The antidepressants that succeeded the tricyclics and the monoamine-oxidase-inhibitors in the treatment of depression and phobias, including Social Phobia, present a significant advantage: the reduction in the quantity of side effects. Furthermore, the side effects caused by the active ingredients like fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, venlafaxine, and nefazodone tend to disappear with continuous use of the medication.

These substances, as well as others, produce side effects because they present the potential to interfere in the action of different biological substances and because the genetic characteristics of some people lead to their accumulation in the organism. In contrast with the tricyclics, which present a number of frequent side effects, these antidepressants present less frequent and more diversified side effects. For example, fluoxetine tends to reduce appetite, whereas sertraline and paroxetine tend to retard or inhibit orgasm. In addition to presenting fewer side effects, these medications can be used in smaller doses than those used in depression and can be taken in a span of two or three days. This reduces the intensity of the side effects even more. Nevertheless, the possibility of severe side effects cannot be minimized. To be on the safe side, at the beginning of treatment using these medications or any other neuroleptic, I recommend that my clients and, depending on the circumstances, family member, too, contact me at any time through any of my telephone numbers if they notice signs or symptoms that are different from those that I have informed them as being likely to occur.

June, 2005

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