Reply #14: Very reasoned post UP [View All]

[salvorhardin]

Well said.

One note about SSRIs though. The problem is that we still don't really know what depression is, let alone what causes it. As with obesity, there are many components to depression. "It's hard work."

With SSRIs what we're doing is is the equivalent of trying to boost a weak radio signal. The SSRIs inhibit the reuptake of serotonin by the monoamine transporters allowing neurons to in the brain to fire more easily. But, it isn't just the serotonin neurotransmitters in play and that's why the newer drugs affect more than just serotonin reuptake. It's thought that if we can find the right combination, then depression can be greatly reduced. It's ironic that we understand more about human cognition than we do human emotion which is arguably the more primitive of the two, but we're slowly getting there and the SSRIs do help many people. They're just not for everyone.