Side Effects of Antidepressants

Depression, in its simplest, can be described as the feeling of inadequacy and insufficiency. It is quite a common condition which is experienced by most of the people some time or the other in their lives. There can be several factors causing depression in human beings; the most prominent being failure of any kind. Some people have a capacity to overcome depression as time passes, whereas some are unable to combat it. This inability to overcome depression makes it a major psychological problem. But, it can be overcome with the help of right techniques and treatments. Antidepressant drugs are widely used to treat depression.

Antidepressant Drugs
Antidepressants are drugs that are used to treat and prevent depression and mood swings. These drugs increase the activity of neurotransmitters and hence, stimulate the mood of a patient suffering from depression. They are regularly used as prescription medications since a long time. Selective-serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI), tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) and monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) are the large groups of antidepressant that are widely used today. Apart from depression, antidepressants are used to treat various conditions like obsessive compulsive disorders, maniac disorders, anxiety disorders and also other psychological disorders. Although antidepressants are the very effective or even best methods of treating depression, there are side effects related to it. Let us have a look at them in detail.

Side Effects
There are several side effects of antidepressant medications. However, these side effects vary from person to person.

• Sleeping disorders
• Insomnia
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Anxiety
• Dry mouth
• Gastrointestinal disorders
• Irritability
• Headache
• Agitation
• Loss of libido
• Difficulty in urination
• Drowsiness
• Abdominal pain
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Excessive sweating
• Menstrual problems

Among all side effects, weight loss is the most common sign. Weight gain and skin rash are the common side effects of TCA and MAOI.

• Muscle rigidity
• Cardiac problems
• Liver and kidney problems
• Increased heart rate
• Difficulty in breathing
• Suicidal thoughts
• Heart attack stroke

It should be known that all the side effects are not observed at the same time. One may experience a single symptom, a combination of symptoms or sometimes, no symptoms at all. Therefore, it is not advisable to compare one person's condition and experiences with others. Depression can be cured using certain natural methods.

Cure Depression Without Medications
One of the most important things to remember when trying to overcome depression is that a person should keep his mind occupied with any activity or hobby of his choice. This will prevent negative and suicidal thoughts entering the mind. Secondly, the friends and family members of the person suffering from depression can help a lot by cheering the person and keeping him engaged in some activity or conversation. It is also essential to cure insomnia as it is one of the worst culprits that alleviate depression symptoms. One should also try meditation or yoga as these are effective techniques in building mental strength. It is also known that sugary foods aggravate the symptoms of depression, hence, one should stay away from it.

As a concluding note, it can only be said that among the several side effects, addiction is one of them. Therefore, it is not advised to take them without doctor's prescription. It is always better to overcome depression naturally using other effective methods.