Drugs to raise brain levels of serotonin are far more effective in treating depression than just psychotherapy and talking, because depression is associated with low brain levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin.Depression is a condition lasting at least two weeks in which sadness prevents people from functioning up to their capacity. They lose enjoyment and interest in usual activities, are sad and cannot express warm emotions towards other people, sleep all the time or barely at all, are exhausted, lose their ability to concentrate or think clearly, have feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt, feel that life is hopeless, and they eat less or more than usual. Insomnia in young men is associated with a marked increased risk for depression that persists for at least 30 years afterwards.

Doctors treat depression with antidepressants, and the most used and effective antidepressants are Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft. They raise brain levels of a specific chemical called serotonin that helps to make people feel good. A once a week dose of Prozac can often control depression, but high brain levels of serotonin often reduce sexual desire.

On the other hand, Wellbrutin does not raise brain levels of serotonin significantly, does not reduce sexual desire and may even increase desire. Patients who need to stay on the serotonin-uptake-inhibitor antidepressants, but want to maintain interest in making love can take the shorter-acting Paxil or Order Zoloft safely four days a week from Monday to Thursday and not take them from Friday to Sunday. Taking Prozac intermittently does not prevent loss of libido because it is a long-acting antidepressant.

When a single drug fails to alleviate depression, two or more drugs taken together are far more effective than larger doses of a single drug. Buproprion (brand name Wellbruton) combined with Prozac, Paxil or Order Zoloft, appears to relieve depression more effectively than the single drugs. However, patients on the combination regimen still have a high incidence of decreased sexual desire, insomnia, tiredness and tremor.

Antidepressants that raise brain serotonin levels are used for other effects.Order Zoloft, Sibutramine is used to suppress hunger and treat overweight. They may be the drugs of choice to treat premenstrual syndrome or attention deficit disorder. They can be given safely to people with heart disease. Check with your doctor.

Depression

Education and primary prevention

Prevention of depression for children and adolescents at high risk to develop depression, such as the offspring of depressed parents and children with some depressive symptoms, may be of prime importance. Recent studies of high school adolescents and school children with some symptoms of depression, but not clinical depression, showed that cognitive interventions were effective in reducing depressive symptomatology and lowered the risk for developing depression for up to two years after the intervention.

The prevalence and morbidity of depression in children and adolescents underscore the need for improved public awareness about depression,Order Zoloft early detection and prompt treatment of depressed youths, and more research on the prevention and treatment of these disorders.
Further Reading
For Your Information
Periodicals

* Birmaher, B., N. D. Ryan, D. Williamson, D. Brent, J. Kaufman, R., J., P., and B, Dahl. “Child and Adolescent Depression I: A Review of the Past Ten Years.” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 35, no. 11, 1996a, pp. 1427-39.
* Birmaher, B., N. D. Ryan, D. Williamson, D. A. Brent, J. Kaufman(1996b). “Childhood and Adolescent Depression: A Review of the Past 10 Years - Part II.” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 35, no. 12, 1996b, pp. 1575-83.
* Jaycox, L. H., K. J. Reivich, J. Gillham, and M. E. P. Seligman. “The Prevention of Depressive Symptoms in School Children.” Behaviour Research and Therapy 32, no. 8, 1994, pp. 801-16.
* Kovacs, M., T. L. Feinberg, M. A. Crouse-Novak, S. L. Paulauskas, and R. Finkelstein. “Depressive Disorders in Childhood. I. A Longitudinal Prospective Study of Characteristics and Recovery.” Archives of General Psychiatry 41, 1984b, pp. 229-37.
* Kovacs, M. “Presentation and Course of Major Depressive Disorder during Childhood and Later Years of the Life Span.” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 35, no. 6, 1996, pp. 705-15.
* Lewinsohn, P. M., G. N. Clarke, H. Hops, and J. Andrews. “Cognitive-Behavioral Group Treatment of Depression in Adolescents.” Behavior Therapy 21, 1990, pp. 385-401.
* Rao, U., N. D. Ryan, and B. Birmaher. “Unipolar Depression in Adolescents: Clinical Outcome in Adulthood.” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 34, 1995, pp. 566-78.
* Rohde, P., P. M. Lewisohn, and J. R. Seeley. “Are Adolescents Changed by an Episode of Major Depression?” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 33, 1994, pp. 1289-98.