Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), central components of antidepressants, are used to treat depression.  According to medical surveys, they are one of the most prescribed medications over the last decade. A survey by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has found out that they are the third most frequently prescribed medicines during patient visits.  It was noted that in 2005 there about 118 million antidepressants in 2.4 billion prescribed drugs. There have been some issues as regard their use.  Then again there are new treatment approaches that are now made available for breast cancer survivors suffering from depression, arising from earlier research.

 

 

CDC statistics say that around 50% of breast cancer survivors are now suffering from extreme low moods.  To help them manage their depression, a lot of new treatments are being tried by their therapists.  Then the question of whether therapy or medication is better, is  still being debated. Other people have opted not to depend too much on antidepressants. With the advent of new technologies, new ways in managing depression have surfaced. Psychiatrists believe that depression is caused by several factors.  Factors such as psychological, social and biological may be the kick-off point of depression.

 

 

 

Because a combination of causes is likely, most psychiatrists are promoting a combination of treatment also.  Antidepressants such as SSRIs are able to deal only with the biological factors.  Depression and other mood disorders are linked with the low levels of serotonin in the brain.  Then again areas such as psychological and social problems may only be resolved through psychotherapy.  The most beneficial approach, as what most psychiatrists believe, is the combination of medication and therapy.

 

 

 

The treatment given to a person with depression may elicit different results.  Now they different therapies that would suit their needs.  Among the therapies that are available, the cognitive behavioral therapy is the most commonly used.  It seeks to find the necessary actions that would resolve the conflict rather than dwell on the reasons of the conflict. Then again most people don’t like going to therapy because it takes too much of their time.

 

 

 

Taking medications are more convenient than going to scheduled therapy.  The increase of usage of antidepressants can be attributed to this phenomenon.  Dealing with depression has been changed due to the dawn of SSRIs.  Still it has some downside like any other drugs that are available.  It is even linked with the occurrence of suicide in most depressed teens. The Food and Drug Administration has even issued a warning against using SSRIs in teens. There are people who have filed a Zoloft lawsuit against Pfizer due to their losing a loved one through suicide.