Antidepressants are psychiatric drugs licensed to treat depression. Some are also licensed to treat other conditions, such as:
- anxiety disorders
- phobia
- bulimia (an eating disorder)
- some physical conditions, including managing long-term pain.
Who can prescribe antidepressants?
The healthcare professionals who can prescribe you antidepressants include:
- your doctor (GP)
- a psychiatrist
- a specialist nurse prescriber
- a specialist pharmacist.
Many doctors prescribe antidepressants, but some require supervision from a mental health professional, like a psychiatrist.
These information pages usually refer to ‘your doctor’ prescribing this medication. They are the most likely person to prescribe you these drugs.
- cause unpleasant side effects than others.
- Their chemical structure, with three rings, gives them the name “tricyclic.”
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
About MAOIs:
- MAOIs work by making it harder for an enzyme called monoamine oxidase to break down noradrenaline and serotonin. This causes noradrenaline and serotonin to stay active for longer in your brain and body.
- MAOIs can have dangerous interactions with some kinds of medication and food. If you take MAOIs, you need to follow a careful diet. And you should always check with a doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medication alongside MAOIs.
- MAOIs is only given by a specialist. You are unlikely to be get an MAOI unless you’ve tried all other types of antidepressant, and none of them have worked for you. This is because of the dangerous interactions that are possible with MAOIs.
Other antidepressants
There are several other antidepressants available which don’t fit into any of the categories above. For more information about them, see comparing antidepressants.
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