Medications For Depression—Making Wise Choices

By Athlyn Green

If you have been diagnosed with depression, a discussion with your doctor will reveal a list of depression medication options for you. It's important to learn about these drugs as well as alternative remedies that might be helpful.

Science has yielded an increasing arsenal of drugs in the war on depressive illnesses. Modern drugs offer relief without as many side effects. Medications for depression are safer and less toxic than older preparations.

Your doctor will consider different factors when deciding on a drug therapy for you. He will determine your history and if you have suffered bouts of depression in the past, your age, and the severity of your depression. He will then discuss a list of depression medication that may prove the most beneficial in your case.

He may discuss SSRIs, Tricyclics, MAOIs, or other antidepressants, such as Wellbutrin, Effexor, Remeron, or Desyrel. These are medications for depression that are in current use.

SSRIs are used to treat depression in its early stages. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may be more beneficial because they don’t present the same severity of side effects experienced with the tricyclics or monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

Tricyclics may be indicated if a patient has tried a whole list of depression medication with no tangible improvement. Tricyclics are helpful in treating major depression.

MAOIs may be called on as a last resort. Their use is contraindicated because of hazardous dietary and drug interactions.

Other drugs may not necessarily fit into drug classifications of antidepressants but are also used as medication for depression because they don’t present the same potential dangers to the patient.

Newer drugs have yielded a reduction in side effects and are used to treat depressive disorders. Long-term effects have not yet been established. Potential benefits and risks should be discussed when contemplating a list of depression medication.

Many are turning to alternative approaches. Natural remedies are gaining in popularity as safe and effective treatment choices over conventional and modern medications for depression.

Natural supplements draw on a comprehensive list of ingredients that have been shown to bring relief from depression and its troubling symptoms. Herbal remedies incorporate essential vitamins and minerals, amino acids, enzymes, specialty supplements and additional herbal extracts needed by the human body and brain for optimal functioning. Specific ingredients such as calcium and magnesium, valerian, chamomile, and ginkgo biloba boost functioning. These ingredients are beneficial for physical and emotional stress, for treating anxiety and mood disorders; and most importantly for treating depression. All work to restore brain balance, resulting in mental clarity and improved mood.

As seen from the foregoing there are many appropriate and differing medications. Your doctor will go over a list of depression medication with you or he may describe a remedy that includes use of natural supplements.

Depression doesn’t have to compromise quality of life. Science has offered newer medications for depression and has discovered exciting substances derived from nature’s own storehouse to effectively treat symptoms.

You can make wise treatment choices using medication or potent natural remedies.


Athlyn Green is an avid health enthusiast with an interest in natural remedies for treatment of health disorders. She has contributed to List of Depression Medication, a section of http://www.beat-your-depression.com dedicated to natural treatments and prescription drug alternatives for this disorder.
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