Antidepressant Case Study

The belief is that antidepressants work by increasing levels of a group of chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. Certain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and noradrenaline, can improve mood and emotion, although we do not yet fully understand this process

Some of the most common antidepressants include Prozac, Celexa, Zoloft, Paxil, Remeron and Effexor, these come capsules or tablets, studies show that the effects of these drugs can include: Nervousness and anxiety, Insomnia, Irritability, Violent thoughts and actions, Agitation, Hostility, Suicidal thoughts or suicide, Tremors, Irregular heartbeat, Aggression, Confusion and incoherent thoughts, Paranoia, Hallucinations, Psychosis,

Should antidepressant drugs be prescribed for children suffering from depression? Depression is a serious mental condition that is characterized by extreme feeling of sadness, worthlessness and hopelessness, fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite, inability to concentrate, and insomnia or excessive sleeping. “One in four young people aged 16 to 24 experience mental health problems during their teenage years, For youths under 14, mental disorders make up 22.6 per cent of the burden of disease. For those aged 15 to 24, almost half (49 per cent) of the estimated burden of disease in young people is due to mental disorders. (Lisa Mayoh) Antidepressant drugs should not be prescribed for children for depression because of rise in suicide, causes

Many people with mild to moderate depression can be successfully treated with psychotherapy and other non medical interventions such as bright light; exercise; relaxation techniques; eliminating the use of substances like recreational drugs, alcohol and caffeine; getting regular sleep; eating a balanced diet; and stress reduction. But when these interventions have been tried and failed, or when a patient's depression is severe enough to interfere with their ability to function in their work, relationships, and self-care, doctors will recommend antidepressant medications as well. There are several different classes of antidepressants to choose from, including older medications called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and tricyclics; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs); norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibitors; and others. Despite the differences in these medications' effects on neurotransmitters, chemical properties, side effects, and pharmaceutical company advertising, they all are EQUALLY EFFECTIVE in treating depression. The choice between them, therefore, is made on the basis of other factors. When deciding which antidepressants may be best for a given patient, a doctor should take into consideration several factors. The first is the patient's history. If a patient has

Once a practitioner has a strong understanding about MDD diagnostic criteria, prevalence, etiology, and prognosis, he or she should then strive to understand recommended MDD treatment modalities. The use of antidepressant medication (ADM), has been a highly regarded treatment for depression. In addition, cognitive-based approaches have also seen positive results. Therefore, Hollon et al. (2014) examined the effects of cognitive therapy (CT) combined with ADM, as opposed to ADM alone, on the treatment of individuals with MDD. Hollon et al. (2014) recruited 452 adults with chronic or recurrent MDD for this study. Patients were randomly assigned to the CT and ADM condition or to the ADM only condition (Hollon et al., 2014). Hollon et al. (2014) also stated that treatment lasted as long as 42 months. Hollon et al. (2014) found that CT combined with ADM significantly improved the rate of recovery when compared to the ADM alone, but only if the patients had severe MDD. The effect was not significant for individuals with mild and/or moderate depression. Therefore, Hollon et al. (2014) argued that ADM combined with CT will improve recovery rates for individuals with severe MDD.

be medically defined as a chemical imbalance in your brain, but personally I believe it’s much

Doctors also prescribe Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors(SSRI) to individuals suffering from depression, but the same ailment can be treated with amino acid supplements. Some examples of SSRIs are Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and Celexa. SSRIs increase the amount of serotonin in the synapse by blocking its reabsorption, helping the symptoms of depression improve. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, benzodiazepines lose their therapeutic anti-anxiety effect after 4 to 6 months of regular use. Dr. White, clinical psychologist and a certified neurotherapist, compares antidepressants to a foreign chemical. She is completely against the use of SSRIs because it blocks the reuptake of the serotonin into the neuron. In simple words,

Research Question: Are antidepressants being over prescribed, if so what other options do doctors have and what should they be considering?

The antidepressant under investigation were were monomine-oxidase inhibitors; mirtazapine; SSRIs; TCAs; trazodone; venlafaxine; duloxetine; agomelatine and reboxetine.

three groups.Monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) medicines block the monoamine oxidase enzyme (MAO) from destroying monoamine neurotransmitters, which allows them to accumulate, alleviating depression. Serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medications block the serotonin reuptake pump, allowing the serotonin neurotransmitter to remain and accumulate in the receptor for longer. Speaking of serotonin specifically, depression has been related to a deficiency of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) neurotransmitter as evidenced by the concentrations of the

After reviewing the case of my patient Tom, I have come to the conclusion that he suffers from depression. At this stage of analysis of this case, we can look at the symptoms and signs shown by the patient and match them with the symptoms and signs of depression. Looking at the DSM IV (Diagnostic Statistic Manual 4) we can understand that the most basic symptoms of depression include loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities for more than two weeks, being in a mood that is different from

The history of antidepressants began with isoniazid, which was an anti-tuberculosis medication. This came after finding that the medication had euphoric effects on the patients taking it. The drug had a mood altering side effect which later became the primary effect for depression and was a basis for synthesis of generations of new antidepressants (Indian J Psychiatry, 2011). Antidepressants are psychiatric medications given to patients with depressive disorders to alleviate symptoms (MNT, 2012). Neurotransmitters in the brain can cause changes in mood and behavior, antidepressants can help correct these chemical imbalances. Many psychiatric conditions can be treated with antidepressants including anxiety disorders and dysthymia. According to medicalnewstoday.com, there were 13.3 million people using antidepressants in 1996 by 2010 that number jumped to 23.3 million. The website goes on to say they believe the increase in antidepressant use can be credited to a higher need for mental health treatments, campaigns promoting mental health care being more widespread and mental health treatments becoming more widely accepted. In the years since the antidepressant age came to be many new antidepressants have been made, the Royal College of Psychiatrist say there are at least thirty different kinds of antidepressants, all of which can be divided into five main types.

Even though many consider medications as a treatment to depression, it has high risk factors. It’s true that antidepressants like SSRI’s supposedly help the quality of improved life. However, are the consequences worth it? First of all, women using antidepressants have 20 % increase in both PTB and LBW compared to those who never used them during pregnancy (Cantarutti, Merlino, Monzani, Giaquinto, Corrao 1). Antidepressant medication is frequently prescribed to pregnant and lactating mothers. Women taking medications as treatment during pregnancy has a higher risk of getting birth defects to their children. Medications has proved to cause like metabolic syndrome and bipolar disorder. Generally, if SSRIs are taken during pregnancy,

Common types of medication include POM (prescription only medication) which can be obtained from a pharmacist only if prescribed by a doctor. These could include anti-depressants which are very common. Anti-depressants work by selecting receptors in the brain and controls levels of serotonin. They come under the group 'SSRIS' (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). Over the counter medicines (OTC) may include things like paracetamol or ibuprofen, which are everyday painkillers. Something like paracetamol inhibits the production of pain and inflammation-causing chemicals called prostaglandins.

The newest medications used to suppress depression are collectively known as selective serotonin inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs work by altering the