[Ghost On The Highway]

It's a fairly safe bet that the first antidepressant you'll be prescribed will be an SSRI or SNRI. The former class acts on the neurotransmitter ("brain-signaling-molecule") serotonin, while the latter works on both serotonin and noradrenaline. Essentially, these drugs block receptors on the "sending neuron" that normally clear serotonin and/or noradrenaline from the synapse. This results in more transmitter available to stimulate the "receiving neuron." The result, in theory, is that you have more of the chemical binding to and effecting changes in certain brain cells. It has been proposed that a "shortage" of some neurotransmitters can lead to depression for various reasons, and the drugs are intended to rectify that problem.

Antidepressants usually take between 2 and 8 weeks (from personal experience) to start having positive effects. The reason for this is a bit unclear to me. After all, other drugs acting on the serotonin system (LSD, MDMA, etc.) induce their effects in less than an hour. It is my guess that the relief from depression actually comes from changes in the physiological structure of neurons, which can take a substantial amount of time to occur.

I have been on Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, Celexa, Wellbutrin, and Effexor, obviously not at the same time! Effexor has worked best for me, though I have had some bad side effects and the drug can cause withdrawal if you stop taking it.

It is very important to remain in consultation with a good psychiatrist while starting meds for the first time. Everything will probably go fine, but you could experience side effects that are, frankly, upsetting. One of the meds I tried gave me horrible suicidal thoughts and another bad insomnia. Don't "go it alone" or start "experimenting" with dosage, etc. right away. And as always, I and others are here to offer our support and sometimes questionable advice if you need us