slowing the removal of certain chemicals from the brain called neurotransmitters, like serotonin. The neurotransmitters are essential for normal brain function. They are involved in mood control and repsones & functions (sleeping, eating, pain, etc). The antidepressants make these chemicals more available, therefore relieving the depressin symptoms.
It is my opinion that antidepressants are overprescribed. I don't think many know much about antidepressants, or depression either, and think they're depressed when they are really not. They go to a family doctor, ask for a prescription for a readily available antidepressant (ex: Cymbalta) and get it. Some family doctors wouldn't know enough about depression to distinguish between real depression and just feeling blue. A lot of people taking antidepressants haven't even talked to a specialist, haven't even been diagnosed. With a little more well known information out there, maybe then only the people who truly need the antidepressants will be taking them for the right reasons. They don't call now the Age of Depression for nothing.
http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/depression/treatment/antidepressants/index.asp
3 comments:
Nice post Allsion :) I agree with you. I think anitdepressants are overperscribed. I think before the doctore perscribes the medication, they should make sure they are truely depressed. But some people I guess think its easier to be on depression medication then actually trying to overcome their depression.
i completely agee. antidepressants are easily overprescribed. especially to cases of depression that do not need the prescription. nice post =)
you blog is the brightest color i've ever seen. but that's in a good way.
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