There are a wide variety of antidepressants currently available in Australia. Listed below are some of them:[5]
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are typically the most commonly prescribed antidepressants. They block the reabsorption of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which plays a big role in your mood, sleep, and digestion. SSRIs are also used to treat a number of mental health conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).[6]
- Serotonin and Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) are responsible for blocking the reabsorption of not only serotonin, but also noradrenaline(also known as norepinephrine). Noradrenaline plays a role in your body’s acute stress (‘fight-or-flight’) response.[7]
- Reverse Inhibitors of MonoAmine Oxidase (RIMAs) inhibit the breakdown of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Dopamine is responsible for how we feel satisfied, pleasured, and motivated.[8]
How do antidepressants make you feel?
If you want to know how to stop being depressed and are interested in taking medications, it’s best to be aware of the possible side effects of taking SSRIs and SNRIs. These include feelings of agitation, loss of appetite, and reduced sex drive.[9] These usually go away after a few weeks, but there are some cases of side effects that do not go away.
However tempted one might be to reduce the dosage of their antidepressant or stop taking antidepressants entirely, this should only be done with the advice and supervision of their doctor.
The effects of antidepressant medication have allowed those living with depression to become productive at work, rekindle their social relationships, and improve their sense of self-worth.
Searching terms like ‘what is anti depression’, ‘what is manic depression’, and ‘how is depression diagnosed’ may have led you to another method for the management of depression, and that is one-on-one therapy.
While antidepressants help in the treatment of depression, they can be combined with psychological treatments or talking therapies. Talking about your depression with a trained mental health professional can help you break free from unhealthy coping mechanisms, change your mindset, and help you cope with problems you may face in the future.
Mental health can be tough to talk about. That is why we have made it our goal to connect you with doctors who understand what you are going through.
We encourage you to take that initial step towards bettering your mental health. Once you are ready, just fill out a simple online questionnaire here on our website, which allows us to get to know you better. If it is determined that further treatment is suitable for your condition, then a Mosh doctor will reach out within twenty-four hours.
This is where you can go ahead and ask your AHPRA-registered doctor about concerns like ‘how to treat depression’, ‘what is anti depression’, and ‘what does depression mean’.
It is also here that your doctor will lay out their recommended treatment plan for you. Your personalised treatment plan may include prescription medication, one-on-one online therapy sessions, or a combination of both.
Our Mosh doctors operate 100% independently and are not commission-based. That means they will only ever present you with a treatment plan that genuinely suits your needs.
Depression can be overwhelming, but know that we are here to help. Find out more about your options by contacting us today.
