With An Estimated 9.3% Of Americans Currently Living With

Chronic intake, the delayed onset of action, drug resistance and numerous side effects force the researchers to look for the new, safe antidepressant strategies (1, 2) with rapid onset and longer time of action.

Major depressive disorder is one of the most common mental disorders, with a 12-month prevalence of 6.7% of adults in the United States (NIMH). There is no definite etiology of depression, but several risk factors have been identified. Functional and structural changes in the brain have also been explored. The most common treatment for depression is the use of drugs that act on monoamine transmitters, including norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. Decreases in these transmitters, especially serotonin, were hypothesized to play an important role in the cause of depression (Breedlove & Watson, 2013). The serotonin hypothesis led to the development of selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which increase the amount of serotonin in the brain. Further research suggests that the serotonin hypothesis is not entirely accurate and the neurobiology of depression is much more complex. The “chemical imbalance” explanation of depression may not reflect the full range of causes and may be given greater credibility by patients and doctors than is supported by evidence based research.

Restated once again antidepressants aren’t safe on their own. Having a multitude of symptoms, and a

There are still several options for treatment that you must choose from, as well as having to deal with side effects that accompany each treatment. Of all the treatments, antidepressants tend to have the most side effects. Some of the side effects common to all three types of antidepressants are: anxiety, vomiting, confusion, chest pain, blurred vision, irritability, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, weight gain, headache, and nervousness (Cheung et al. 2003, Vanderkooy et al. 2002). Some other, more severe, side effects are difficulty urinating, decreased appetite, heart complications, and suicide (Simon and Stern 2003 - Review). It is the last side effect, suicide, which has recently caused some controversy within the medical field. With recent research showing a correlation between antidepressants and suicide, as well as the FDA ordering warning labels for suicide on antidepressant medication, physicians have to be careful prescribing the drugs, especially to children and adolescents.

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are an older type of antidepressant. Doctors rarely prescribe these as a first-line treatment for depression as they can be more dangerous if an overdose occurs. They also cause more unpleasant side effects than SSRIs and SNRIs.

While medication may be taken worldwide and is much more commonly used for depression, it isn’t always the best solution. Causing potential problems such as nausea, headaches, insomnia and even increased suicide rate. In comparison, therapy allows connection, interaction, someone to trust, and overall monitoring of the patient's progress. Which option is more beneficial to the patients? Medication or therapy? The research done will help determine that option. This option will be very beneficial to a growing community around the world. This research project aims to explore the risk of overdosing when treating depression with antidepressants. Taking medication while being diagnosed with depression although may be helpful, it can be dangerous and life threatening.

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,

Jann States that sufferers of BPD are three times more likely to suffer a depressive episode than a manic or hypomanic episode. (Jann, 2014) The Joanna Briggs institute Identified that the suicide rate for bipolar suffers are 15 times higher than that of non-affected individuals of the same age and sex. Eighty percent of these suicides occur during a depressive episode. (Hung Chu, 2016). Therefore appropriate pharmacological therapy not only during the maintenance period to reduce reoccurrence but also during these acute episodes is highly important. Pharmaceutical treatment includes the use of medication such as mood stabilizers, anti-psychotics and anti-depressants. The Joanna Briggs institute recommends that combination therapy involving both mood stabilizers such as Sodium valproate or lithium valproate and antipsychotics risperidone, olanzapine, quetiapine and haloperidol is best to treat acute mania associated with Bipolar. As it increases adherence to medication regime. (Tufanaru, 2016) The same institute encourages the use Olanzapine as a monotherapy or in combination with fluoxetine in the treatment of Depression associated with Bipolar disorder. (Hung chu, 2016) Lithium continues to be the first line mood stabilizer under current guidelines but may be used in conjunction with Carbamazepine where depression is evident. (Hung chu, 2016) The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 2015 also shows preference for combination therapy

Though the symptoms of bipolar disorder are serious and it lacks a cure, there are many treatment options that can drastically include the quality of life of patients. There are numerous medications that can be prescribed to limit the severity of manic and depressive episodes. These medications help regulate the moods of patients, and they can even prevent severe mood episodes altogether. However, the side effects that come with these medications can be difficult to manage. Sometimes, these side effects are as minor as excessive drooling, but they can also cause weight gain, sexual dysfunction, sleepiness, and insomnia. In the most severe cases, however, some medications can cause organ failure and death. That is why it is important for patients

According to the DBSA in the US alone depression affects 6.7% of adults. This is approximately 14.8 million people who are diagnosed yearly. Depression puts you at a risk four times higher than that of a non depressed person for a heart attack. The majority of depressed peoples are women. In the medical world there are many techniques to combat depression. There are many forms of prescription antidepressants including; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), atypical antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Thanks to Ed Likovich, Kasey Russell, Richard Schwartz, Jacqueline Olds and Tom Hayes there is another form of prescribed antidepressant that we now know as Sunsprite.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, antidepressants, are the most commonly prescribed medications in America where about one of ten Americans are prescribed to them. Dr. Joseph Glenmullen, a Harvard catalyst reports on the safety of these highly prescribed antidepressant drugs popularly known as: Paxil, Prozac, Luvoz, Zoloft, and Celexa; saying these drugs can be very dangerous when taken in

There are three different types of antidepressants; SSRIS, SNRIS, and Tricyclics (Steven M. Melemis, PH.D.M.D.). This shows that the same antidepressant medication doesn't work for everyone, however, there hope because they can always try a different type. Research shows,”Antidepressants are designed to block various aspects of the synaptic transmission process in serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine-containing neurons in the brain. This increases the levels of these neurotransmitters. By increasing the levels of these neurotransmitters, mood and emotions should stabilize and perhaps return to normal” (Craig Freudenrich, PH.D.). This piece of evidence proves that antidepressants can help a person cope with their emotions by reducing the negative chemicals and increasing the neurotransmitters in a person's brain. Even though antidepressants can be very successful at treating depression, there are still some side effects that

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

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

The first step to treating many of these new cases of depression is the prescription and use of antidepressant medication, however this has cause a mass flooding of our society with unnecessary prescription drugs. Due to the ease of treatment, primarily with prescription drugs, and the large range of severity in depression is often over diagnosed, adding to the problem.