Antidepressants

There are many kinds of depression, and different medicines for each.

Depression is not the sad feeling one feels in the course of normal life. Depression is persistent and severe, beyond ordinary sadness. Depression does not go away when a person's situation betters. Depression is a disease or illness, and not a weakness of character or morality. Many people suffer mild depression.

Research shows that a brain chemical, serotonin, is lowered in simple depression. When depression is uncomplicated, Serotonin medicines like Zoloft, Paxil and Wellbutrin may be used to raise serotonin back to comfortable levels.

Recently, it has become clear that small amounts of serotonin medicines help with many disorders. Tics (movement disorders), Tourette's Syndrome, even Autism can be treated with small amounts of serotonin medicines. Parents often notice autistic children can concentrate and learn more easily with small amounts of serotonin medicines. The amounts given autistic children must be especially small.

When depression occurs as a part of serious mood swings, Serotonin medicines may make mood swings worse. By mood swings, I don't mean the usual daily changes in mood that all people experience with life's irritations.

Mood swings, when severe, are very dangerous.
These extreme mood swings are called bipolar (bi meaning two extremes, high and low). In the past, bipolar disorder was called manic-depressive illness, manic meaning high, depressive meaning low. About one per cent of the world's population may suffer from this condition. Usually the episodes last weeks or months. Quick mood changes, from moment to moment, often have some other cause.

During manic or 'high' phases, people may lavishly spend money, stay awake for days in wild activity, or lose control of emotions. During the low phases, the person may be unable to eat, dress or even move. Suicide is a definite danger.

For mood disorders, special medicines are needed. Serotonin medicines may still help, but must not be used alone. In a person with mood disorder, serotonin medicines alone may raise the mood far too high. Lithium medicines are needed to prevent the mood from swinging between high and low. Strangely enough, many people diagnosed with bipolar find that the new 'atypical' antipsychotics are very helpful.