Antidepressants are a collective term for a plethora of medications utilized to treat serious depression, anxiety disorders, pain conditions, and certain addictions. They differ one from another based on how they function. Some of the most common anti-depressants are tricyclic antidepressants, which include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and selective serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRI) (Institute of Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare, 2020). These medicines are widely used against major disorders but are not recommended in minor or mild conditions due to various side effects associated with their uptake.
The effectiveness of antidepressants has been a subject of numerous studies. The consensus is that antidepressants provide better results than a lack of treatment or placebo-based treatments. The Institute of Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare (2020) reports that tricyclic antidepressants (SSRI and SNRI) are effective in treating severe depression, having a 40-60% efficiency on patients versus 20-40% efficiency of placebo treatments. In addition, tricyclic antidepressants reduce the potential for relapse in patients from 50% to 23% (Institute of Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare, 2020). Therefore, antidepressants are effective at treating the symptoms of severe psychological disorders.
SSRI and SNRI are not recommended for mild or minor conditions for a variety of reasons, some of which include side effects. Mild side effects include diarrhea, headaches, sleep problems, and nausea, along with urination problems. Severe side effects include dizziness, unsteadiness, sleep problems, and a higher propensity toward suicide. Teenagers are especially vulnerable to attempting suicide under the influence of antidepressants (Institute of Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare, 2020). Therefore, SSRI and SNRI are not safe and require close observation by the healthcare system during treatments. Nevertheless, antidepressants remain some of the most potent instruments in treating severe mental health conditions.
Reference
Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare. (2020). Depression: How effective are antidepressants?