In today's world, a considerable number of people need help to overcome depression. As a rule, when faced with such a problem, the majority of the Russian population prefers to go to a pharmacy and purchase a package of antidepressants for themselves. How to choose the right ones and what should you pay attention to?
Antidepressants overview
What are antidepressants? First of all, these are medications that help a person in the fight against his depressive state. However, besides this, there is some other purpose. They also help to deal with various manifestations of longing, fears, and also relieve tension (especially emotional). In reviews of antidepressants, it is often said that with the help of this kind of drugs, people in an excellent way brought their appetite and sleep to normal. It has long been no secret that most avidsmokers, after they decide to quit an addiction, resort to the help of antidepressants - according to them, in this way they can solve the problem with neurosis and excessive stress.
In the modern world there is a huge number of drugs of this kind, and their number is growing every day. In order to understand them and choose the most effective remedy for yourself, you need to have certain knowledge and practical skills in the field of medicine and psychiatry. That is why, in order to choose a method of drug treatment, it is best to contact a doctor who is a proven specialist in this field.
So, let's look at what types of drugs are the most common, in what cases they should be used. In addition, we will also consider what reviews about antidepressants leave fans of this type of drugs.
How do antidepressants affect the body
Experts in the field of medicine in various sources talk about the basic principles of action of drugs classified as antidepressants. Conducting various consultations, they say that the main action of the components is their effect on the neurotransmitter systems of the human brain.
What are neurotransmitters? This is a kind of system in the body, which is responsible for the transfer of information and various signals between cells. Among the well-known substances of this group, experts in the field of mental he alth distinguish dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. As studies have shownscientists, it is the lack of these components that leads to depression and disorders, as well as to melancholy. By their action, antidepressants support the production of these substances in the normal range, due to which a person's mood stabilizes.
Doctors' reviews of antidepressants say that at present, medicine has not come up with a single drug with the properties of an antidepressant that would immediately give the expected effect. In other words, nothing will happen suddenly after taking one pill. That is why all antidepressants are designed to be taken as part of a certain course, the duration of which must be determined by the doctor.
Side effects
Like almost all medications, antidepressants have certain side effects that can manifest themselves as a result of improper selection of the drug. In the worst case, they can manifest as conduction disorders, orthostatic hypotension, and anticholinergic effects.
In addition, there may be minor, temporary unpleasant symptoms, noticing which after taking the drug, you should immediately contact the doctor who prescribed the pills for another consultation. Among the side effects, the most common include diarrhea, headaches, mania, anxiety, minor or significant sexual dysfunction, constipation, loss of appetite. In addition, excessive drowsiness can often occur or, conversely,insomnia.
In patient reviews of antidepressants, it is sometimes mentioned that after starting to take the wrong components, a rash and swelling began to appear on their skin. Often they are accompanied by the occurrence of allergic reactions.
Drugs of this type, as a rule, are completely contraindicated for those patients who have problems associated with the work of the heart, liver and kidneys, and in some cases - the stomach.
Types of antidepressants
On the modern pharmacological market, you can find a considerable number of antidepressants. Feedback on each of their groups is peculiar, depending on the spectrum of their impact.
Medics divide all drugs of this group into three broad categories, depending on what they were made on: tricyclic, herbal and classic. Each of these types is divided into subgroups, depending on what mechanism of action they exhibit in the body: monoamine oxidase inhibitors, as well as selective and non-selective ones. Let's consider each group separately, indicating the name of antidepressants (without prescriptions) and reviews about them.
Classic group of antidepressants
Classic antidepressants are a new generation of drugs that have the best effect in dealing with problems associated with the psyche and mood. The most popular among them include:
- "Afobazol",
- "Citalopram",
- "Mianserin",
- "Tianeptine",
- "Venlafaxine",
- "Paroxetine".
The antidepressant "Fluoxetine" is also recognized as popular - reviews about it say that this remedy helps to feel an improvement after the first few applications, and doctors say that after a week of taking the components that make up its composition, the patient there is a significant stabilization of mood.
Practice shows that drugs of this group show the least number of side effects than others (with the exception of herbal ones). This is what makes them especially popular among people who want to bring their emotional state back to normal. The funds classified in this group are often offered to pharmacy customers who wish to purchase a medicine without a doctor's prescription.
Reviews of the new generation of antidepressants also say that they do not have a toxic effect on the heart and other organs of the cardiovascular system. Doctors say that such drugs are great for outpatient treatment.
Tricyclic antidepressants
Medications of this group are divided into selective and non-selective, depending on the mechanism of their action and the way they capture neurotransmitters.
The number of drugs in these groups includes a huge number of names:
- "Imipramine",
- "Protlitilin",
- "Ftorocyzine","
- Amitriptyline",
- "Elavil",
- "Anafranil".
And also to the list of popular can be attributed "Tofranil", which is in great demand in pharmacies. All these medicines can be purchased without a doctor's prescription, but this does not mean that they are all completely safe for the human body. In reviews of taking antidepressants of this type, it is often said that patients begin to experience special symptoms in the form of nausea, diarrhea, headaches, etc. That is why tricyclic group drugs must be prescribed by a doctor and only after an examination has been carried out and received the results of the given analyses. So, for example, in reviews of the antidepressant "Amitriptyline" it is often said that if an adult and seemingly he althy person starts taking the drug on their own, problems with the heart and breathing begin.
So, let's take a closer look at the selective and non-selective subgroups of tricyclic antidepressants. They all have neurotransmitter reuptake action, but what are the differences between them?
Selective
In reviews of antidepressants of this type, experts often explain the peculiarity of their effect on neurotransmitters. The peculiarity of their functioning within the human body was laid down in the name. In this regard, we can make the correct conclusion that selective antidepressants release certain components in the body: serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine,acting on each element separately, selectively. In order to determine which component should be stimulated, be sure to consult a doctor for advice.
Reviews of this type of antidepressant treatment often say that they are rather inconvenient to use in practice, since many other types of drugs, in particular painkillers or colds, cannot be taken during their use. In addition, doctors recommend that their patients, who are prescribed this group of drugs, refrain from eating legumes, s alted fish, smoked foods, as well as cheese and bananas. In addition to those listed, there are a number of products that are forbidden to eat during this period. If the recommendations are not followed, the patient risks exposing their cardiovascular system to all sorts of problems, including a heart attack, stroke, or a sharp increase in blood pressure.
Of the selective antidepressants, doctors and their patients pay special attention to "Selektra". In reviews of the antidepressant "Selektra" it is often noted that it is he who has the most gentle effect on the cardiovascular system of the body, as well as on other organ structures. In addition, the elements that make up its composition, when ingested, give an excellent result.
Moclobemide, Pirlindol, and Befol are often distinguished from the popular medicines of this group.
If we consider drugs of a selective type, depending on whichgroups of neurotransmitters they act, then if necessary, increase the production of the hormone dopamine should be asked at the pharmacy "Bupropion" or "Zyban", norepinephrine - "Venlafaxine", "Ixel", "Cymb alta", and in case of insufficient production of serotonin, you should purchase "Fluoxetine", Fluvoxamine, Clomipramine or Paxil. In reviews of the Paxil antidepressant, one can often find comments from patients regarding the fact that the components that make up its structure, although not quickly, but quite effectively, restore mood and keep it normal, activating the production of the necessary "happiness hormones".
Non-selective
Group of non-selective antidepressants, getting into the human body, also directs its action on the reuptake of neurotransmitters, but in this case, all neurons, without exception, are affected. In practice, the use of drugs of this group is not often done, which is associated with the presence of a huge number of side effects resulting from their effects on the body. Among them are often heart rhythm disturbances, insomnia or, conversely, excessive sleepiness, diarrhea, breathing problems, headaches, and many others. However, despite this, there is a certain number of adherents of the method of treating bad mood with just such a group of drugs. In many positive reviews in the list of antidepressantsof a non-selective type, such medicines as "Iproniazid", "Nialamid", as well as "Isocarboxazid" or "Marplan" are noted. All of them have approximately the same composition and differ mainly depending on the manufacturer and price.
Reviews of new generation antidepressants often note that they are significantly superior to those classified as non-selective tricyclic drugs.
Herbal antidepressants
Even in ancient times, mood problems were often solved with the help of special herbs that grew in a certain latitude of Russia. Among the plants that are able to bring the balance of "happiness hormones" back to normal, St.
Modern drug manufacturers, knowing about the characteristics of these plants, took this into account in the development and came up with excellent drugs that can be purchased at pharmacies without a prescription. Reviews of the best antidepressants of this type often say that they significantly help fight bad mood, and some almost instantly.
Among the best preparations made on the basis of herbs and other plant components, Novo-Passit, Leuzea extract, as well as natural tinctures (hawthorn, valerian, ginseng, lemongrass, etc.) stand out in a special way. The recommendations of doctors very often say that these funds are practicallyare harmless and sometimes patients can independently choose for themselves the desired remedy for treatment and bringing their mood back to normal. However, at the same time, they warn against drug overdoses - they can lead to side effects that sometimes may not be so harmless.
How to take antidepressants correctly
It often happens that having decided on the name of an antidepressant (without a prescription) based on reviews left on social networks or on various sites, buyers, having discovered depressive symptoms in themselves, tend to the pharmacy to purchase the medication. How to take it without consulting a doctor?
First of all, it should be understood that the healing process should be divided into two stages. One of them is the main one. It implies taking the drug only at the time when the main signs indicating the need to take pills or tinctures are observed: neurosis, bad mood, autonomic dysfunction, etc. The second stage should occur when all the described symptoms are eliminated under the influence of the selected drug. In practice, the second stage should be shorter than the course of treatment itself and the drug should be taken in a smaller volume. At this stage, you should properly wean your body from the medication. All experts in the field of neurology and psychiatry do not recommend doing this abruptly, as this will have a bad effect on the further functioning of the nervous system.
For what periodis it recommended to take the drug? Practice shows that each case is individual. However, on average, the duration of the course prescribed by the doctor is from 2 to 5 months. As a rule, within the allotted period, all symptoms of disorders should be completely eliminated.
Stop taking pills only after consulting a doctor, as well as passing an examination and passing tests. Cancellation is made solely on the basis of indicators taken on the basis of a socio-psychological study of the patient's condition. This process should take place in strict accordance with the scheme previously prescribed by the doctor, within the time frame specified by him. As a rule, in this case, the patient does not experience any unpleasant consequences. If they are, then, basically, they do not cause significant inconvenience to both himself and his loved ones.
And finally: doctors do not recommend choosing the best antidepressant for themselves based on reviews from other patients. This is due to the fact that each situation is unique and each organism has its own characteristics.
