An antidepressant is a type of medication that is made to treat people with mood disorders including depression (major depressive disorder), and people with anxiety disorders. Some people take antidepressants to lower their sex drive and treat premature ejaculation.^[1]

There are different types of antidepressant, such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), tetracyclic antidepressants (TeCAs), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).

Antidepressants have also been used to treat the following:

• obsessive-compulsive disorder, and panic attacks
• anxieties and phobias, including post-traumatic stress disorder
• eating disorders, chronic pain, and different withdrawal syndromes
• sleep disorders, including premenstrual syndrome