How to Coach Yourself and Others Coaching and Counseling in Difficult Circumstances | Page 43

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Antidepressants
What are they?
Antidepressants are used to improve mood in people who are feeling low or depressed. Certain antidepressants
may also be used to help the symptoms of panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social phobia, bulimia
nervosa, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain syndrome. All these drugs seem to be equally
effective for depression at the proper dose, but they have different side-effects. If one drug does not suit a
patient, another may be tried. There are three main types of antidepressants.
• Tricyclics (TCAs): include amitriptyline (Typtizol), amoxapine (Asendis), dothiepin or dosulepin
(Prothiaden), Imipramine (Tofranil) and lofepramine (Gamanil).
• Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs): include citalopram (Cipramil), fluoxetine (Prozac),
fluvoxamine (Faverin), paroxetine (Seroxat) and sertraline (Lustral).
• Irreversible monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs): include isocarboxazide (Marplan), phenelzine
(Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate). A special kind of MAOI is known as a reversible inhibitor of
monoamine oxidase type A (RIMAs). These include moclobemide (Manerix).
There are, in addition, a number of other antidepressants, such as venlafaxine (Efexor), mirtazapine,
nefazodone, reboxetine and trazodone.
Side-effects
Common side-effects
• TCAs: sedation, dry mouth, blurred vision, weight gain, constipation, sweating.
• SSRIs: insomnia, stomach upsets, sexual dysfunction.
• MAOIs: blurred vision, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation.
• RIMAs: dry mouth, nausea, headache, dizziness, insomnia.
Rare but important side-effects
• TCAs: skin rashes: stop medication and consult the doctor immediately.
• SSRIs: skin rashes: stop medication and consult the doctor immediately.
• MAOIs: urine retention: refer to the doctor immediately. Sweating, blurred vision, skin rashes, headache: stop
medication and consult the doctor immediately.
Important notes about antidepressants
• If a patient misses F