The main issue with depression medication is that it is a hit and miss affair. The first problem is that as the drug companies are not exactly sure how these medications work on the brain, results can vary enormously from individual to individual. The second problem is that these drugs work mainly on increasing serotonin which is fine except that serotonin is also responsible for controlling our appetite. Weight gain and weight loss will figure prominently as a result among the side effects. The third problem is that overall, while some patients will gain a lot of benefit from this depression medication, many will never be cured and face years of treatment with very modest results.

The earlier anti depression medication like the tricyclics and the Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) such as Marplan and Nardil were even riskier and with the latter patients had to avoid dairy and alcohol as there was a dangerous interaction with the drugs

With SSRIs, such as Luvox, Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft, the main side effect seems to be a loss of sex drive and impotence in men while women will have problems in reaching orgasm. Other problems are with weight gain, nausea and jittery feelings. Add to those insomnia , headaches and vertigo and you will see that taking these medicines is no picnic. Reactions will vary from person to person and some people manage to cope with the side effects with greater ease and confidence without falling into further depression ! Are these drugs anti depression medication or not?

A newer drug called Wellbutrin has been used with some success and it seems to avoid some of the sexual problems associated with the drugs mentioned above and also the problem of putting on weight. This drug acts on two of the neurotransmitters in the brain, norepinephrine and dopamine. But Wellbutrin has its own problems in that it can actually reduce appetite so patients are faced with weight loss, constipation, insomnia, anxiety, diarrhea, drowsiness and dry mouth.

Yet a newer class of depression medication which increases levels of serotonin and norepinephrine such as Cymbalta and Remeron fare only a little better but still have a fairly daunting list of possible side effects. These include blurred vision, tremor, chills and feeling lightheaded. Cymbalta can raise blood pressure, increase sweating and loss of energy.

You can see why thousands of people are seeking alternatives to depression medication. One answer has been found in natural treatment for depression with herbal remedies. Research shows that in many cases , especially with mild and moderate depression and SAD (seasonal affective disorder), these remedies are just as effective as the classic depression medication and have much fewer side effects.

Discover an alternative to depression medication
Robert Locke has written extensively on Mental Health for many years.