What are the causes which give occasion to melancholia?
Many medical evidences have pointed it out that melancholia is associated with family inheritance, still, quite a number of cases are related to mental as well as environmental pressure. Whatever the causes, anomalous changes, differing in severity, can be told to have taken place in the metabolism, endocrinous secretion, cerebral blood circulation, and neuro-conducting chemical substance in patient’s brain.

Working principle of anti-depressant agents:
The pharmaceutical function of drugs is that of altering the percentile makeup of chemical substances in the brain, they are mainly serotonin, dopamine and neorepinephrine, in order for them to resume the normal equilibrium condition, which would help to further improve various neuropathic symptoms.

How long will it take for the anti-depressant agents to take effect?
Generally, physical malaise such as: sleeplessness or dysorexia will see improvements way from the second week of input. Still a longer while, about one month or so will be needed to see effects on deficiency of mental concentration, degraded attention, and fatigue coupled with general weakness. For cases of holistic thought aberration such as: guilt senses, helplessness, senses of worthlessness, it will take around six weeks to see improvements in the resurrection of overall sentimentality.
Since to take effect, anti-depressant agents will have to gain access into the brain and there be united with nerve cells, so with them it will need more time to come out with clinical effects, and both patients and their kith & kin will have to wait more patiently. Don’t ever prematurely stop or change the drugs simply because running out of patience.

How long should the drug treatment last?
A rule of the thumb is for first time melancholia invalid to be prescribed for intake of drugs for at least six months. If per doctor’s observation and assessment there is no more any obvious symptom remaining, drug intake may be ceased gradually under doctor supervision. In the event the fits have recurred for several times already, then prolonged intake is required.

Other important notes:

• Unless prior assent is secured from the doctor in charge, don’t ever ingest any other drug at the same time, be it secret recipe or lese procured at a dispensary, dentist, or enthusiastic friends or next of kin.
• Alcoholic drinking is not recommended, for alcohol per se can deteriorate a good sleep, counteract therapeutic effects and procrastinate term of recovery.

When is it time for contact with outside sources for timely assistance?

• Evident indisposition following the input of prescribed drugs;
• Strongly inclined to commit suicide or self-injuring acts, to the point of denying any restraint effort;
  
• Attempted or accomplished act of self-injury.