| Introduction | | | | the elevation of mood. Extreme forms of depression |
| Change in social and economical states throughout | | | | are associated with suicidal tendencies and they are |
| the world although has brought prosperity among the | | | | mostly treated by electro convulsive therapy. |
| individuals of the world but at a price. It has brought | | | | Uses and side effects |
| both physical and mental stressors. Now people have | | | | The antidepressants are used in major depression |
| to work harder and under mental tensions. Now the | | | | and also are sometimes used in enuresis of children. |
| depression is prevalent everywhere at office, in | | | | The side effects of the antidepressants are many |
| transport and also at home. To relieve those | | | | like dry mouth sedation increased appetite |
| stressors people are trying every type of therapy be | | | | hypotension and convulsions to name only few but |
| it drugs or some exercise or some kind of | | | | the most important of them all are dependence of |
| psychotherapy so as to work efficiently. | | | | the patients on these medications and then the drug |
| What is depression? | | | | abuse. |
| Depression is basically a pathological change in mood. | | | | The electro convulsive therapy has the side effect |
| For being diagnosed as depressed medically one has | | | | of some impairment in memory hence it is only used |
| to have certain well defined symptoms such as early | | | | in extreme cases. |
| morning awakening, decreased or increased appetite, | | | | Other options and their advantages |
| decreased interest, sense of guilt, etc. continuously | | | | The other options available in the market are herbal |
| for a period of 2 weeks. From the biochemical point | | | | medicines, cognitive psychotherapy, yoga and other |
| of view at the neuronal level it is hypothesized that | | | | alternative medicine. Most of these therapies are |
| there is a lack of nor adrenaline and Serotonin at the | | | | based on the age-old system on minimally disrupting |
| neuronal nerve endings. | | | | the chemical composition of the body but at the |
| Different types of antidepressants | | | | same time relieving the subjects of their symptoms. |
| Modern day antidepressants are classified broadly into | | | | One of the herbal medicines is St. John's wort. |
| nor adrenaline and serotonin reuptake inhibitors, | | | | Therapies like yoga and psychotherapy are gaining |
| selective serotonin reuptake intake inhibitors and the | | | | ground as most the drugs are having their own side |
| atypical ones. As stated above, the cause of | | | | effects profile but these have none. Cognitive |
| depression is lack of nor adrenaline and serotonin and | | | | therapy aims at altering the thought processes of |
| hence most of the antidepressants are meant to | | | | the individual and has beneficial effects not only in |
| serve that purpose for e.g. some like imipramine | | | | depression but also in disorders as varied as panic |
| increase the concentration of nor adrenaline and | | | | attacks, bulimia, etc. |
| serotonin while selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors | | | | From the discussion it is clear that there are a |
| (SSRI) like fluoxetine block the uptake and hence | | | | number of options available and what is best for one |
| increase the concentration of serotonin. The atypical | | | | is not necessarily going to be the best for other and |
| antidepressants like mianserin increase the release of | | | | hence the therapy should be customized for individual |
| nor adrenaline at the neuronal nerve endings cause | | | | rather than generalized. |