Exploring Antidepressant Medications: Mechanisms, Challenges, and Alternative Therapies for Depression

Antidepressants are the most popular treatment for depression. Though antidepressants might not cure depression they do reduce the symptoms. Multiple antidepressants are available, and chances are that an individual can get one that works. Some of the medication antidepressants include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) (Mitchell & Goodman, 2018).

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The main theory concerning the contrivance of an act of antidepressant medications is monoaminergic and it comprises dual neurotransmitters namely noradrenaline and serotonin. The antidepressants inhibit the reuptake of the neurotransmitters around the nerves in the human brain (Godlewska & Harmer, 2020). An example of an antidepressant is SSRI which upsets the brain's serotonin glassy. Despite the well-known therapeutic effectiveness of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, some challenges occur.

Since the launch of the antidepressant, a large number of people have used drugs. Moreover, they are the second most prescribed drugs in the world. Today people often get drugs without evaluation by health professionals. The use of antidepressants increases each day as more people go down the medical path. However, most of the people who use these drugs overuse them thinking that they are not working. Individuals do not follow the health practitioner’s prescription but take the drugs at any time they have an awkward feeling. Some people even use the drugs when they feel sad and terrified thinking that the antidepressants would help them.

Alternative therapy strategies to treat depression comprise the variability of castigations like exercising the brain, change of lifestyle, and good diet. Acupuncture which is a Chinese method used in healing that involves sticking needles to some body parts is a form of treating depression (Dong et al., 2017). Second, different types of exercise also increase energy levels, reduce depression, and lower stress. Third, Massage incorporates touch to encourage relaxation and decrease stress and tension (Saeed et al., 2019). Fourth, meditation which is described as a transformed state of awareness is a method of relaxation different from sleep that assists reduce stress.

References

Dong, B., Chen, Z., Yin, X., Li, D., Ma, J., Yin, P., ... & Xu, S. (2017). The efficacy of acupuncture for treating depression-related insomnia compared with a control group: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BioMed research international, 2017. https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2017/9614810/

Godlewska, B. R., & Harmer, C. J. (2020). Cognitive neuropsychological theory of antidepressant action: a modern-day approach to depression and its treatment. Psychopharmacology, 1-14. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00213-019-05448-0

Mitchell, J., & Goodman, J. (2018). Comparative effects of antidepressant medications and untreated major depression on pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review. Archives of women's mental health, 21(5), 505-516. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00737-018-0844-z

Saeed, S. A., Cunningham, K., & Bloch, R. M. (2019). Depression and anxiety disorders: Benefits of exercise, yoga, and meditation. American family physician, 99(10), 620-627. https://www.aafp.org/afp/2019/0515/p620.html?cmpid=em_AFP_20190318