What Are the Dangers of Anti Depressants?

Antidepressants are used for the treatment of depression and other similar conditions. Antidepressant medications come in many different forms, however, all of them have dangerous side effects that should be taken into consideration.

Types

• According to the Mayo Clinic, the first choice of antidepressants that doctors prescribe are SSRIs, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Other types may include serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs) and Tetracyclic antidepressants. All of these antidepressants attempt to right the brain's chemical imbalance that causes depression.

Effects

• Each of these medications have side effects such as dry mouth, headache, diarrhea, nausea, restlessness, drowsiness and insomnia. While the side effects differ somewhat with the medication, most of the reported minor side effects are the same.

Long-Term Effects

• Antidepressants can cause high blood pressure, sexual dysfunction and increased cholesterol. High blood pressure can cause complications such as heart failure or an aneurysm. High cholesterol can reduce blood flow to major arteries.

Complications

• One of the primary complications of antidepressants is suicide. According to the Mayo Clinic, the FDA requires all antidepressants to warn about the risk of suicide while taking these medications.

Identification

• High blood pressure has symptoms such as headaches, dizziness and nosebleeds. High cholesterol has no symptoms and can only be identified by a blood test administered by a physician.