"Depressive disorders make one feel exhausted, worthless, helpless, and hopeless and it is important to realize that these negative views are part of the depression and typically do not accurately reflect the actual circumstances."

"Depression can be treated in addition to whatever other illnesses a person might have, including cancer."

Antidepressant Medication Side Effects


Antidepressants may cause mild and, usually, temporary side effects (sometimes referred to as adverse effects) in some people. Typically these are annoying, but not serious. However, any unusual reactions or side effects or those that interfere with functioning should be reported to the doctor immediately. The most common side effects of tricyclic antidepressants, and ways to deal with them, are:

* Dry mouthit is helpful to drink sips of water; chew sugarless gum; clean teeth daily.
* Constipation bran cereals, prunes, fruit, and vegetables should be in the diet.
* Bladder problems emptying the bladder may be troublesome, and the urine stream may not be as strong as usual; the doctor should be notified if there is marked difficulty or pain.
* Sexual problems sexual functioning may change; if worrisome, it should be discussed with the doctor.
* Blurred vision this will pass soon and will not usually necessitate new glasses.
* Dizziness rising from the bed or chair slowly is helpful.
* Drowsiness as a daytime problem this usually passes soon. A person feeling drowsy or sedated should not drive or operate heavy equipment. The more sedating antidepressants are generally taken at bedtime to help sleep and minimize daytime drowsiness.

The newer antidepressants have different types of side effects:

* Headache this will usually go away.
* Nausea this is also temporary, but even when it occurs, it is transient after each dose.
* Nervousness and insomnia (trouble falling asleep or waking often during the night) these may occur during the first few weeks; dosage reductions or time will usually resolve them.
* Agitation (feeling jittery) if this happens for the first time after the drug is taken and is more than transient, the doctor should be notified.
* Sexual problems the doctor should be consulted if the problem is persistent or worrisome.

"Brain imaging technologies are now allowing scientists to see how effective treatment with medication or psychotherapy is reflected in changes in brain activity."

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"ECT often is effective in cases where antidepressant medications do not provide sufficient relief of symptoms."

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"Studies of brain chemistry, including the effects of antidepressant medications, continue to inform our understanding of the biochemical processes involved in depression."

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"A good diagnostic evaluation will include a complete history of symptoms, when they started, how long they have lasted, how severe they are, whether the patient had them before and, if so, whether the symptoms were treated and what treatment was given."

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"We still do not know if depression is truly less common among men, or if men are just less likely than women to recognize, acknowledge, and seek help for depression."

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"Lithium has for many years been the treatment of choice for bipolar disorder, as it can be effective in smoothing out the mood swings common to this disorder, but its use must be carefully monitored, as the range between an effective dose and a toxic one is small."