Talking About Counseling For Children And Teens

A lot of people live with severe depression each and every day, yet they never seek help for this problem. Depression is just like any health problem you may face. It is real and it is treatable. One of the main ways doctors treat depression is with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and these medications can make a big difference with the way you feel if you struggle with chronic depression.

What is serotonin?

To begin understanding how SSRIs work, you must first understand what serotonin is and what its role is in your body. Serotonin is a chemical that is naturally found and made in the body. It is designed to work as a neurotransmitter, which is something that communicates messages between your brain and your nerves.

Serotonin has several roles in the body, but one of the key roles it plays involves controlling your moods. It is one of the chemicals in your brain that makes you feel happy, and people with depression often have a low balance of serotonin. There are several places in your body that produce this chemical, including the intestines and the brain.

What do SSRIs do?

The whole purpose of SSRIs is to block the brain from using the serotonin in your body. SSRIs are capable of interrupting the process of the brain reabsorbing the serotonin it produces, and the point of this is to increase the amount of serotonin in the brain. If depression occurs from low amounts of serotonin, the goal to fight depression is to up the amount of serotonin, and that is why SSRIs are effective medications for treating depression.

Are SSRIs enough to stop depression?

The downside to treating depression is that everyone is different, and this is why there are numerous different types of SSRIs available. Finding one that offers the best results for you might take time. You may have to try a few different types, and you will have to wait. SSRIs do not take immediate effect in your brain. In most cases, it will be hard to see the full effects of a medication until you have taken it for six to eight weeks.

You may experience better results if you also seek counseling services for your depression. In many cases, depression is caused by negative events in life, and a counselor can help you work through these.

If you would like to learn more about SSRIs and other forms of mental health treatment, contact a mental health center in your area such as T M S Center of Nebraska LLC.