Antidepressants for depression

SAMHSA’s National Helpline | SAMHSA

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SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
Also visit the online treatment locator.

SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.

Also visit the online treatment locator, or send your zip code via text message: 435748 (HELP4U) to find help near you. Read more about the HELP4U text messaging service.

The service is open 24/7, 365 days a year.

English and Spanish are available if you select the option to speak with a national representative. Currently, the 435748 (HELP4U) text messaging service is only available in English.

In 2020, the Helpline received 833,598 calls. This is a 27 percent increase from 2019, when the Helpline received a total of 656,953 calls for the year.

The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.

The service is confidential. We will not ask you for any personal information. We may ask for your zip code or other pertinent geographic information in order to track calls being routed to other offices or to accurately identify the local resources appropriate to your needs.

No, we do not provide counseling. Trained information specialists answer calls, transfer callers to state services or other appropriate intake centers in their states, and connect them with local assistance and support.

Suggested Resources
What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families
Created for family members of people with alcohol abuse or drug abuse problems. Answers questions about substance abuse, its symptoms, different types of treatment, and recovery. Addresses concerns of children of parents with substance use/abuse problems.
It's Not Your Fault (NACoA) (PDF | 12 KB)
Assures teens with parents who abuse alcohol or drugs that, "It's not your fault!" and that they are not alone. Encourages teens to seek emotional support from other adults, school counselors, and youth support groups such as Alateen, and provides a resource list.

After an Attempt: A Guide for Taking Care of Your Family Member After Treatment in the Emergency Department
Aids family members in coping with the aftermath of a relative's suicide attempt. Describes the emergency department treatment process, lists questions to ask about follow-up treatment, and describes how to reduce risk and ensure safety at home.
Family Therapy Can Help: For People in Recovery From Mental Illness or Addiction
Explores the role of family therapy in recovery from mental illness or substance abuse. Explains how family therapy sessions are run and who conducts them, describes a typical session, and provides information on its effectiveness in recovery.
For additional resources, please visit the SAMHSA Store.

Last Updated: 08/30/2022

SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator

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Welcome to the Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator, a confidential and anonymous source of information for persons seeking treatment facilities in the United States or U.S. Territories for substance use/addiction and/or mental health problems.

PLEASE NOTE: Your personal information and the search criteria you enter into the Locator is secure and anonymous. SAMHSA does not collect or maintain any information you provide.

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The Locator is authorized by the 21st Century Cures Act (Public Law 114-255, Section 9006; 42 U.S.C. 290bb-36d). SAMHSA endeavors to keep the Locator current. All information in the Locator is updated annually from facility responses to SAMHSA’s National Substance Use and Mental Health Services Survey (N-SUMHSS). New facilities that have completed an abbreviated survey and met all the qualifications are added monthly. Updates to facility names, addresses, telephone numbers, and services are made weekly for facilities informing SAMHSA of changes. Facilities may request additions or changes to their information by sending an e-mail to [email protected], by calling the BHSIS Project Office at 1-833-888-1553 (Mon-Fri 8-6 ET), or by electronic form submission using the Locator online application form (intended for additions of new facilities).

list of the best drugs without prescriptions

Can I buy antidepressants without prescriptions? What mood improvers are most effective, when will lighter drugs help, and when powerful ones are needed, how do they affect the body, and can they be taken on their own? The main thing when choosing a medicine is not to harm your health.

I'm depressed!

This can often be heard from friends or read on the forum. But, as a rule, the person making such statements is mistaken. After all, what is meant by "depression" in a colloquial environment? Usually it means just a short-term deterioration in mood, irritability, fatigue under the influence of circumstances. Sometimes a person just has a "bad day" or "gets up on the wrong foot" and calls it depression. nine0003

Nowadays, people are constantly faced with stress: overload at work, a frantic pace of life, excessive demands on themselves, a huge amount of information that flows from all sources. It is not surprising that many people cannot cope with so many stressors, and this can manifest itself in various symptoms:

anxiety;
irritability;
fatigue;
sleep disorders;
obsessive thoughts;
panic attacks. nine0014

If these symptoms are short-lived and go away on their own, don't get too upset. In most cases, they will be defeated by just a good rest. But sometimes vacation is not enough, and the body needs a little help. It is very important to choose the right medicines for this.

What depression really is

This is a long-term (2 weeks or more) pronounced decrease in mood, which is accompanied by several additional symptoms: decrease in activity, slowing down of mental activity, lack of joy from life. That is, if you are no longer touched by the usual joys - hobbies, family, gatherings with friends, then this is an occasion to think, observe your condition and, possibly, consult a doctor.

If you are no longer touched by the usual joys, then this is an occasion to think and, perhaps, consult a doctor.

True depression is a serious and often serious illness that requires mandatory treatment by a psychiatrist with the appointment of special medications. nine0003

What drugs are used to treat depression?

They are collectively called antidepressants. It is worth noting that in recent years the indications for prescribing antidepressants have expanded significantly. Numerous studies have been conducted that have shown the effectiveness of antidepressants not only for depression, but also for anxiety, sleep disorders (insomnia), neurosis, and even neuropathic pain. Today, drugs from different groups of antidepressants are widely prescribed by psychiatrists, neurologists, and even therapists. nine0003

Two groups of drugs are most commonly used.

Tricyclic antidepressants

These are the oldest drugs that are considered the most powerful:

Amitriptyline is a drug with a strong sedative and powerful antidepressant effect. Large doses are used to treat severe depression, and small doses are used for milder disorders. It relieves anxiety and has a hypnotic effect.
Anafranil is a balanced drug, usually better tolerated than amitriptyline, and also relieves anxiety well. It is prescribed for the treatment of depression from mild to severe, various anxiety disorders. nine0014
Melipramine - has a stimulating effect, they treat apathetic depression.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

This is a more modern group of drugs. Their advantages are good tolerability and few or no side effects.

Often prescribed from this group:

Fevarin - has anti-anxiety and good antidepressant effect. With prolonged use, it normalizes sleep, if it has been disturbed. nine0014

Zoloft is a fairly strong daytime antidepressant. It relieves anxiety, obsessive thoughts, while not causing drowsiness.
Paxil - relieves anxiety, often prescribed for the treatment of panic attacks.

There are many more modern antidepressants that have few side effects and are well tolerated:

Ixel;
Velaxin;
Valdoxan;
Trittiko;
Simbalta and others. nine0014

But strong antidepressants are not sold without a prescription . They can only be prescribed by a doctor: a psychiatrist, a neurologist, sometimes a therapist.

Why can't I take antidepressants without a prescription?

Only a doctor can assess the risk of side effects for a particular patient.
Different antidepressants have different nuances of therapeutic action. If the medicine is chosen incorrectly, at best it will not help, at worst it will hurt. nine0014
Dose selection is carried out individually. If you increase the dose too quickly on your own, you can experience a lot of unpleasant consequences.
Cancellation should also be carried out gradually and under the supervision of a physician. Otherwise, you risk getting a withdrawal syndrome.

What to do?

There are a number of drugs available without a prescription. They are not effective for clinical depression, but they will help to cope with stress, short-term sleep disorders and irritability. With their help, you can try to alleviate your psycho-emotional state a little:

Glycine is one of the most popular products. It is prescribed, starting from childhood, with stress, overwork, emotional overstrain. Sometimes effective for minor sleep disturbances.
Afobazole . Has an anti-anxiety effect, eliminates the feeling of fear, tearfulness, irritability. It is used in the treatment of vegetative-vascular dystonia and even in alcoholism, to alleviate the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Not addictive. It should be borne in mind that children under 18 years of age are contraindicated. nine0014
Novo-passit . Quite a strong sedative for nervousness and irritability. Effective in reducing concentration, memory, fatigue. Helps to restore the nervous system during periods of increased stress.

Over-the-counter medications won't help with clinical depression, but they can alleviate the psycho-emotional state.

Stressovit . Well calms, relieves irritability, anxiety, improves sleep. It is not recommended to drive a car and other activities that require increased concentration of attention during the period of treatment. nine0014
Persen is a herbal medicine. Contains extracts of valerian, lemon balm and peppermint. It has a calming and anti-anxiety effect. It helps well with increased excitability, emotional lability, tearfulness. It can be used in the complex therapy of mild anxiety depressive disorders, facilitates the withdrawal of potent drugs.
Magne B6 . Increases the body's resistance to stress. Magnesium deficiency can lead to an imbalance of the nervous system, irritability, sleep disturbances, so Magne B6 has a positive effect in these cases. nine0014
Tenoten . It has an anti-anxiety, calming, anti-asthenic effect, helps to cope with stress and psycho-emotional stress. Relieves irritability and tension. Can be used in neurotic conditions.

When should I see a doctor?

If the decrease in mood persists for more than two weeks, and attempts at self-treatment have not been effective.
If you have thoughts about not wanting to live or suicidal thoughts. nine0014
If depression significantly disrupts the usual course of life: you cannot work, fully communicate with your family, enjoy what used to bring joy.

You can consult a psychiatrist in confidence. Information about the very fact of treatment, not to mention the diagnosis and treatment, is a medical secret: they are not reported to work, they are not disclosed. It is better to diagnose depression on time and start treatment than to bring it to advanced stages.

Literature

Bauer M., Pfennig A., Severus E., Vaibrau P.S., Angst J., Muller H. Clinical recommendations of the World Federation of Biological Psychiatry on Biological Therapy of Unipolar Depressive Disorders Part 1: Acute and Acute and Acute CONTINUOUS TREATMENT OF UNIPOLAR DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS AS OF 2013//CURRENT THERAPY OF MENTAL DISORDERS Number: 4 Year: 2015 Pages: 33-40
Antidepressant therapy and other treatments for depressive disorders. Report of the CINP Working Group based on a review of the evidence. M., 2008; 215 p. nine0014
Baklanov V.V., Anikeeva A.G., Karataeva Zh.E. METHODOLOGICAL RECOMMENDATION DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF DEPRESSION IN HEALTHCARE INSTITUTIONS PROVIDING PRIMARY HEALTH CARE TO THE POPULATION Syktyvkar, 2011

Cure for depression and stress - treatment of depression without addiction, safe

In today's world, with its stress, frantic pace of life, instability, you rarely find a person who would not know what depression is. We often complain about depression, although this word can hide a bad mood, anxiety, irritability, grief, or other nervous disorders that have nothing to do with depression. nine0003

Treating depression

Noticing depressive-like symptoms, many immediately run to the pharmacy for an antidepressant or some kind of sedative.

Without consulting a specialist, one cannot do here, but many people ignore visiting a doctor, preferring self-treatment. Meanwhile, self-treatment with psychotropic drugs can lead to the most serious consequences, including the aggravation of existing neuropsychiatric diseases.

Medicines for depression

All psychotropic drugs are divided into three groups: antipsychotics, antidepressants and tranquilizers.

Antipsychotics

Antipsychotics are strong psychotropic drugs used to treat psychoses with hallucinations and delusions. Treatment with such drugs is carried out only in hospitals, but in some cases, small doses of the drug can be prescribed to people suffering from insomnia, experiencing weakness and pain, people with obsessive thoughts.

Antipsychotics complement the treatment regimen for asthenia, shyness, depression. nine0003

Antidepressants

Antidepressants are divided into two classes.

The first is drugs with a pronounced sedative effect. These include drugs such as amitriptyline, anafranil, larivon, ludiomil.

The second group includes preparations containing an activating component. These include melipranil and petylil.

Recently, a variety of combination antidepressants, such as Prozac, have become available.

The risk of developing dependence on antidepressants is only 15%. nine0003

Tranquilizers

Tranquilizers are the most famous and most dangerous drugs in terms of addiction. They are most often used for insomnia, obsessive thoughts, anxiety.

The most powerful tranquilizers are phenazepam, clonazepam, lorazepam, lexotane. Less strong Relanium, Seduxen, Librium, Valium, Signopam, Tazepam. Weak - grandaxin, mezapam, rudotel. Tranquilizers with a pronounced hypnotic effect - radedorm and reladorm.

Attention! Do not self-medicate. Prescribing and taking drugs for depression is possible only after consultation with a specialist. nine0003

Nootropics

In addition, there is a group of drugs with a pronounced stimulating effect used in chronic fatigue syndromes. These are the so-called nootropics - drugs designed to increase cerebral circulation. These include nootropil, encephabol and cogitum.

When taking tranquilizers, you must strictly observe the dosage and schedule for taking the medication, otherwise drug dependence may occur, which is very little different from drug dependence. Only a doctor can prescribe medications and a treatment regimen. nine0003

Do not expect an immediate effect when taking it, it occurs approximately in the second or third week of treatment. At the first sign of relief from the condition, do not stop taking the drug. Dose reduction and discontinuation, it is better to discuss with your doctor. If the neurotic disorder is not treated, the disease is likely to return in a more severe and difficult to treat form.

All drugs mentioned in the article are released strictly by prescription!

Recommendations for the treatment of depression

We recommend that you consult a neurologist. As a rule, depression is accompanied by lack of sleep, lack of appetite, absent-mindedness and difficulty focusing on something. When diagnosing and treating, it is necessary to take into account the totality of the manifestations of a depressive state.
Domestic injuries, head injuries of many years ago, active weightlifting can also affect the development of depression.

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