What are ssris?

Antidepressants: Ssri is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. There are 6 approved for use in the us. All are thought to work at the level of the synapse--the connection between one nerve cell & another. When serotonin is released, it's taken back up through the reuptake system; so, blocking that system effectively increases exposure to the receptor. How that helps with depression & anxiety remain unclear.

Antidepressant type: "selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors" are a class of antidepressant medication used in the us since the late 1980s. Common ssris: Prozac (fluoxetine), zoloft (sertraline), Celexa (citalopram), Lexapro (escitalopram), Paxil (paroxetine). Ssris are also used to treat anxiety conditions such as panic disorder ; ocd, as well as sometimes to treat pms symptoms.