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  beyondblue
  Health Consumer Organisation

  beyondblue is a national, independent, not-for-profit organisation working to address issues associated with depression, anxiety and related disorders in Australia. beyondblue is a bipartisan initiative ... View profile

  Antidepressants are drugs that are used to treat depression and can be prescribed only by a doctor. Research shows that more severe forms of depression are associated with specific changes in the brain, including changes to some hormones and chemical message systems. In these forms of depression, there are alterations in the activity of the brain in areas under the influence of the brain chemicals serotonin and noradrenaline.
  
  There are different types of antidepressants which work in slightly different ways, but they all act on chemicals in the brain related to emotions and motivation. Reply to this post  |  Report
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  kiwi33
  Healthshare Member

  Typically antidepressants (ADs) work by increasing the levels of two neurotransmitters (serotonin and norepinephrine) in the brain.
  
  Neurotransmitters are chemicals which “send a message” across the gap (the “synapse”) between one neuron and another in the brain. Low levels of serotonin and norepinephrine are commonly associated with depression. Some classes of ADs are;
  
  (1) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), eg Prozac. These block the removal of serotonin from the synapse.
  
  (2) Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), eg Effexor). These block the removal of serotonin and norepinephrine from the synapse.
  
  (3) Noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants (NaSSAs), eg Remeron. These increase norepinephrine and serotonin neurotransmission.
  
  (4) Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (NRIs), eg Mazindol. These block the removal of norepinephrine from the synapse.
  
  For a technical explanation, more examples and references see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antidepressant .
  
  Typically it takes some time (weeks – months) for an AD to kick in fully.
  
  Also it can take some time for a health professional, working with his/her clients, to match the “right” AD to the “right” person. In the mental health community this is sometimes called “being on the medi-go-round”. Reply to this post  |  Report
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