If you are struggling with depression and choose not to use antidepressants or would like to taper off of medication completely, psychotherapy can be an equivalent option, depending on your symptoms and severity. Psychotherapy is often the first-line, non-pharmacological treatment for depression. Because it takes a while to increase and build up the amounts of these neurotransmitters in the brain, it can take 4-6 weeks before a person starts to feel the effects of their medication initially. These medicines may interact with mirtazapine and cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome. In addition to her private practice, Dr. Young serves as an affiliate professor of psychiatry at Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. She previously taught and mentored medical trainees at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

For a doctor to diagnose a major depressive episode, five or more symptoms should be present most of the day for at least 2 weeks in a row. This medication is an anxiolytic and acts on the levels of serotonin and other neurotransmitters in the brain. Anxiolytic is another name for a substance that reduces anxiety levels. Buspirone is an anti-anxiety medication doctors use to treat GAD, commonly at a dosage of 15–60 milligrams. It comes in tablet form, and flublok quadrivalent recombinant flu vaccine people usually take it twice daily. For this reason, a doctor may prescribe a fast-acting benzodiazepine medication for individuals with severe anxiety or panic attacks.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is another chemical in marijuana besides CBD. THC formulations, depending on the exact subtype, could potentially help or worsen anxiety and depression. On the other hand, some research shows CBD could help treat psychosis. Let’s address the skeptics here first, but also look at the big picture in an unbiased way. Our society has had a puritanical basis against marijauna research in the past. It’s clearly safer on average than alcohol and benzos in terms of overdose and fatality.

By Sara Hoffman, PharmDHoffman is a Kansas-based clinical pharmacist with experience working in hospitals, specialty clinics, and community pharmacies. You can also prepare for your appointment by learning which questions to ask about antidepressant withdrawal. Starting with one antidepressant doesn’t mean you’ll stay with it. A doctor will be there to support you if you need to safely and slowly switch from one antidepressant to another. People may also develop depression after another medical diagnosis such as arthritis, diabetes, or cancer. The right choice of antidepressant can depend on your symptoms and many other factors.

One of the breakthrough antidepressants of this century is esketamine, a derivative of ketamine. Traditionally used as an anesthetic, ketamine’s potential to rapidly alleviate depression symptoms has garnered attention in recent years. Esketamine, administered as a nasal spray, offers a more accessible route for patients and healthcare professionals. This new nasal spray medication utilizes a unique mechanism of action that involves targeting the brain’s glutamate system. This differs from traditional antidepressants and other oral antidepressant medications that focus on serotonin.