Depression is a very common illness - it is so widely prevalent in fact that some psychiatrists refer to it as the "common cold of psychiatry." There are many different approaches to the treatment of depression including: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Cognitive Analytical Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, regular exercise as part of Behavioral Activation as well as the use of medication such as antidepressants.
This article aims to explore how antidepressants work and what the benefits are for those suffering with clinical depression.
- What are antidepressants?
- How do antidepressants work?
- Key benefits of Antidepressants
What are Antidepressants?
Antidepressants are medications that are mostly used to help to treat moderate to severe depression. They have been around since the 1950s and are ideally used in conjunction with psychological therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. There are four main classes of antidepressants including: Trycilics (TCAs), Monaoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs), Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Serotonin-norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs).
How do Antidepressants Work?
Depression lowers transmitter chemicals and makes nerve fibres less sensitive in the brain and antidepressants serve to normalise the amount of chemicals as well as re-sensitise the nerve fibres.
Cantopher (2006) uses the helpful analogy of a severely fractured leg to explain why it is vital to keep taking the medication for at least six months after you get well. If a fractured leg is put into a plaster cast it will gradually stop hurting as much although it will actually take a good few weeks for the bone to properly heal. But, if you decide when it stops hurting that you no longer require the cast and begin walking it will just cause the bone to rebreak. So it is with depression too - the medication will reduce the symptoms fairly quickly, but this does not mean that your depression is completely healed and if you stop the medication the moment you feel better just like the leg rebreaking your depression symptoms will soon return.
Key Benefits of Antidepressants
The main benefits of antidepressants are as follows: they usually work much quicker than therapy, they can significantly help to reduce symptoms such as poor concentration and anxiety, they provide the necessary amounts of serotonin required to regulate sleeping patterns and appetite levels and they will also help to bring you to a place where you are more able to focus on other key aspects of recovery such as therapy.
Sources:
Cantopher, T. (2006) Depressive Illness: The Curse Of The Strong London: Sheldon Press
Edelman, S. (2002) Change Your Thinking New York: Marlowe & Co.
Kate Le Page - Kate Henning-Le Page writes about eating disorders, body image and recovery issues. She specializes in anorexia recovery.
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