With all the depression medications and treatments available today, you may be wondering what the best one for you is. Depression is often described as feeling "down" for more than two weeks at a time. The illness can impair your ability to concentrate and work on projects, make you feel tired or sad, or affect your relationships with family members and friends. In many cases, depression goes undiagnosed and the individual is left to suffer with the illness, which is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain among other factors.
Individuals who believe that they may be suffering from depression should seek appropriate medical advice about which treatments may be best for the particular situation. Many individuals with mild or moderate depression find that psychological treatment is beneficial. Others may be helped by short term antidepressant treatment or herbal therapy. For those with severe depression, however, antidepressants are often the best choice of treatment. A qualified medical professional will be able to help you determine how severe your depression is and whether you should try psychological treatments, like therapy, before turning drugs.
Another factor in whether antidepressants should be used and which particular one will be best is drug interactions or sensitivities. Most antidepressants and even some herbal therapies can have side effects for certain individuals. Others can not be used in combination with other drugs. If you're currently taking any medications or herbs, you should discuss this with your doctor.
In addition, some medications will cause side effects in some individuals. Mild side effects can often be tolerated if the medication seems to be helping the depression, particularly if the medication will only be used for a short period of time. Serious side effects mean that the individual and their doctor will need to look into another medication or treatment.
Finally, some medications will just work better for particular patients than for others. Although a drug is popularly used doesn't mean that it will help control a particular individual's depression. Individuals may need to try several different medications to find the one that works best with the fewest side effects. Doctors will often start patients on antidepressants that tend to work for the greatest amount of people and are generally tolerated well. If those don't work, others will be tried.
The answer to which depression medication will be best for you can only be answered by your medical professional in consultation with you and your particular situation. You may find that a particular drug or treatment works well to help you control your depression, but doesn't work for others you know. Thus, it's important to work with a medical professional in treating depression and other mood disorders.
