Part 20 - Medication

"Stuck With Me" - Green Day

The following extract is taken from http://www.enotes.com/gale-psychology-encyclopedia/ ; an on-line encyclopaedia of psychological terms and illnesses:

The two most common types of antidepressants are tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Examples of TCAs include nortriptyline (also known by the brand name Pamelor), imipramine (Tofranil), and desipramine (Norpramin). Examples of SSRIs include fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), and paroxetine (Paxil). Clinical studies have shown that some people benefit from these medications.

 Essentially, if I understand correctly, after much research, TCA anti-depressants work by increasing the brain’s production of serotonin, whereas SSRI anti-depressants work by inhibiting the brain’s natural ability to breakdown serotonin.

I can only speak from my own experience, and know that what medication may work for one depression patient, may not work for another. But below is a list of medications that I have been prescribed during my time with depression, and a little bit about each one, and the experiences that I’ve had with it.

1. Prozac (Fluoxetine) - SSRI - The first anti-depressant I was prescribed, when I was first diagnosed. The adaption period for this drug is quite long; it can be anything up to a month before the drug is freely working in you system, and in the meantime the symptoms of the depression can slightly increase, along with extreme restlessness and anxiety. I found this drug pretty useless overall, as it didn’t seem to stabilise my mood at all, but it is however, the main anti-depressant prescribed due to it’s extremely low risk of addiction.

2. Citalopram - SSRI- The effects of this drug usually kicks in within a week, and there is relatively low risk of addiction. However, I found myself feeling slightly numb to depression whilst using this medication. It seems to take away the brain’s ability to register positive emotions as well as bad ones that may be symptoms of depression.

3. Diazepam - Anti-Anxiety drug - Most people will only be taking this drug for a matter of weeks. It’s highly addictive, and when I was taking this, I can’t really remember a lot. I had no lucidity with this drug, and it caused me extreme disorientation, and general "grogginess".

4. The New One - Amitriptiline - TCA - The only anti-depressant drug that I have ever had to take at night. It’s the only TCA anti-depressant that I have used, and helps to diminish insomnia in depression sufferers. It usually takes about a fortnight to kick in, with a small period of increased "happiness" (sometimes a bit annoying levels of it), before settling into stable mood levels. It has a higher risk of addiction than most other drugs of it’s kind, so withdrawal needs to be medically guided. It also has some rather unusual side effects, such as dry-mouth, weight gain (along this may be due to the drug relieving the low appetite symptom of depression), and, my favourite, heat flushes when most active (when the user is most under stress). This little add-on means I run about 5 degrees hotter than most people, and my ears go burning hot and bright red whenever I’m put under pressure. They’re doing it now! On a more serious note, to the person that invented/discovered this medication: Cheers.