Only your doctor can tell you whether you need antidepressants. They will base their decision on years of medical study and experience, and should be able to give you the best possible advice for your mental health.
Your doctor might suggest that you try antidepressants if: You have tried counselling and lifestyle changes, and they haven't worked. Your symptoms are bad enough that they interfere with your daily life.
People with moderate or severe depression may be prescribed an antidepressant as well as referral for a therapeutic service. GPs may also refer on to more specialist mental health services (see also 'Community mental health team', 'Getting to the doctor-seeking help for depression' and our Depression section).
If you want to learn more about how to get prescribed antidepressants, your first step is going to be talking to your doctor or a qualified mental health professional through in-person or online psychiatry. A psychiatric evaluation can help your provider determine if medication is right for you.
Speaking to your GP or practice nurse is the first step to getting help. If you're struggling with your mental health, you might be offered various types of treatment, or signposted on to other services. Typically, you could be offered, or given information about: Medication such as antidepressants.
The healthcare professionals who can prescribe you antidepressants include: your doctor (GP) a psychiatrist. a specialist nurse prescriber.
Tell your doctor that you have been feeling down and that you suspect you might be depressed. Your doctor can then rule out or treat any underlying medical conditions that might be contributing to your symptoms and recommend appropriate treatments.
Doctors, including general practitioners (GPs) and psychiatrists (specialists in mental health) can prescribe antidepressant medicines. Psychologists specialise in psychological treatments and do not prescribe medication, but they can talk to your doctor if they believe a trial of medicine would be of benefit.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
This class includes sertraline, citalopram, escitalopram, paroxetine, fluoxetine and fluvoxamine. SSRIs are: the most commonly prescribed antidepressants in Australia. often a doctor's first choice for most types of depression.
Venlafaxine, sold as Effexor, is the most common SNRI prescribed by doctors in Australia. Medications managing two chemicals in the brain, as SNRIs do, are more likely to come with side effects, Dr Eapen says.
SSRIs and SNRIs are often the first-line treatment for anxiety. Common SSRI brands are Celexa, Lexapro, Luvox, Paxil, and Zoloft.
While you can't just ask for antidepressants, you can express interest in general antidepressants for treatment of depression to your doctor.
What are the most common antidepressant medications? Sertraline, also known by the brand name Zoloft, used for multiple mental health and mood disorders, is the most prescribed antidepressant dispensed to U.S.
Take your time.
You may be tempted to stop taking antidepressants as soon as your symptoms ease, but depression can return if you quit too soon. Clinicians generally recommend staying on the medication for six to nine months before considering going off it.
The most straightforward way to get antidepressants is to schedule a visit with your primary care physician (PCP) or mental health prescriber.
Focus on how you feel, rather than what diagnosis you might meet. Try to explain how you've been feeling over the past few months or weeks, and anything that has changed. Use words and descriptions that feel natural to you – you don't have to say specific things to get help.
While they're called antidepressants, most offer benefits in the treatment of anxiety, as well. Furthermore, therapeutic techniques like psychotherapy may also benefit you in the fight against these thoughts.
Although this is beneficial for someone who's depressed, for someone who does not have depression, taking antidepressant medication can cause serotonin to build up in the body, resulting in serotonin syndrome. When serotonin levels are too high, the person may experience symptoms like: Agitation or restlessness.
Antidepressants interfere with serotonin, the neurotransmitter that regulates anxiety and mood while also controlling appetite. In particular, these changes may increase cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods, such as bread, pasta, and desserts.”
It's usually recommended that a course of antidepressants continues for at least 6 months after you feel better, to prevent your condition recurring when you stop. Some people with recurrent illness are advised to carry on taking medicine indefinitely.
It's worth talking to a doctor if you can't bring yourself to leave the house because you fear something bad might happen. If you worry so much that you find yourself with physical sensations, like shaking or hot flashes, a doctor, and perhaps anxiety medication, can help.
The antidepressants most widely prescribed for anxiety are SSRIs such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro, and Celexa. SSRIs have been used to treat generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.