particular person used to enjoy, feeling sad over a long period of time, weight gain, weight loss, changes in appetite, changes is sleep pattern, difficulty thinking or concentrating on tasks, loss of energy or the feeling of fatigue, and thoughts of death or suicide.5
What causes depression?
Genetics
Genes can be passed down to generations that contain depression causing proteins built into the DNA.
Imbalanced hormones
Hormones caused by menstruation, pregnancy, thyroid problems, and menopause are all linked to depression.
Negative environment
Factors such as domestic abuse, stress, loss of a loved one, etc… are all a major factor in determining the chemistry of the brain, thus causing depression.
Medicine related treatments for depression
Since the mid-1900s, many methods of decreasing the symptoms caused by depression have remarkably increased through the creation of certain medication. There are two types of depression medications and they are SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors).
SSRIs allow for a decrease of serotonin reuptake in the brain. Serotonin is a compound present in blood platelets and serum that constricts the blood vessels and acts as a neurotransmitter. It is also known as “the happy chemical”. The job of SSRIs is to essentially block the reuptake of serotonin so that the serotonin is able to go through the receptor site and not go back up the serotonin channel since we want the serotonin to pass through synapse, and through another neuron and not go back to the neuron it is from. Basically, SSRIs make sure serotonin passes through neurons so that mood is relayed and controlled by the brain properly.
Examples of c sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva, Brisdelle), fluvoxamine (Luvox), and trazodone (Oleptro).
SNRIs are similar to SSRIs, however they help improve serotonin and norepinephrine levels in the brain. It also allows for serotonin and norepinephrine to travel through the synapse to go through the other neuron by blocking the channels from the original neuron it is from. Some examples of SNRIs include desvenlafaxine (Pristiq, Khedezla), duloxetine (Cymbalta), levomilnacipran (Fetzima), and venlafaxine (Effexor XR).
There are in fact many more categories of antidepressants such as Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), Tetracyclic antidepressant, Dopamine reuptake blockers, Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and many more, but SSRIs and SNRIs are the most popular type of drug prescribed by psychiatrists due to their positive outcome, affordability, and the non dangerous side effects they may cause.