She speaks at national conferences and has published scientific articles on a variety of mental health topics, most notably on the use of evidence-based lifestyle interventions in mental health care. As you can see, different symptoms, types of depression, and co-existing factors like age and gender can determine which antidepressant might be the best fit. It’s important to know what areas you, personally, need the most help with or want to see the most improvement in. Dr. Merrill says these are called "target symptoms of depression," and they include things like energy, appetite, concentration, and sleep. MAOIs can be complicated because they inhibit the metabolic response to an enzyme called tyramine, which causes them to potentially interact with a significant number of foods and drugs containing tyramine.

St. John’s wort is an herb that some people have tried for depression. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the herb may have mild positive effects, or it may not work any better than placebo. This herb also causes many drug interactions that can be serious.

Talking with a doctor can help you determine which antidepressant is best for you. There’s no consensus on which is more effective in treating mental health conditions. SSRIs tend to be more widely used than SNRIs and are often considered the first line of defense. According to a 2021 review, side effects tend not to be as severe for SSRIs compared with SNRIs. These health risks happen less frequently than common side effects of antidepressants. They are all serious conditions for which you can get support from a doctor or mental health professional.

Let a healthcare provider know if you develop side effects that impact your quality of life. The risks of not treating depression may or may not outweigh the risks of side effects. They can discuss different options with you, including switching the medication. While SSRIs and SNRIs can help treat various mental health conditions, taking them can lead to potential side effects, including increased anxiety, sleep problems, and skin rashes.

MAOIs, or monoamine oxidase inhibitors, were the first type of antidepressants developed. They have largely been replaced by drugs with fewer side effects. The number of people with depression has reached new highs—and so has antidepressant use. As Americans are increasingly reaching for pharmaceutical solutions for depression—about one in eight U.S. adults takes antidepressants—scientists have been innovating novel treatments for it. These involve drugs that work to improve serotonin levels in the brain. They work by modifying one or more serotonin receptors and inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin.

Toward this end, this article reviews these clinical disorders and summarizes current information on the drug therapies available to treat them. Antidepressants called SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are the recommended first choice of medication for treating anxiety in children. That’s because they have been shown to be the most effective, and hydroxycut gummies they have relatively mild side effects. They work by increasing the amount of serotonin — the most important chemical in the brain that regulates mood.