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Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors ( Ssris )

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Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been prescribed by physicians for many years now. One reason SSRIs are so popular is because of the many mental disorders they can be used for such as anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, and many more (Weitzel & Jiwanlal, 2001). The four major types of SSRIs that are most commonly used by people with mental disorders are fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), and citalopram hydrobromide (Celexa); SSRIs work on the brain by acting on the reuptake pathway of serotonin (Stone, 2010). There are some advantages for taking SSRIs. One advantage is that SSRIs have fewer side effects than most of the other antidepressant medications such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and tricyclics (Weitzel & Jiwanlal, 2001). Another advantage is that SSRIs have less of a risk of toxicity in overdose (Lane, Baldwin, & Preskorn, 1995). SSRIs are better tolerated than tricyclic antidepressant medication because they cause less sedation and problematic anticholinergic effects. There are also reports indicating that SSRIs have fewer negative effects on the cardiovascular system than tricyclic antidepressants (Edwards, 1992). Furthermore, some psychiatrists believe that SSRIs are an important advancement in treating mental disorders (Edwards, 1992). One article has found evidence that SSRIs can possibly help patients with recovery after a stroke, regardless of if they did or did not have

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