There are a number of dangers related to taking prescription antidepressants, particularly for teenagers.

Though these drugs can provide tremendous relief to the sufferers of these various problems, there are a number of dangers of taking prescription antidepressants that patients should be made aware of. In particular, these medications can cause very unpleasant side effects including varying intensities of weight gain, nausea, decrease in libido, insomnia, and headaches. Among the various types of prescription antidepressants, it is the SSRIs that can have more extreme and dangerous side effects as they can cause or worsen anxiety, as well as potentially causing serious mental and physical agitation, mania, and even violent outbursts in rare cases. Though they are typically well tolerated (or they never would have received their FDA approval) there remains a serious risk of significant undesirable side effects.

For this reason, many people are opting to move away from prescription antidepressants and are leaning more toward natural therapies as well as over-the-counter anti-depressants such as Zanaprin.

This being said, if you are already taking a prescription medication for depression or anxiety, it is not recommended that you stop taking it until you speak with your doctor. This is because many have very unpleasant withdrawal symptoms and it takes a special schedule of dosages to slowly wean the body off the drugs in order to keep the withdrawal at a minimum. Withdrawal symptoms that are not uncommon include muscle pain, fatigue, headaches, trembling, sweating, loss of equilibrium, and electric shock sensations in various parts of the body such as fingers and the face. The risk of addiction and withdrawal are also important reasons that many people choose to use over-the counter medications instead of those requiring a prescription.

Among teens it is very important to be careful around antidepressants of prescription strength. In fact, most types of antidepressants are not at all recommended for people under the age of 18. Studies have shown that some prescription antidepressants can cause teens to experience violent behaviors, nightmares, self-mutilation, or even suicidal thoughts.

If an alternative to prescription antidepressants is desired, it is important for patients to speak with their doctors about whether or not Zanaprin and other over-the-counter drugs may be a better option.

Zoloft is one of the most prescribed medications for the treatment of depression, stress disorders and anxiety disorders.

In 2007, Zoloft was prescribed more than any other antidepressant available on the American market, with 29,652,000 prescriptions having been written and filled. Though the actual effect of this form of antidepressant is considered to be comparable to that of the older tricyclic form of antidepressants, these are often a first choice simply because their side effects are different and less dramatic. In fact, some studies are starting to show that drugs of Zoloft’s nature are actually more effective for some kinds of depression than fluoxetine (commonly known as Prozac). Furthermore, it is known to be exceptionally effective in treating anxiety and panic disorders. That being said, cognitive behavioral therapy is still considered to be a superior treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder than Zoloft – but Zoloft in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy is much better than either one on their own.

Actual social phobia (the extreme version of social anxiety disorder) and post-traumatic disorders can see improvements through the use of Zoloft, but only modestly. Other therapies are recommended in conjunction with the drug. Zoloft has also been known to help ease the symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) when using sub-therapeutic doses or simply using it intermittently as needed for treatment.

Though a very effective drug, Zoloft does not come without the risk of side effects – some of which are quite common. These side effects are universal throughout the SSRI class of drugs. They include diarrhea, nausea, insomnia, sleepiness, and sexual side effects. Some people also report dry mouth. That being said, unlike many other SSRIs, Zoloft has not been shown to lead to weight gain and any cognition impacts it has are deemed to be mild. As with other forms of antidepressant, in some specific types of cases, there is an increased risk of suicidal thoughts with Zoloft – however, statistics relating to this topic are currently subject to controversy.