It's thought that antidepressants work by increasing neurotransmitters. These are chemicals in the brain like serotonin and noradrenaline. They can improve mood and emotion, although this process isn't fully understood.

Increasing levels of neurotransmitters can also disrupt pain signals sent by nerves. This may explain why some antidepressants can help to relieve long-term pain.

While antidepressants can treat the symptoms of depression, they don't always address its causes. This is why they're usually used in combination with therapy. This helps to treat more severe depression or other mental health conditions.

Types of antidepressants
There are different types of antidepressants.


Visit our self-help guide on accessing medicines if you have difficulty getting the medicines you need.

Self-help guide: Accessing medicines
How effective are antidepressants?
Antidepressants can be helpful for people with moderate or severe depression. They're the most effective treatment for relieving symptoms quickly, particularly in severe depression.

Doses and duration of treatment
Antidepressants are usually taken in tablet form. You'll usually have to take 1 to 3 tablets a day. The exact number of tablets you'll take will depend on the:

type of antidepressant you're prescribed
severity of your depression
If you're prescribed antidepressants, you'll usually start on a low dose.

Antidepressants usually need to be taken for around 7 to 14 days (without missing a dose) before the benefits are felt.

It's important that you don't stop taking your antidepressants if you get some mild side effects early on. These effects usually wear off quickly.

If you zyprexa over the counter take an antidepressant for 4 weeks without feeling any benefit, speak to your GP or mental health specialist. They may recommend increasing your dose or trying an alternative medication.

A course of treatment usually lasts for 6 months. Some people with recurrent depression may be advised to take them indefinitely.

Missed or extra doses
It's important not to miss any of your doses, as this could make your treatment less effective.

If you do miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, unless it's almost time to take your next dose. In this case, you should just skip the missed dose. Don't take a double dose to "make up" for the erythromycin 250mg coupon one you missed.

You should not take more than your prescribed dose unless advised by your doctor or prescriber. If you where can i buy valtrex do take an extra dose by mistake, you should check with your pharmacist or medical professional for advice, or phone 111.

Stopping antidepressants
You shouldn't suddenly stop taking antidepressants, even if you feel better. Stopping suddenly can lead to withdrawal symptoms, like:

stomach upsets
flu-like symptoms
anxiety
dizziness
sensations in the body that feel like electric shocks
seizures (fits)
Coming off antidepressants too soon can cause your condition to return. Stopping before you have been taking antidepressants for 3 to 4 weeks may mean the medication hasn't had a chance to take effect.

Antidepressants should not be stopped suddenly. If your GP or mental health specialist decides to stop your antidepressants, they'll reduce the dose gradually over a few weeks.


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