As a proportion of the population, more Americans use antidepressants than citizens in any other nation. The medications’ effectiveness has nevertheless been widely contested.
Some people think that the long-term benefits may outweigh the short-term ones and that the short-term advantages are considerably more modest than is often believed. Others think they are effective and have the power to alter lives.
Depression is frequently treated with antidepressants. You do, however, have a BIG, burning question: Do antidepressants actually work?
If you’ve never used antidepressants before, there are many things to consider and it’s normal to feel a little anxious.
What Do Antidepressants Do?
The quick answer to the question “Do antidepressants really work?” is “YES!” Okay, here’s the lengthy response: antidepressant drugs are fantastic in restoring balance to your brain’s chemistry and making depression a less formidable foe. With the aid of medicine, your depression transforms into a tiny baby spider that you can easily brush off of your arm rather than that enormous spider from The Lord of the Rings.
We’re going to provide you a basic scientific understanding of how antidepressants act because different depression medications have distinct effects.
Your brain contains substances known as neurotransmitters. You’ve probably heard of the names of these little creatures: serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Antidepressants help these neurotransmitters grow, which helps you feel soooo much better!
A growing body of research shows that these drugs also reduce inflammation, shield the brain, and encourage the formation of new connections between brain cells. The precise contribution of neurotransmitters to the antidepressant action mechanism is unknown. All of this is to imply that it would be appropriate to mention that although we do not yet fully understand how they function, we believe they perform a variety of roles.
Although scientists and medical professionals have researched these drugs for decades, it can still be difficult to decide whether taking antidepressants is the appropriate course of action for you. To assist you in making that choice, here is a list of benefits and drawbacks!
