In September 2014, the FDA recently approved a new weight loss drug Contrave. This drug is considered the third pharmaceutical treatment for obesity in the United States. Although it probably seems odd to mention a weight loss drug on a mental health website, the fact is that this new drug is a formulation of two …
If you are depressed, what should you to do treat how you feel? Most people look for a “quick fix” and seek out to get prescribe an antidepressant as a relative “knee-jerk” reaction to how they feel. Although antidepressants are clinically effective medications for treating depression, they do not work for everyone. Many antidepressants also …
Many people who face depression don’t know what they can do to address their depressive symptoms. In fact, some people don’t even know that treatments for their depressive feelings exist. When I experienced my first episode of deep depression, I was totally unaware of what could be done to help eliminate this unwelcome feeling. At …
Fetzima (Levomilnacipran) is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor that was approved by the FDA in 2013 to treat major depression. It is similar to the older drug milnacipran, but contains the “levo”-stereoisomer – making it slightly different. This antidepressant is regarded as being significantly different from other SNRIs in that it inhibits norepinephrine reuptake to a greater …
Brintellix (Vortioxetine) is a drug that was approved by the FDA in 2013 to treat major depression. It is regarded as an atypical antidepressant, meaning that it’s mechanisms of action are unique from other classifications. As the marketing and promotion of this newer (2013) antidepressant continues, the number of people experimenting with it for their …
Amitriptyline (Elavil) is a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) that has been used to treat major depression since its approval in 1961. It is regarded as one of the most popular tricyclic antidepressants of all time and has been regarded by the World Health Organization as an “essential medicine” or a drug needed in a basic health system. …
If you have major depression, chances are good that you could name a few common antidepressants off the top of your head. When most people think of antidepressants, they think of the current most popular classes of medications: the SSRIs (Selective-Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) and the SNRIs (Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors). In particular, the SSRI “Prozac” seems …