Antidepressants
Antidepressant tablets and capsules used mainly for depression, including Zoloft, Lexapro and Cymbalta. Some of the medicines in this range are also used for anxiety, nerve pain or other related conditions.
Fluoxetine Capsules
10mg · 20mg
Fluoxetine capsules for depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It increases serotonin in the brain to regulate mood.
Effexor Xr
37.5mg · 75mg · 150mg
Venlafaxine capsules for depression and generalised anxiety. They raise both serotonin and noradrenaline, a broader action than SSRIs.
Trintellix
10mg
Vortioxetine tablets for major depressive disorder. It targets serotonin reuptake and receptors to help balance mood.
Prothiaden
50mg · 75mg
Dosulepin tablets for major depression. They keep mood chemicals in the brain for longer.
Key points
- Medicine classes. Antidepressants are grouped into several classes, including SSRIs, SNRIs and tricyclic antidepressants, rather than being one single type of medicine.
- Starting treatment. NICE guidance says that expected benefits, possible side effects and withdrawal effects should be discussed whenever an antidepressant is offered.
- Stopping treatment. NICE advises reducing the dose in stages when stopping an antidepressant, rather than stopping abruptly.
SSRI, SNRI and tricyclic antidepressants in this range
Several SSRIs sit in this range, including Zoloft with sertraline, Lexapro with escitalopram, Paxil with paroxetine and Celexa with citalopram. These are commonly used for Major Depressive Disorder, among the other uses in this range. Cymbalta, Effexor XR, Venlor and Pristiq make up the SNRI group here, with Effexor XR and Venlor both containing venlafaxine. Tricyclic antidepressants, a separate chemical class, are represented here by Endep, Pamelor and Anafranil.
Other classes and catalogue relationships
Beyond the SSRI, SNRI and tricyclic groups, further single-ingredient medicines extend the range: Zyban with bupropion, Remeron with mirtazapine, Desyrel with trazodone and Trintellix with vortioxetine, each from a distinct chemical family. A few products reach this category through a different route. Seroquel and Abilify are antipsychotic medicines that also list major depressive disorder as an add-on use, and Lyrica is included mainly for nerve pain, fibromyalgia and seizure conditions rather than depression. These are catalogue relationships rather than a sign that every medicine here treats depression in the same way.
Further reading
Related articles
29 Jul 2026 ⋅ 9 min read
Antidepressants: The Boxed Warning, the First Few Weeks, and Stopping Safely
Every antidepressant carries a boxed warning about suicidal thoughts in young people, the risk concentrates early in treatment, and stopping abruptly causes withdrawal symptoms. What to expect and what to watch for.
Read guide