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Are there medicines I can take for depression?

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Host: Are there medicines I can take for depression?

Dr. Kim Penberthy: Oh, yes. For depression there are fortunately, many medications that are available now and usually, new ones coming out every couple of years. Probably, the most common one right now is something called the Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, this is shortened to be called SSRIs and these are things like Paxil and Prozac and they have been shown in big, clinical trials to be effective. There are newer versions of these called SRNIs that involve another neurotransmitter and those include Effexor and Celexa and all of these can be prescribed by your family physician or by a specialist like a Psychiatrist and have been shown to be very effective for some people, not all, but many people.

Expert: Dr. Kim Penberthy

Dr. Penberthy attended Wake Forest University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology and biology. She obtained a master’s degree in experimental psychology from Wake Forest University in 1992. Dr. Penberthy collaborated in research conducted at the UNC-Chapel Hill Center for Alcohol Studies, in the Medical School, and then at the Cancer Research Center at Duke University. She then completed her More »