An Overview of SSRIs. What are they and how do they work?

An Overview of SSRIs. What are they and how do they work?

What are SSRIs and How Do They Work?

Every year in the U.S., more than 16 million people will be diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Although the disease is devastating and incredibly common, it is treatable, yet not fully understood. A combination of therapies (talk, cognitive behavioral, TMS) and SSRI medications, or  , are used as a treatment when someone presents with depressive symptoms. The following article will explore what SSRIs are and how they work to treat depression.

An Overview of SSRIs. What are they and how do they work?

What is an SSRI?

Before someone can understand what an SSRI is and how it works, they first need to know what physiological factors play a distinct role in the manifestation of depression symptoms. Although there isn’t a singular, known cause of major depressive disorder, scientists do know that a complex array of neurochemical processes play a role in the development of the disease.

The human brain naturally produces several important chemicals that regulate mood and well-being. Serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine control a person’s feelings of happiness, calmness, and alertness. Serotonin especially is incredibly essential for regulating mood and social behavior, as well as regulating a person’s appetite, their ability to sleep soundly, their ability to store memories, and it helps control sexual desire and function. All of these functions are severely affected when a person has depression.

When any of these crucial neurochemicals are lacking, depression and anxiety symptoms can occur. For reasons that aren’t entirely understood, people with depression do not produce enough of these chemicals on their own. So, medications are used to inflate the number of neurochemicals circulating in the brain artificially. SSRIs, in particular, stop the brain from reabsorbing serotonin too quickly, thus keeping the chemical inside the brain for longer. After several weeks of taking an SSRI, most patients experience a reduction in depressive symptoms.

What types of SSRIs are available?

There are several SSRI medications approved by the FDA. SSRIs are usually the first medication a doctor will prescribe for depression because the drugs do not have many side effects. SSRIs can also be used to treat anxiety, panic disorders, and other mental health conditions.

  • Celexa
  • Lexapro
  • Prozac
  • Paxil
  • Pexeva
  • Zoloft
  • Viibryd

When should someone start taking an SSRI?

If someone begins to experience depression symptoms, they should be evaluated by an experienced medical professional for the disorder. Depression symptoms can be subtle, and they often vary significantly from one person to the next. It can be hard for people to understand that what they are feeling are signs of depression.

Typically, depression manifests as a cluster of emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and physical symptoms. When symptoms begin to interfere with daily functioning and adversely affect the patient’s quality of life, they need to speak to a mental health professional. Once someone is diagnosed with the disorder, a doctor will usually start them on a dose of SSRIs.

What are the most common side effects of SSRIs?

Although SSRIs are highly effective at treating depression, they do have side effects. Many patients may need to try several SSRI medications before they find one that offers the least amount of side effects while also alleviating their depression symptoms. The most common side effects of SSRIs include:

  • Dry mouth
  • Drowsiness
  • Insomnia
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Restlessness
  • Dizziness
  • Reduced sexual desire or inability to reach orgasm
  • Headaches
  • Blurred vision

If someone is trying to treat their depression with an SSRI but experiences distressing side effects, it’s important to speak to their doctor. There are many different, effective SSRIs on the market, and also safe, alternative treatment methods if SSRIs do not work.

Are there any dangers to taking SSRIs?

SSRIs are generally considered safe for depression. However, there are a few warnings associated with SSRI use for children, teens, and young adults under age 25. SSRIs can increase the risk of suicide in children and young people within the first few weeks after starting the drugs, or if the dose is changed. For people in this age group that start taking an SSRI, it’s important that they are closely monitored for self-harming or suicidal behavior. The risk subsides after a few weeks of using an SSRI.

Are there any cases where SSRIs would not be recommended as the first line of treatment?

There are exceptions to using SSRIs as the first step for treating depression. For some people, their depression may be incredibly severe. They may be experiencing symptoms of psychosis, or are at high risk of suicide. For people with severe, psychotic depression, SSRIs are not typically used as the first course of treatment.

SSRI medications take several weeks to take effect. It takes time for the drug to block serotonin and increase the circulation of the chemical in the brain. In cases of severe depression, time is of the essence, and waiting several weeks for patients to experience any relief from dangerous symptoms can be fatal. In these cases, patients need intervention that is fast and proven effective.

Another instance in which SSRIs may not be a feasible first solution is with addicts. People who are abusing drugs typically are not capable or reliable in keeping a strict regimen of medication. These individuals need other kinds of help.

Deep brain stimulation techniques are incredibly effective for alleviating severe and dangerous depression symptoms quickly. Electroconvulsive therapy can stop and reverse psychotic or suicidal symptoms in depressed patients after a week of treatment with ECT. SSRIs, in contrast, take several weeks to take effect.

For some, ECT may not be a suitable treatment method. ECT is invasive, and patients can experience unpleasant side effects, including short-term memory loss. ECT treatment also requires a more extended recovery period than other deep brain stimulation techniques for depression.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a safe treatment method for clinical depression. For patients who do not respond well to SSRIs, or need faster relief from depression symptoms, TMS is a proven effective alternative.

With TMS, a powerful magnetic coil is placed over the patient’s scalp and used to stimulate areas of the brain that are known to play a role in depression. TMS is less invasive than ECT, and also produces fewer side effects than ECT or SSRI medications. Patients who undergo TMS therapy often see a reduction in depression symptoms after one TMS session, and a significant percentage will experience full remission of a depressive episode for one year after treatment.

If you’re suffering from depression and have not found relief, the technicians at PulseTMS are standing by to answer your questions about depression treatment methods. Please contact them today to explore your options for relief from depression and anxiety.