Provigil, a drug that contains the active ingredient modafinil, is a prescription-only medication indicated in the treatment of narcolepsy--sudden, uncontrollable bouts of sleep. However, according to the Oregon State University College of...
If depression has you down the dumps, don't grab that beer -- instead grab your walking shoes and get out and exercise. Exercise has a soothing and calming effect, both of which can boost your mood and help alleviate depression. Many physical and...
Antidepressant medications alter the levels of different chemicals in the brain, which are thought to regulate mood and behavior. Antidepressants are also sometimes prescribed to help manage pain, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders,...
Antidepressants are commonly used for the treatment of clinical depression. There are various types of medications that work in a variety of ways, and though they may not alleviate all of your depressive symptoms, they often reduce symptoms,...
Caffeine is a stimulant found in many beverages, such as coffee, soda and energy drinks. Antidepressants are a specific class of prescription medication designed to improve mood. The major classes of antidepressants are selective serotonin...
Newer antidepressants have fewer side effects than earlier medications, and doctors tend to prescribe them first, although some patients still find the older drugs more effective. Some side effects can occur with any antidepressant, and doctors...
There are dozens of medications used to treat depression that fall under the category of antidepressants, doctors at the Mayo Clinic report. The symptoms of depression are best treated with a combination of antidepressants and talk therapy....
Antidepressants are medications used to treat major depressive disorder. Signs and symptoms of depression can include feeling sad, worthless and anxious. A depressed person also typically has trouble concentrating and sleeping and may have...
The leading cause of disability in the United States is major depressive disorder according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Major depressive disorder affects more women than men and 14.8 million people in the United States have a major...
Antidepressants work by affecting neurotransmitters that are used in the brain to communicate between neurons. Serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine are some of the neurotransmitters that have a strong effect on mood. Antidepressants can be...
Celexa, or citalopram, is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor prescribed to treat depression. Other SSRI medications include Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and Lexapro. Celexa and other SSRIs treat depression by blocking the reabsorption of serotonin...
A variety of prescription antidepressant drugs are available to treat depression and anxiety disorders. While these drugs are highly effective in treating depression, they are often associated with side effects such as headaches, weight gain and...
Sexual side effects are a common complication of antidepressant drugs for both men and women. For reasons not fully understood, antidepressants can have a negative impact on almost every aspect of sex, including libido, arousal, stimulation and...
Antidepressants are prescribed by physicians to treat and manage depression. The newer generation of antidepressants, such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI's) are more commonly prescribed for patients. All antidepressant drugs...
Although antidepressant medications help to relieve the symptoms of depression, they also may produce unpleasant or even dangerous side effects. While many of these side effects are physical, some potentially dangerous behavioral side effects may...
Antidepressant medications are used primarily for the treatment of depression and in people with psychiatric conditions that affect mood. The American Academy of Family Physicians indicates that antidepressants act on chemicals in the brain termed...
Antidepressants make more serotonin, norepinephrine or dopamine available to the brain. Mild side effects associated with antidepressants include diarrhea, dry mouth and fatigue. Antidepressants also have the potential to cause bad side effects...
Antidepressant drugs all have side effects, but newer generations of these medications are significantly improved over some of the older medications in this regard. A given medication will have one or more side effects in one particular person,...
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) states that antidepressants, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (sertraline, fluoxetine and paroxetine) and norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs) (bupropion), may...
Patients taking antidepressants often have concerns about side effects. Many medications pose the risk of side effects; some patients may experience the effects and others may not. The side effects may subside when the body readjusts to the...
Antidepressants have side effects for many patients. Some effects disappear when the body adjusts to the medication. Sexual side effects are often a concern for many patients taking antidepressants. MayoClinic.com recommends people wait several...
Effexor is the brand name for the medication venlafaxine. This drug is known as a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, which means that it increases the levels of chemicals which are involved in controlling mood in the brain. It can be...
Lexapro, also sold under the generic brand name escitalopram, is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), a type of antidepressant that acts on the neurotransmitter serotonin. Lexapro is prescribed to treat depression and other disorders,...
Abilify, an antipsychotic, is used to treat the symptoms that accompany conditions such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Under certain circumstances, it may be used in conjunction with various medications to help treat major depressive...
Fluoxetine is the generic name for a medication most commonly known as Prozac. It also is sold under other brand names, including Selfemra, Rapiflux and Sarafem. It is the oldest SSRI or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medication on the...
Antidepressants are medications prescribed to treat depression, which the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance says affects nearly 14.8 million Americans. There are several different types of antidepressants, but they all act by affecting the...
Depression is thought to occur because of a chemical imbalance in the brain. If you are suffering from depression, antidepressants may help relieve your symptoms. However, certain medications may have unpleasant side effects, all of which should...
Antidepressant medicines are commonly prescribed to help people conquer depression, anxiety and pain. There are some common side effects to taking antidepressant medicines, but most usually resolve within the first few weeks of taking the...
As described by the National Institute of Mental Health, antidepressant medications come in many types and include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, commonly called SSRIs, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, or SNRIs,...
Premenstrual syndrome refers to physical and emotional symptoms of the female's menstrual cycle that cause significant interference in functioning. Learn more about PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, including treatments and symptoms in this medical...
A migraine headache is a neurologic headache that occurs in the brain due to a spasaming or instability of the blood vessels of the brain that then causes other symptoms. In this video learn more about migraines and how to treat them.