Types of antidepressants: classic antidepressants

This is not what I'm searching for. Written on 02-04-2011 by marijn

Antidepressants are drugs that are used to treat a depression. The depression is caused by a disruption in the internal communication of the brain. Antidepressants help restore the nerve cells in the brain so they can once again communicate in the correct manner and, thereby diminishing the symptoms of the depression or even curing it. There are various types of antidepressants. The classic antidepressants are the oldest kind of antidepressants.

What are antidepressants?

A depression can be treated in various ways. For example, one can work out more, talk to a psychologist or use food supplements. Serious depressions however, are often treated using antidepressants. These are drugs that help restore the chemical balance in the brain, thereby reducing the complaints associated with the depression. Antidepressants are also sometimes prescribed to patients suffering from anxiety disorders.

One often starts with a fairly low dosage of the antidepressant, which is slowly increased to a so-called therapeutic dosage. The optimal dose of an antidepressant may vary from person to person. The antidepressants only start to show their effect after a few weeks. The side effects, however, can start as soon as the first day of usage. These side effects are usually temporary.

When you want to stop using antidepressants it is wise to consult a doctor or psychiatrist first. You are supposed to slowly decrease the dosage of the antidepressants, so that your body can gradually get used to doing things without the aid of the antidepressant.

There are various kinds of antidepressants, each working slightly different than the others.

Classic antidepressants

Classic antidepressants were developed in the middle of the last century. Research shows that the classic antidepressants are more effective than most modern varieties of antidepressants. Nevertheless, modern antidepressants are often favored because the classic antidepressants can have some nasty side effects.

Kinds of classic antidepressants and their brand names

active substance	brand name
Amitriptylin	Tryptizol ® Sarotex®
Clomipramin	Anafranil®
Dosulepin	Prothiaden®
Doxepin	Sinequan®
Imipramin	Tofranil®
Maprotilin	Ludiomil®
Nortriptylin	Nortrilen®
Trimipramin	Surmontil®

Effects of classic antidepressants

When one suffers from a depression, something went wrong in the brain. The different kinds of nerve cells in the brain cannot communicate properly. In the case of a depression the carriers of the brain impulses stop functioning in the right manner. These are the neurotransmitters serotonin and noradrenalin. When the nerve cells communicate, these chemicals are released. When you suffer from a depression these chemicals are available for too short a time to be effective, for example because they degrade way too fast. Antidepressants can interrupt this degradation process, which enables the neurotransmitters to be available for a longer period of time, thereby increasing their effectiveness.