preview

Essay On Antidepressants

Decent Essays
Open Document

There are various types of pharmacological interventions when it comes to the treatment of GAD. The medications which are usually prescribed to patients are firstly antidepressants, which are usually prescribed as the first line of treatment for anxiety disorders. Secondly Benzodiazepines which are prescribed to relief acute anxiety disorder symptoms, they are effective for short-term rapid relief but might affect the activities of daily life, impair motor functions, affect concentration and might also result in drug dependence which could lead to abuse. According to (Durham, 2007), “they are not appropriate as a first-line treatment for a chronic condition and should be used for no more than 2–4 weeks” but only in the situation when the immediate management of anxiety …show more content…

Antidepressants have shown effectiveness in the long-term treatment of GAD, as well as providing therapeutic effects without compromising the safety of the individual, as compared to Benzodiazepines. One class of antidepressants used to treat GAD is the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI). These SSRIs work by inhibiting the reuptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which affects mood regulation. With the help of SSRI, “the serotonin stays in the synaptic gap longer than it normally would, and may repeatedly stimulate the receptors of the recipient cell” (Goodman et al., 2011) As such, with the increase of serotonin, it aids in the induction of mood-elevating and contributes to the therapeutic anti-anxiety effects of SSRIs. Some of the common drugs prescribed under the SSRI class are Venlafaxine, Escitalopram, Paroxetine and Duloxetine. These drugs have their adverse effects with sexual dysfunction being the most common. Other adverse effects include gastrointestinal effects such as nausea, diarrhoea, dry mouth and constipation, along with occurrences of sleep disturbances. (Khawam, Laurencic & Malone Jr.,

Get Access