The Search for Serotonin; a Personal Study Observing Prescription Drugs

Amelia Cookston

2/21/17

Hannes Thum

Human Physiology - Winter Term

The Search for Serotonin; A Personal Study Observing Prescription Drugs

In March of 2014, I was diagnosed with depression. My pediatrician then prescribed me to take 20 mgs of Celexa a day to soothe my debilitating thoughts. Over the past three years, the dosage has been increased to 40 mgs and the medication has been helping me get through, day by day, by balancing the chemicals in my brain. As time as progressed, I have become more and more curious of how these drugs actually affect my brain and effectively, make me a happier. In this research paper, I will show my findings of how prescription drugs affect the brain, and in my case, how depression drugs personally affect mine. I will also brush up on the dangers of becoming addicted to these drugs, and how that can be avoided.

The reason I take Celexa is balance the chemicals in my brain. Although my doctor cannot see inside my brain, she believes that the basis of my depression is caused by this imbalance. This is one of two popular causes for depression. The second agent is situational, caused by someone's personal life experiences. This made sense for me because, in my opinion I live a very comfortable, fortunate life. But how does this tiny pill work in my brain? According the NPS Medicinewise website, Celexa is a “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor” or an “SSRI”. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, a chemical that relays signals between the cells in your brain. This is the chemical in my brain that needs rehabilitation. These SSRI drugs increase the amount of serotonin in your brain, and this is how Celexa and other depression drugs improve the symptoms of depression.

Although different depression medications act in similar ways, other prescription drugs do not. For example; prescription painkillers are very powerful drugs prescribed to reduce severe pain. They become helpful for people who suffer from all types of diseases, and injuries. Some of these drugs include Vicodin and OxyContin. When you take a prescription painkiller, the medicine attaches itself to particular sites in the brain called opioid receptors. These receptors carry messages about pain. When someone takes a prescribed painkiller correctly, the pain messages sent by the opioid receptors are no longer perceived as painful. When someone takes prescription drugs for sleep disorders like Ambien, the levels of the acid in the gamma-aminobutyric neurotransmitter increases. Once these levels increase, the gamma-aminobutyric acid sends messages that slow down one’s bodily functions and they begin to feel drowsy. Anti-anxiety prescription drugs such as Valium and Xanax, affect the brain similarly to the way sleep disorder medication does. They also affect the same neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid. People with ADHD may take prescription stimulants like Adderall, Concerta, and Ritalin to bring their brain dopamine function back to normal, and to help them focus better and pay