Pros & Cons of Antidepressant Drugs

Depression is a serious mental illness that left untreated can lead to death through suicide. Therapy is enough to alleviate or get rid of depression for some people, but others have to resort to anti-depressant medication. However, as it is with all drugs, anti-depressant medication has many pros and cons.

Pro: Effective Treatment of Depression

• Like the name suggests, anti-depressants do treat depression effectively when therapy might have failed or when they are used concurrently with psychotherapy.

Pro: Helps Against Eating Disorders

• Anti-depressants also help battle eating disorders, such as bulimia and anorexia.

Con: Increased Suicidal Thoughts

• Anti-depressants might heighten suicidal and violent thoughts toward one's self, though no one understands exactly why this is so.

Con: Decreased Sexual Abilities

• Some anti-depressants cause delayed ejaculation in men, inability to achieve orgasm and decreased sexual appetite in general.

Cons: Wide Variety of Side Effects

• Anti-depressants cause a variety of side effects, differing from person to person, thus making it hard to guess how the medication will negatively affect someone.