Stimulants for Depression Treatment

Stimulants make people more alert, increase attention spans and give people more energy. If someone with depression doesn't respond to other drugs, often doctors prescribe stimulants.

Depression

• Normal depression occurs when someone experiences a loss. Overreaction to the loss or prolonged depression may require medical treatment.

Chemical Imbalance

• Sometimes there's no apparent reason for depression. In this case, it may stem from a chemical imbalance in the brain.

Treatment

• When other treatments fail, doctors may look to a dopamine dysfunction in the patient. Dopamine stimulants added to antidepressant medication works for some that find no relief from the antidepressant medication alone.

Function

• Stimulants often have similar chemical structures as monoamines, the brain's neurotransmitters. They increase dopamine, which can give the person a sense of euphoria.

Use

• Stimulants alone aren't the answer for depression patients. They are helpful in some cases but only in conjunction with other antidepressants.

Warning

• Besides the potential side effects of irregular or rapid heat beat, reduced appetite, weight loss, potential interaction with over-the-counter cold medicine and heart failure, stimulants are also addictive and need to be used only with guidance from a physician.