Prescription Medications for Depression

It may not seem surprising that over 15 million Americans in the United States suffer from a form of Depression each year. That number is expected to rise over the next few years; sadly, one of the wealthiest nations on the Earth continues to suffer from Depression. That almost seems paradoxical, doesn't it? But nevertheless, Depression is out there and so must those millions of Americans continue to receive treatment for the disease.

Also not surprising, however, is the fact that most Americans choose to take some form of anti-depressant prescription medications. These medications are usually prescribed by a psychiatrist and are specifically used in order to help the person overcome and battle the Depression.

What are the options for prescription medications?

Several of the prescription medications that are used to treat Depression are Depakote, Cymbalta, Geodon, Remeron, and Paxil. All of these medications are known as mood-enhancers. The main goal of these medications is to provide a mood-stabilizer, which means that it helps relieve the symptoms of Depression. What also goes along with this is the ability of certain chemicals inside these medications to regulate some of the chemicals in the brain, like Serotonin. All of the aforementioned medications are prescription medications except for Paxil. Paxil, also known as The Purple Pill, can be purchased over-the-counter. However, doctors who see fit will prescribe larger doses for their patients.

If you have been recently diagnosed with a form of Depression you may be wondering how long you will have to take these certain medications. Unfortunately, some individuals actually have to take these medications their whole lives. Even though that may be the case in severe cases, it is not all uncommon for people to go for years taking anti-depressant medications.

Other Depression Treatments

The good news, however, is that prescription medications are not the only available form of treatment. More psychologists and psychiatrists are successfully treating their patients with psychotherapy, as well as a new form of psychology called Positive Psychology. Some of these treatments are behavior-oriented, where the focus is on trying to change the problem and dilemma instead of changing your mindset.

All that being said, though, medications do go a long way in successfully treating many forms of Depression. Some people actually refer to them as their "happy pills," as they see a huge difference between before they started taking them and after they were prescribed for them. Even though some people may need to be on these medications for quite some time, they truly are a lifesaver when it comes to the psychological field of research and treatment.