Symptoms Of Depression Are
Q: I recently started taking Lexapro, serotonin based pill for
depression.
I wonder why most medication for depression seem to focus on serotonin
uptake inhibitors rather than adding dopamine?
A:I can't answer your question, but its worth noting that the
effectiveness of SSRI's (and SNRI's as well) for treating a variety of
conditions has been established largely through clinical trial-and-error
without a complete understanding of exactly how or why they work -- at
least that's true of those which I am familiar with, which does not
include escitalopram.
It's possible that drugs which target dopamine have actually been tried
but weren't as effective in clinical trials, or had nastier side-effects.
I can handle psychotherapy, and I believe it does some good. I have a
therapist I can trust, I can tell him everything. But psychopharmaca I do
not trust. All the popular antidepressants do cause sexual dysfunction in
me (like they do in many others). It's called impotence to be perfectly
clear, sorry if that's too much information for you. Just thought that
anyone who is confronted with these substances should know. If you do get
used to these drugs it's going to be a bitch to get *unused* to them
eventually, as well. Do not go "cold turkey" on them!
I was on another SSRI (Effexor) for several years, and stopped about 6
months ago. I plan to go back on it, even with the laundry list of
side effects. The symptoms of clinical depression are a bitch, even
when you know how to recognize them.
I am impotent without the drugs, radiation therapy for prostate
cancer.