The Different Depression Medications Available Today

 by:

Dakota Caudilla

Depression and mental illnesses are extremely common in the world that we live in today. In every 5 American adults, at least 1 of them is suffering from either depression or mild mental illness in any given 6 months’ period. However, a point to note…the National Institute of Mental Health reveals that although there are a lot of people who are suffering from depression and mental illness today, 90% of these cases can get treatment and their condition is often reversible. With proper medication, people suffering from depression and mental illness will improve over time.

Abilify (aripiprazole) is a psychotropic drug that helps treat schizophrenia. Abilify is available in tablet form for oral administration. Abilify not only helps treat depression and mild mental illness, it is suitable for people with bipolar mania.

In the meantime, BuSpar (buspirone hydrochloride) is kind of medication for people who are easily anxious. Yes, BuSpar is a form of antianxiety drug containing anxiolytic properties, belonging to class of compounds known as the azaspirodecanediones.

Amitriptyline (Elavil) is an antidepressant that many people rely on in the United States alone. This antidepressant is very useful in treating depression and sometimes helps towards eliminating chronic pain and other conditions too. As for what other types of conditions, this would have to prescribed and determined by your doctor. Amitriptyline has a very sedative effect on its users, therefore, a popular antidepressant drug.

Amoxapine (Asendin) is known as a tricyclic antidepressant. A tricyclic antidepressant means that it is a cocktail of drugs that are safe and effective for up to 80% of the people with depression. Prescription of tricyclic antidepressants like Amoxapine is common because it helps people beat the feeling of fatigue, feeling of hopelessness, guilt, helplessness, inability to feel pleasure or physical pain, unintended weight loss, etc.

On the other hand, MAO inhibitors are prescribed for people who find tricyclic antidepressants unhelpful. For these people, they often feel anxiety, excessive sleepiness and fatigue, specific phobia, obsessive-compulsiveness, etc. There has been progressive developments over the years to develop more effective drugs to help those who found the aforementioned medication not helpful. Newer antidepressant such as the serotonin reuptake inhibitors have recently been made available to public. And even as you’re reading this article, newer antidepressant drugs are being researched on and being developed to help people with depression and mental sickness. The newer drugs can help those who are not responsive to traditionally prescribed antidepressant drugs or experience adverse side effects when they take the prescriptions.

With so many plans and research being made and done on coming up with faster and more efficient antidepressant drugs, we no longer have to think that being depressed is an illness that we have to be ashamed about.

About The Author Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.health-detective.net on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article