Treating Adult Depression with Prescription Medications

Adult depression affects over one million people worldwide each year and many go untreated. Sufferers assume that their reaction and feelings are normal and never seek the proper treatment. For the adults who get treatment for their depression, there are options with prescription medication that have helped many sufferers. • Lithium: For severe depression, lithium is used to prevent manic episodes from occurring. There are side effects which make this medication not the first choice among adult sufferers. • Depakote: This drug is an anticonvulsant used to treat epilepsy. In 1995, Depakote was approved to treat depression and worked similar to lithium but with fewer side effects. • Antidepressants: One of the most common prescription medications used, AD's take three to four weeks to see if they help the adult suffering from depression. Many antidepressants and different doses are tried before finding the correct combination.