You are in Member Communities . What follows is some general information about the relatively newer antidepressants. I am only mentioning medications here, but there are other important treatments beside meds. Medications are useful tools but are best used when part of a larger treatment plan. So, some background information is useful first.
Neurotransmitters are the chemical bridges that connect brain cells.
The three monoamine neurotransmitters include serotonin, norephinephrine, and dopamine. When we artificially raise the levels of any of these neurotransmitters, then depression and anxiety tend to fade starting one to four weeks later. Importantly, we don't know how this works. There is very little evidence that depression or anxiety results from a deficit or problem with the actual neurotransmitters. It may be that we are simply altering the activity of brain systems that rely on these neurotransmitters, and that this altered activity indirectly affects other parts of the brain responsible for depression.