10 Little-Known Facts About Your "Happiness Hormone" That Could Change Everything

5. Uses For Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are a common type of antidepressant. They can help an individual's body use serotonin with better efficiency. This type of medication meets this goal by making more serotonin available. These medications work by stopping serotonin uptake by the presynaptic receptors, which allows the serotonin present in the individual to bind to postsynaptic receptors. This allows serotonin to be better concentrated in the area between the end of the individual's neurons or synapses. Medications in this class cannot create more serotonin. They help a patient's body use it in the most optimal way possible. Numerous selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can be used to treat an individual's serotonin deficiency. However, the most common include citalopram, fluoxetine, and paroxetine.

6. Uses For Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors

As the name suggests, monoamine oxidase inhibitors inhibit a natural chemical found in the brain: monoamine oxidase. This chemical removes dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. Many experts claim that low levels of these neurotransmitters are associated with depression. Thus, the primary use of this medication is to treat patients dealing with depression. They are an older antidepressant and are quite effective. However, they come with more side effects than newer medications, so they are used less often. Side effects include dry mouth, insomnia, nausea, constipation, tingling sensations, and weight gain. It is worth noting that these antidepressants also have serotonin syndrome as a significant side effect. Thankfully, it is quite rare for this condition to occur. It often only appears when patients are taking this medication along with another that raises their serotonin. Other antidepressants are included in this, of course, as are St. John's wort and some pain medications.