Abstract This paper will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of antidepressants. All three generations of antidepressants will be discussed along with their side effects. Each generation will be examined to determine the pros and cons of the use of these drugs. The generations include: First generation TCAs and MAOIs (Tricyclic antidepressants and Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors), Second generation SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors), and Third generation SNRIs (Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors). The side effects discussed will be the impact of adolescence with a history of major depression, risks of adverse behavioral effects on pediatrics, and effects on the adolescent brain. This paper is to question whether the benefits outweigh the risks of antidepressant use. Keywords: advantages, antidepressants, disadvantages, side effects The Pros and Cons of Antidepressants Have you been detected with depression? Has your physician been considering prescription treatments as a cure for depression and anxiety? The option to utilize prescription drugs is mainly a personal decision. It is essential to weigh the pros and …show more content…
In the fore mentioned text, one can conclude that a thorough evaluation of symptoms and medication is needed to treat a patient effectively. Antidepressants come with the advantages of relief of multiple symptoms, a boost in mood, and combined with cognitive therapy, can have a higher success rate. In contrast, antidepressants have slow benefits that can take up to four weeks to reach potential, as well as, trial and error in finding the proper dosage per patient, increase suicidal behavior, and have multiple negative side effects. ‘How do antidepressants work?’ ‘How do they affect the brain?’ These are questions that would not be unreasonable for a teenager or parent to ask, and we should be striving to be able to