Antidepressants - action, treatment, reviews
In recent years, depressive states in people, and especially among residents of large cities, have become quite common. This is largely due to the rapid pace of life, disturbed ecology, and constant stress. Some people try to cure depression with alcoholic beverages. But this approach is fundamentally wrong. The problem will not be solved this way, but it is quite possible to gradually become an alcoholic. Depression is a disease and must be treated with drugs - antidepressants.
The mechanism of action of antidepressants
Currently, the pharmacy chain sells a variety of antidepressants belonging to various groups of drugs. But the action of most of them is the same and is aimed at changing the content of certain chemicals called neurotransmitters in the brain tissues. Their lack leads to various disorders of the psyche and central nervous activity, in particular, causes the development of depression.
The effect of antidepressants is that they either increase the amount of neurotransmitters in the brain or make brain cells more susceptible to them. All antidepressants are prescribed for long enough courses. This is due to the fact that they do not begin to show their effect immediately. Often, the positive effect of taking a drug begins to develop only a few weeks after the start of its administration. In cases where it is required that the effect of antidepressants appears faster, the doctor may prescribe them in injections.
According to reviews, antidepressants are quite effective drugs. Their reception reliably eliminates such manifestations of depression as a feeling of hopelessness, loss of interest in life, apathy, sadness, anxiety and melancholy.
What if antidepressants don't work?
You can often hear from people that there is no point in taking these medications, in view of their ineffectiveness. But most often the problem is that a person purchases antidepressants at the pharmacy without a prescription, and, therefore, without consulting a doctor. In this case, the medication may simply not be right for you or you are taking the wrong dosage. See your doctor and he will prescribe the treatment you need. In addition, do not forget that in order to correctly assess the effectiveness of antidepressant treatment, they should be taken for a long time, at least three months.
Cheap doesn't mean bad
It is not uncommon for patients to refuse to take antidepressants because of their high cost. However, in pharmacies, you can almost always buy cheaper analogues (generics) that are not inferior to the main drug in terms of their effectiveness, quality or safety. Cheap antidepressants, according to patients' reviews, are no worse than their expensive counterparts. But if you still have doubts, then you can always consult your doctor about the choice of a drug.
How long does antidepressant treatment take?
Usually, doctors prescribe antidepressants for long courses from three months to one year. You should not refuse treatment on your own until you complete the course recommended by your doctor.
Some antidepressants not only relieve the symptoms of depression, but also have a psychostimulant effect. When they are taken, the patient often has problems falling asleep. But in this case, one should not refuse further treatment with antidepressants. It is necessary to consult a doctor and ask him to change the treatment regimen. For example, your doctor may recommend that you take your medication in the morning and at lunchtime.
Side effects of antidepressants
Taking any medications, including antidepressants, can lead to the development of side effects. Antidepressants, according to reviews, most often cause a mild feeling of nausea, trouble falling asleep, and very rarely, violations in the sexual sphere. As practice shows, all these side effects are observed in the first days of taking antidepressants and subsequently go away on their own, without requiring any additional treatment.
Most
modern drugs for the treatment of depression have little to no response with other drugs taken. But if you buy antidepressants without a prescription and take any other means, including dietary supplements (dietary supplements), be sure to consult with a specialist about the safety of taking them together.
Common myths about antidepressants
Many people are wary of antidepressant treatment, believing that these drugs will rob them of all human emotions and thus turn them into soulless robots. But actually it is not. According to reviews, antidepressants eliminate only feelings of fear, anxiety, longing. But they have no effect on all other emotions.
Another common myth about antidepressants is that once you start treatment with these drugs, you will have to continue it your entire life. In fact, antidepressants do not cause physical addiction or mental dependence. It's just that they are prescribed by a doctor for a long course.
Antidepressant treatment and exercise
During sports training, the human body begins to intensively produce "hormones of joy" - endorphins. They are good at reducing the severity of depression and improving mood. Therefore, regular sports activities are perfectly combined with antidepressant treatment, shorten its duration, and reduce the dosage of the drugs used.
For mild depression, instead of going to the pharmacy and buying antidepressants without a prescription, it is better to head to the pool or gym. Thus, you will not only improve your mood without the use of medications, but also bring a lot of benefits to your body as a whole.
End of antidepressant treatment
If you have started a course of antidepressant therapy, then never end it yourself without the advice of a doctor. This is due to the fact that the withdrawal of antidepressants should be slow and gradual. With a sharp refusal from further treatment of depression, its symptoms almost immediately return again, and often become even stronger than they were before the start of therapy. Therefore, the abolition of antidepressants should be carried out strictly according to the scheme recommended by the attending physician.
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