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Important Depression Drugs

The fact that it is hard to come up with effective depression drugs is rooted in the variety of causes that underlie depression. A number of different physiological and social/environmental factors collectively cause depression and so it is hard to come up with a single drug that can cure all depression cases. Still, some depression drugs have been found effective in treating a large number of similar cases of depression.

Types of Depression Drugs

Drugs used for depression are collectively called antidepressants. Appearing in the late 1950s, these drugs are now of three main types: tricyclic drugs, elective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and Monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

Tricyclic Drugs (TCAs)

These drugs are commonly available as Amitriptyline and Imipramine. They are used for treating depression and other disorders like panic, obsessive-compulsive, post-traumatic stress, and chronic pain.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

These depression drugs appeared in the 1980s and are the most commonly prescribed drugs toady for treating depression. Besides depression, they are used in the treatment of panic, obsessive-compulsive, bulimia, and social phobia. Commonly sold brand names for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors include Prozac, Paxil, Prozac, Luvox, Zoloft, and Celexa.

All these reuptake inhibitors alleviate the symptoms of depression by inhibiting the reuptake of certain neurotransmitters, especially of serotonin and norepinephrine. Bupropion (sold as Wellbutrin) is another one of the SSRIs. It acts by blocking the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors generally have fewer side effects than other types of antidepressants and hence are more popular prescription for depression.

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)

MAOIs can be prescribed for any type of depression, especially for those cases when certain symptoms like anxiety, overeating, and excessive need of sleeping are present with the depression. Three types of Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are prescribed for depression: (1) Phenelzine, sold as Nardil, (2) Isocarboxazid and Tranylcypromine sold as Parnate, and (3) Moclobemide.

Efficacy of Depression Drugs

So far, studies reveal that antidepressants are effective in treating depression in one third of people who take them. In one third of cases, partial success is reported, and in the same number of people, antidepressants fail to cause any relief. On the other hand, cognitive therapy for depression is reported to be successful in 70 % cases and curbing depression for good.

Antidepressants and Relapse

While antidepressants do bring relief for some time, they are not the ultimate cure for depression. To do away with depression, the patient has to learn the ways to avoid depression in the first place rather than depending on depression drugs which, when stopped taking, lead to a relapse.