Antidepressants #3

Currently, there are four treatment options for treating depression. They are:

1. Pharmacotherapy, by the usage of medications known as mood enhancers or antidepressants
2. Psychotherapy
3. Electroconvulsive therapy
4. Non-pharmacological treatment

For now, I am going to focus on non-pharmacological treatments. They include,

• Psychoeducation about depression and treatment options available
• Stress reduction techniques
• Balanced nutrition
• Regular exercise

For pharmacotherapeutic treatments, they include the usage of antidepressants. There are four major classes of antidepressants.

• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
• Serotonin/Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)
• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOi)
• Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)

These antidepressants' classes would be discussed further in the next post.