Characterized by long periods of low mood, clinical depression prevents the person who suffers from it from taking pleasure in usually pleasurable activities including socializing, eating and sex. When depression occurs with anxiety disorder, depressive episodes become harder to manage. Medications that address both depression and anxiety work by increasing levels of serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. These brain chemicals contribute to a sense of well-being and play roles in sleep and motivation.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
Doctors prescribe SSRIs as the primary line of defense against mood disorders, according to the Mayo Clinic. Medications in this drug class include citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil) and sertraline (Zoloft). Side effects in the short term can include fatigue or drowsiness, the occurrence of vivid or strange dreams, headaches and nausea. Longer term side effects involve problems with sexual arousal and orgasm. Patients treated for depression should not suddenly discontinue use of SSRIs: Withdrawal symptoms include heightened anxiety, agitation, insomnia and the physical sensation--albeit very mild--of electrical shock.
Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs)
SNRIs constitute a second category of antidepressants since their advent in the mid-to-late 1990s. Medications in this drug class include desvenlafaxine (Pristiq), duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine (Effexor). The side effects profile of SNRIs generally overlaps with that of SSRIs, although effects relating to sexual health might be milder. Because SNRIs also raise levels of norepinephrine, they may cause sufficient increases in blood pressure to warrant ongoing monitoring of patients with hypertension. Duloxetine raises the levels of certain enzymes in the blood in a way that indicates liver damage. Anyone with a history of liver problems due to disease or chronic alcohol use should not take this drug, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Norepinephrine and Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitors (NDRIs)
Bupropion (Wellbutrin or Zyban) defines the NDRI drug class. Compared to SSRIs and SNRIs, bupropion more effectively alleviates the psychological fatigue associated with depression. However, it may prove less effective in treating cases of depression that are accompanied by anxiety. Bupropion does not affect sexual health. The drug lowers seizure thresholds and people with a history of epilepsy should not take it.
