Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) are the first line of treatment for people suffering from depression. Doctors assign such medicine when some patient visits them with anxiety and depression. Besides depression issues, there are other aspects that doctors prescribe for SSRIs.

They are:

• Generalized Anxiety disorder
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
• Bulimia.
• Panic disorder.
• Post Traumatic stress disorder.
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Alternate Name of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

Antidepressants.

Body Location

Nerve cells in the Brain.

How is Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors Procedure Performed?

Patients need to consume the anti-depressants via oral means, with the help of water. Once consumed, the SSRI dissolves in the blood and targets the nerve cells. Such medicines propel the functioning of nerve cells in the brain that work on the emotional quotient of an individual. The medication has serotonin, a neurotransmitter. The chemical acts as a messenger to deliver respective signals to the brain.

Brain cells of an individual release some neurotransmitters while sending signals so that the message can get delivered one to another. Following the transfer, they take back the residue neurotransmitter for sending the next message. This is known as "reuptake".

During the depression, the areas of the brain dealing with emotions using serotonin lack functionality. Here SSRI plays a crucial role by preventing the reuptake and increasing the serotonin release. Enough presence of serotonin facilitates the smoother transfer of messages. Thus, the connection between neurons gets better, and people start feeling more relaxed.

Procedure Type

Oral Consumption.

Risks For Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

While Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors are one of the safest drugs available, they come with a few minor side effects. Patients need to look out for such side effects as they might affect their daily lives. Provided such side effects emerge, the patient should seek immediate medical attention from their concerned psychiatrist at Max Healthcare Nanavati. Following are the risks;

Children's Behavior: The administration of SSRIs might cause mood swings and changes among children. Thus, doctors advise children to stay away from such medicines.

Fetus Issues: Pregnant women might face issues with their fetal development if they consume SSRIs during pregnancy.

General Side Effects: The anti-depressants have known side effects that patients need to be careful about. they are- headaches, insomnia, drowsiness, dry mouth, mellowed sexual desires, agitation, upset stomach, diarrhoea, erectile and ejaculation issues, etc.

Recovery From Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

As mentioned earlier, the recovery starts between four to six weeks, while for some, it might take six to eight weeks. The patient should remain in continuous contact with their concerned psychiatrists throughout the medicinal administration. The doctor will examine the situation and advise if any steps become necessary. Thus, the final say lies on the doctor, and the patients should not do anything without their recommendation.

Follow Up

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors work differently for different individuals. The doctor determines the dosage after assessing the severity of the patient's conditions. Here, the drug's effect will vary from one patient to another, depending on their severity. Speaking of general assessment, patients tend to notice improvements in their psyche after four to six weeks of medication. For some, it takes a few months to understand the complete effect of the medicines.

Here a patient must remember that if the drug does not show any effects within six to eight weeks, they should visit their concerned psychiatrist at Max Healthcare Nanavati. The doctor might consider a different procedure for treatment or alter the doses administered to the concerned patient.

The concerned individual needs to have patience as medicines that target the neurons in the brain need some time for effective results.