Depression is considered to be a disease and the need to identify major depressive disorder symptoms early on is essential. If a person is feeling very low, experiencing a loss of interest in life for over a period of two weeks, the state is classified as depression. In ascertaining the occurrence of the disease, the routine and general habits of the person suffering from it should be taken into account. Deviation from the normal working habits and interests in a person’s life can be a clear indication of depression. The major symptoms of depression include a depressive feeling through majority of the day, which can be documented by the patient himself or by close family and friends who report the patient to be tearful and appearing sad or irritable most of the day.

A decrease in the normal entertaining activities of the patient or a loss of interest on anything related to pleasure, nearly every day. Other major depressive disorder symptoms include a sudden weight loss or weight gain. Some people report to eat less when in stress while others tend to eat more, resulting in marked changes of the body. Insomnia is often reported by some patients, while others complain of hypersomnia, whereby the sleeping habits increase more than the normal cycle. A feeling of lethargy and disinterest prevails through the day associated with a feeling of low esteem. Also recurring suicidal thoughts which have been going on for a minimum of two weeks all account as major symptoms of depression.

Mothers living on anti-depressants and thinking of having a baby are faced with a tough choice of choosing between Prozac and pregnancy. The life of the baby and how it is going to be affected by the drugs while in the womb are a series of questions that women taking drugs have to consider before conceiving. Even though some doctors argue that taking SSRIs, which is a class of anti-depressive drugs like Prozac (chemical name Fluoxetine), Zoloft (chemical name sertraline), Luvox (chemical name fluvoxamine) and Lexapro (chemical name escitalopram) are safe for expectant mothers, growing scientific evidence suggests that these drugs carry their own set of high risks both for the mother and especially for the baby. According to a scientific study carried out in 2006, on infants who had persistent pulmonary hypertension which can be life threatening were born to mothers who were more likely to be taking anti-depressant drugs than those babies who were born without such complications.

Prozac and pregnancy has been a long debated issue between doctors of differing opinions. Doctors opposed to the intake of Prozac during the third trimester of the pregnancy argue that mothers taking such anti-depressants are more likely to give birth to babies who suffered from neonatal abstinence syndrome. Babies suffering from neonatal abstinence syndrome showcase symptoms like tremors, high pitched crying sounds, gastrointestinal disorders, a disturbed sleeping cycle and hyper tonicity, a term used to describe an uncharacteristic increase in muscle tone. Hence most doctors recommend mothers to discontinue Prozac especially in the third trimester.

With the prevalence of depressive symptoms seen in people going through difficult periods of life, depression medicine has become increasingly popular. Depression is considered as an illness related to the state of mind, whereby the person suffering from it experiences a feeling of worthlessness and loss of interest in life. Described as a disease, depression cannot merely be cured by psychotic treatment. Medication is essential in relieving the person of the depressive symptoms. If not treated on time through medication, depression can last for weeks, often months and can often lead to the person suffering from it to try to take his life. In the recent years an increase in teenage patients of depression has been witnessed. To combat depression in youngsters, FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has set forward a Medication Guide that entails all kinds of information required on using anti-depressants in children or teenagers.

Of all the antidepressants available in the market, FDA has approved Prozac fit for consumption by teenagers and children suffering depression. Taking depression medicine is important because if a depressed patient is left untreated, risks of self-induced injury, suicidal attempts along with a prolonged feeling of demotivation which leads to a permanent impact on the mental health of a patient are some of the risks that the patient is prone to. However, antidepressants should only be used on the prescription of a practicing physician or psychiatrist as many over the counter antidepressants have known to cause serious health effects.