Antidepressants are the most common type of drugs that are used in Treating Depression. Since Insomnia is one of the most common symptoms of depression, these drugs are often used to elevate depressive moods and induce sleep.
Among the various kinds of antidepressants, SSRI’s are among the latest that are now being used extensively for treating Insomnia. Despite their rampant use, the efficacy of antidepressants like SSRIs to treat Insomnia is not supported by clinical studies. Using SSRI’s to treat Insomnia has also not been approved by the FDA.
SSRIs are indicated mainly for clinical depression. This class of drugs should be used to treat Insomnia only if it is one of the many symptoms of depression. However, primary care physicians tend to over-prescribe and suggest that SSRIs be used for Insomnia to get quicker results.
Different antidepressants have varying effects on depressive patients. An Antidepressant is a drug that acts by blocking the reuptake of brain chemicals like norepinephrine and serotonin making more of those substances available to act on receptors in the brain. SSRIs act to maintain the level of serotonin (a neurotransmitter that is involved in sleep, memory and depression) by restricting its absorption.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
