It’s common to experience sadness in our daily lives due to heartbreak, loss, or various other reasons. For some, however, this existential dread that because their lives may be more than an inconvenience in their lives. Depression is a condition that affects more than 264 million people worldwide.
Clinical depression is much different than fluctuations in the moods we experience because of life’s challenges. Long-lasting depression that is moderate to severe can affect your ability to function at work, school, and in the family. At its worst, depression can lead to suicide, which is the leading cause of death in 15- to 29-year-olds.
Fortunately, effective treatments are available that aim to help those with clinical depression. Since it is a chemical imbalance in the brain, medication is necessary to correct this and help your brain function at its highest capacity possible. Depression and other mental health conditions are on the rise, and we must help those in need.
What Conditions Does Mirtazapine Treat?
Mirtazapine is an antidepressant medication that treats the chemical imbalance in the brain caused by depression. It is approved to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) and can be highly effective in people who respond well to the medicine.
Depression is a debilitating disorder that interferes with someone’s life. Some signs and symptoms of depression include:
- Feeling empty, sad, or tearful
- Feeling worthless, hopeless, guilty, and helpless
- Loss of interest in usual activities
- Sleeping and eating more or less than usual
- Trouble concentrating, low energy
- Nervous energy (psychomotor agitation)
- Feeling as though you are thinking or moving in slow motion (psychomotor retardation)
- Suicidal thoughts and behaviors
If someone is exhibiting suicidal behavior, please call 911 immediately — it can be the difference between life and death.
What Conditions Does Citalopram Treat?
Citalopram is used to treat depression, and it is designed to help improve energy levels and feelings of well-being. Citalopram is considered an SSRI, which helps to restore the balance of serotonin in your brain. Those who use the medication may not see the benefits for one to four weeks and are encouraged to continue using the medicine for this time.
Although citalopram treats depression, it can also treat these disorders:
- Repeated episodes of anxiety
- Binge eating disorder
- Panic disorder
- Posttraumatic stress syndrome
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Anxiousness associated with depression
- Bipolar depression
Should I Use Citalopram or Mirtazapine?
Only you and your primary care physician can make this determination. If you are struggling with more than just depression, perhaps using a medication like citalopram will be more effective. A licensed psychologist can work with you to find the right combination of medicines for your unique brain chemistry. We all have unique traits, so it’s possible that one drug might work better than the other.
If you are using one of these medications and it is not producing the results you anticipated, speak with your psychologist about trying something else.
Be upfront so your doctor can help you. You must tell them the current medication is not working and find one that is right for you.
