Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor and other anti-depression drugs are often a mystery to those who need them. Here is a quick definition and explanation of commonly prescribed SSRI drugs.
SSRIs are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Seratonin is a chemical in the brain that has been found to be a type of mood regulator. Too little seratonin can create a depressed mood and continually low levels can contribute to clinical depression.
Your brain automatically creates seratonin, and as a natural regulator, receptors in your brain act like little vacuums, sucking up excess seratonin. But when your brain goes into turbo suction mode, it can create a shortage of seratonin which can lead to depression, anxiety and other unpleasant moods.
So SSRI drugs simply inhibits, or slows down, the suction (or reuptake) of your brain's seratonin, which in turn alleviates the depressed mood.
So when you hear someone complain that they don't want to take "mood altering drugs" to treat their depression or anxiety, let them know that the SSRI drugs only help your brain do what it was supposed to be doing all along.
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