Antidepressants - Understanding Their Role in Mental Health

Antidepressants are medications used to treat depression and other mood disorders by balancing chemicals in the brain.
Category
Drug
Where to get
Available with a prescription from healthcare providers.
Applicable for
Prepared by Shruti Sahoo, reviewed by Dr. Eugene Smith

Antidepressants FAQ


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What are antidepressants used for?

Antidepressants are medicines used to treat mental health conditions including: Medicine is just one strategy used to treat depression and anxiety conditions. Other treatments may also be needed, such as psychological treatments (talking therapy) or lifestyle changes. How do antidepressants work?

What is an antidepressant & how does it work?

An antidepressant, as the name implies, is a drug primarily used to treat depression. Depression is a common disorder that affects the chemistry and function of your brain. Antidepressants can help correct the dysfunction by altering the circuits and chemicals that pass signals along nerve routes to the brain.

How are antidepressants grouped?

Antidepressants are grouped into classes based on how they affect the chemistry of the brain. While the antidepressants in a class will tend to have similar side effects and mechanisms of action, there are differences in their molecular structures, which can influence how well the drug is absorbed, disseminated, or tolerated in different people.

What are antidepressants & how do they work?

Antidepressants are prescription medications that help treat depression. Healthcare providers prescribe them to treat other conditions as well, such as anxiety and OCD.

What are the side effects of antidepressants?

Antidepressants are medicines used to treat mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. Antidepressants work on several chemicals in the brain (neurotransmitters) that influence mood. Different antidepressants cause different side effects, but common side effects include nausea, dizziness, weight gain and sexual problems.

Antidepressants References

If you want to know more about Antidepressants, consider exploring links below:

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