Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, were the third class or generation of antidepressants developed.
Having depression is common.
You will also learn about the most common side effects and important safety precautions.
SDI Productions/ Getty Images
SDI Productions/ Getty Images
What Are SSRIs?
True to their name, SSRIs are medications that inhibit or limit the reuptake ofserotonin.
By inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin,SSRIs work to increase levels of serotonin in your body.
Recent research also suggests that SSRIs work by changing nerve cell functioning in the brain.
How Are SSRIs Used?
Safety and Precautions
SSRIs may not be an option for everyone.
Only you and your healthcare provider can decide what, if any, is the right antidepressant for you.
Herbal and natural products can also cause drug interactions with SSRIs.
It causes:
Pregnancy
SSRIs are generally considered safe during pregnancy.
Untreated depression during pregnancy is not safe for the person or the growing fetus with specific neonatal needs.
That advisory has since been recalled as it was based on a single published study.
Newer data show PPHN is rare, and that doctors should not alter their treatment of depression.
Benefits of SSRIs may outweigh risks, but close monitoring of children and teens taking antidepressants is necessary.
When to Stop Treatment
Depression, like any mental health condition, truly is different for everyone.
This means there is no standard treatment course for antidepressants.
How to Find the Right Antidepressant
The right antidepressant may take trial and error to find.
This is because its not possible to predict for certain how your body chemistry will respond to the medication.
This can include another SSRI or another class of drugs like selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
Summary
SSRIs are the most commonly prescribed antidepressants.
They are used to treat depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders.
There are also off-label uses.
Only you and your healthcare provider can determine what antidepressant may be most beneficial for your situation.
Healthcare providers may also prescribe SSRIs for off-label uses, depending on the persons medical history and health condition.
SSRIs are used to treat anxiety.
Serotonin impacts a range of moods and emotions, not just depression or happiness.
Adequate levels of serotonin are associated with calm along with happiness.
Drinking alcohol when taking antidepressantsis advised against.
You should not combine them.
Doing so could have side effects like impaired thinking and increased drowsiness.
It is used to treat other conditions along with depression, including fibromyalgia.
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