The Essential Information on Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor SSRI

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Any one taking medication for depression or depression related disorders need to understand the basics of serotonin reuptake inhibitor SSRI. Knowing how these medications work, what they can and can’t do, and the possible side effects are good information to have even before you discuss the options with your medical professional. If you are interested in the basic, essential information on serotonin reuptake inhibitor SSRI, take a few minutes and read what follows.

SSRIs, or serotonin reuptake inhibitors are a class of drugs utilized to treat depression and depression-related conditions or disorders. Here are some basic terms and definitions that can give some insight into this particular form of treatment.

Depression: typically a term relating to one's mood. If you suffer from a downturn in mood, which may be relatively transitory and could be touched-off by something trivial, it could be said you've experienced momentary depression. Clinical depression is marked by symptoms that last for two weeks or more and carry effects that are severe enough to interfere with daily living. In the psychiatry field depression can also refer to a mental illness that is so challenging as to impact your ability to perform daily tasks. This is a chemically based disease and not merely a change in mood.

Serotonin: a neurotransmitter found in the brain. While it’s pretty impressive to learn that your brain has about 10 billion brain cells, it’s more important to understand that number of connections these cells make to one another (over 20,000) impacts your ability to function daily. These connections are messages which tell your body how to react to certain circumstances and effect your mood. When these signals jump from one cell to another they cross the synaptic gap. What happen in this tiny little space can dramatically impact your ability to cope and react. At the end, or tips, of the sending cells there are chemicals called neurotransmitters which allow the movement of nuerotransmitters through this gap. The most important one, in cases of depression is serotonin. Why? Serotonin impacts your emotions as well as other body functions related to mood.

Selective: there are other neurotransmitters and the fact that a particular SSRI focuses exclusively on serotonin makes it selective. Numerous other neurotransmitters are not effected.

Reuptake: once the serotonin neurotransmitter has successfully assisted with the processing of a message from one cell to another, its ordinary process brings it back to the sending cell where it can be ready to assist with any upcoming messages. The return trip is known as reuptake.

Inhibitors: the real effect of the SSRI lies in this particular part of the phrase as the reuptake process just described is hindered or inhibited. The serotonin is prevented from making its return trip to the sending cell and as a result will remain in the synapse, or gap, between the two cells. There it can already be in place to help transmit any upcoming messages.

The first SSRI to come on the market was Prozac, back in 1987. In subsequent years the market has welcomed Celexa, Lexapro, Paxil and Zoloft. Each provides a slight variation in what it is able to treat and in the side effects that are generated. It will take a commitment between you and your doctor to find the SSRI that will best address your situation. Don’t be surprised if you have to experiment with several before finding one that really meets your needs. Take this information, combine it with your doctor’s expertise, and you’ll understand how serotonin reuptake inhibitor SSRI medications can positively influence mood for those challenged by depression and depression related conditions.

It is not possible to take serotonin in a capsule or supplement because it will not penetrate the blood brain barrier. However, our bodies use L-tryphtophan and a precursor to it (5-HTP) in the manufacturing of serotonin. Many people believe that by taking L-tryphtophan as a supplement you can naturally increase the levels of serotonin in your body. Some people are using this natural therapy in conjunction with taking a SSRI prescription medication.