Trazodone Alternatives

If side effects occur, or if symptoms of depression do not improve with the use of trazodone, alternatives are available. Common alternatives include other antidepressants, psychotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, and alternative therapies (such as St. John's wort). Medications that can be considered as alternatives to trazodone include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and tricyclic antidepressants.

Trazodone HCl

Trazodone Alternatives: An Overview

Trazodone hydrochloride (Desyrel^®) is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of depression (also known as major depression or clinical depression). The drug is generally effective in treating symptoms of depression, and most people tolerate it quite well. However, as with all medicines, side effects can occur or the medicine may not adequately control symptoms. Fortunately, several trazodone alternatives are available to treat depression, including:

Therapy
Other depression medications (also known as antidepressants)
Electroconvulsive therapy
Alternative (natural) therapies.

Therapy as a Trazodone Alternative

Many forms of psychotherapy, including some short-term (10 to 20 weeks) therapies, can help people with depression.

"Talk" therapies help patients gain insight into (and resolve) their problems through a verbal exchange with the therapist, and are sometimes combined with "homework" assignments between sessions. Behavioral therapists help patients learn how to obtain more satisfaction through their own actions and how to unlearn the behavioral patterns that contribute to or result from their depression.

(Click Psychotherapy for Depression to learn more about this treatment option for depression.)

(Trazodone Alternatives Continued: Page 2)