The objective of this paper, rather than to provide new information, is to produce a vademecum for doctors prescribing antidepressants, including useful information for when they are being prescribed. Antidepressants should be seen as part of a package of treatment for the patient with depression. This package also should include psychological treatments and social interventions. Here the main antidepressant groups, including the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, the tricyclics and other classes are described, together with their mode of action, adverse effects and dosages. Antidepressants should usually be prescribed for six months. The efficacy of antidepressants is similar between classes, despite their different mechanisms of action. The choice is usually based on avoiding adverse effects, or sometimes on beneficial side effects. No single antidepressant is beneficial without any adverse effects. Increasing knowledge of what exactly causes depression should enable researchers not only to create more effective antidepressants rationally, but also to understand the limitations of existing drugs.
Keywords: antidepressants, depression, psychological therapies, social therapies