Nowadays the antidepressants Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Lexapro and Effexor are household names.  In the late 1980’s these drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), were introduced and have since proven useful  in the treatment of mood disorders such as depression.

 WHAT IS DEPRESSION?
 Mosby’s Allied Health Dictionary defines depression as an abnormal emotional state characterized by exaggerated feelings of sadness, emptiness and worthlessness which range from lack of motivation to alterations in mental and bodily functioning.

IS DEPRESSION COMMON IN THE WEST INDIES?
A survey done in by Wilk’s showed 49% of participants describing depressive symptoms.  In the West Indian Medical Journal another article gives factors associated with depression, such as low level income, low level education, ill- health, gender and age.

HOW DO SSRIS WORK?
In depression a chemical in the brain called serotonin becomes unbalanced.  These drugs work by allowing serotonin to remain for a longer period of time.  SSRIs were developed from studies in depression and have similar pathways as do cocaine or ecstasy without the devastating swings of euphoria or breakdown. They alleviate feelings of sadness, despair and discouragement from loss or tragedy, worthlessness, emptiness and hopelessness, lack of motivation.  

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