Therapy as a Zoloft 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 verbal exchange with the therapist, 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.
Other Depression Medications
Fortunately, there are many medications available to treat depression. These medications include:
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
Zoloft is an SSRI. SSRIs are usually very effective at treating depression and usually do not have many serious side effects. They work by increasing the level of serotonin available for cells of the brain. In addition to Zoloft, these medications include:
Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors
These antidepressants are very similar to SSRIs, except that they also affect norepinephrine (another chemical in the brain). SNRIs used to treat depression include:
Milnacipran (
Savella™) is an SNRI that is not approved for the treatment of depression (although it may be used
off-label for this purpose).
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