Several different types of antidepressants work differently to address symptoms of depression. As described by the National Institute of Mental Health, antidepressants help to maintain the proper balance of chemicals, or neurotransmitters, in the...
Depression affects young and old, male and female; it affects moods, thoughts and behaviors. Symptoms can last for weeks, months or years. The severity of depression can range from mild to extreme and there are a number of associated disorders....
The National Institute of Mental Health reports that approximately 6.7 percent of the U.S. population is depressed in any given year. While symptoms of depression, by definition, persist over a period of weeks or more, many of these people never...
While everyone can have anxiety from time to time, when the problem interferes with a person's life, treatment may be necessary. Severe forms of anxiety, including generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder, can find relief from...
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, also called OCD, causes persistent and unpleasant thoughts or obsessions in a person, who uses rituals or compulsions to manage those fixations. However, the rituals become daily necessities that control the...
Depression is a mood disorder characterized by symptoms such as sadness, fatigue, worthlessness and inadequacy. These symptoms often disrupt normal daily activities. Although antidepressants are a treatment option, research indicates that...
According to the "Clinical Handbook of Psychotropic Drugs," mood stabilizers fall into three chemical classifications: lithium, anticonvulsants and tryptophan. Medications in each of these categories are used to treat mood disorders, such as...
Present in the nervous systems of humans and animals, serotonin is a neurotransmitter, a brain chemical responsible for sending nerve impulses. According to the Mayo Clinic, low levels of serotonin can negatively affect mood and behavior. Many...
Teenage depression is medically identical to adult depression, according to MayoClinic.com. Nonetheless, coping with depression as a teenager can pose a different set of challenges than those faced by adults. Since depression can cause long-term...
Depression is a mental illness that millions of Americans are diagnosed with every year. For these people, the usual course of treatment begins with a prescription for an antidepressant. An article published by "USA Today" reports that 27 million...
Children, teenagers and young adults are more likely to become suicidal using an antidepressant than who do not use antidepressants as a treatment for depression, MedlinePlus reports. The antidepressant Prozac's link to suicide ideation can cause...
Medicines for bipolar disorder in adults may not work effectively in bipolar children, and researchers are carefully studying the effects of prescription bipolar medicines in children. Clinical trials with lithium have shown it to be highly...
Medication can be a valuable part of a treatment plan for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Although doctors tend to prescribe stimulant medications most frequently, other medication options for the treatment of ADHD are also...
Mucuna pruriens, more commonly known as cowhage, is a plant that produces beans and seeds that may yield health benefits when used medicinally. This plant has been used to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease, a motor system disorder caused by a...
Amino acids are necessary for health and proper bodily function. Your body uses 22 amino acids to carry out various functions in your body. Your body manufactures more than half of these amino acids on its own, while you must get the remainder...
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is released in the brain that helps regulate movement and emotional response to stimuli. Dopamine is also one of the neurotransmitters involved in the pleasure pathway of the brain, helping to control the...
Children and adults who suffer from attention deficit disorder, or ADD, struggle with inattentiveness, hyperactivity, low self esteem, poor personal relationships and poor work or school performance. ADD presents itself in childhood, but can...
For maximum health benefits, experts recommend that adults get at least 2 1/2 hours of aerobic exercise each week. You may need more than this to maintain your optimum weight and well-being, depending on your overall health. For best results,...
Weight gain is a common side effect of antidepressants, which is why physicians often also prescribe an appetite suppressant. Scientists do not know completely how antidepressants increase eating, but the source of the problem is that patients...
Many people with bipolar disorder also experience migraine headaches. Bipolar disorder, or manic-depressive disorder, is characterized by extreme changes in mood, behavior, thinking and energy. Migraines are chronic headaches that can cause severe...
Eating in secret until you're sick with feelings of no control are classic symptoms of binge eating. A binge eater will also feel a sense of powerlessness, disgust, shame and an inclination to reach for food to escape stress or anxiety....
Regular exercise---long considered an essential part of a healthy lifestyle---may have one more benefit to offer. Serotonin, an important neurotransmitter, is believed to be increased through physical activity, according to several recent studies....
The scientific name for St. John's Wort is Hypericum perforatum L. The herb is cultivated on farms, but it is also found in the wild throughout the majority of the United States. In the wild, St. John's Wort is often considered a nuisance weed,...
Seroquel is one of the top-five selling brand-name prescription drugs. IMS Health reports that sales of Seroquel in 2009 were $4.2 billion. Seroquel is an atypical antipsychotic used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and as adjunctive...
Effexor, also known by the generic name venlafaxine, belongs to the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor class of drugs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved venlafaxine for the treatment of a variety of psychiatric...
Depression is not just feeling sad, blue or down in the dumps. According to the National Library of Medicine, it is a bonafide medical illness that involves the brain. Over 20 million people in the U.S. are affected by depression. Fortunately, it...
Minor depression is a lesser form of depression, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). People with minor depression have two to four depression symptoms, compared to five or more symptoms in major depression, which last for at...
Both Wellbutrin and Celexa are medications in a class of drugs known as antidepressants. They are used for the treatment of depression and may also be recommended for the treatment of other types of mental illness and smoking cessation. These...
Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disease characterized by fatigue, poor sleep, and achiness and stiffness in ligaments, muscles and tendons. Many patients with fibromyalgia experience anxiety and depression due to chronic pain, and suffer stress...
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...
