Home Conditions Depression

Depression — what to take?

Depression is a mood disorder with persistent sadness, loss of interest, changes in sleep/appetite/energy. Affects 15-20% of the population over a lifetime. Requires medical treatment.

6 recommended OTC drugs
5,363 pharmacies available

OTC — no prescription

What you can take for depression

Informativ. Nu înlocuiește sfatul medicului. Consultă medicul sau farmacistul înainte de a lua orice medicament.

Medical body content is still in Romanian:

Symptoms (DSM-5 criteria)

At least 5 of the following, for more than 2 weeks:

  • Persistent sad mood.
  • Anhedonia (loss of interest/pleasure).
  • Weight/appetite changes.
  • Sleep disturbances (insomnia/hypersomnia).
  • Fatigue.
  • Psychomotor agitation or slowing.
  • Feelings of worthlessness/guilt.
  • Concentration difficulties.
  • Recurrent thoughts of death/suicide.

Treatment

Psychotherapy — CBT, interpersonal psychotherapy. Effectiveness similar to medication in mild-to-moderate forms.

Pharmacological (Rx):

  • SSRIs (sertraline, escitalopram, fluoxetine, paroxetine) — first line.
  • SNRIs (duloxetine, venlafaxine).
  • Bupropion, mirtazapine, vortioxetine, agomelatine.
  • Tricyclics — second line.
  • MAOIs — rare.

Duration: minimum 6-12 months after remission for a first episode. Indefinite for recurrences.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) — severe/resistant cases.

Ketamine/esketamine — resistant depression.

OTC — caution

St John's wort (Hypericum) — effective in mild depression. Caution: multiple drug interactions (contraceptives, anticoagulants, statins, cytostatics). Do not combine with SSRIs — serotonin syndrome.

Omega-3 EPA 1-2 g/day — adjuvant.

Vitamin D3 — evidence for correcting deficiency.

SAMe, folate (L-methylfolate) — adjuvants in resistant treatment.

Lifestyle

  • Aerobic exercise — proven antidepressant effect.
  • Regular sleep.
  • Light exposure (especially seasonal depression).
  • Socialisation.
  • Mediterranean diet.
  • Limit alcohol.

Medical disclaimer: the information in this guide is for informational purposes only and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist. For diagnosis and treatment, consult a healthcare professional.

Nights, weekends, holidays

24/7 pharmacies for depression

Patients with depression sometimes need medication outside regular hours — an acute flare-up, a cronic prescription that ran out, a stock gap. The per-city pages below list every 24/7 pharmacy with address, phone and verified opening hours.

For chronic prescription medication, check stock with your preferred pharmacy ahead of time — capped CANAMED prescriptions can run out between supply runs. Call before you go.

Search the pharmacy

Medicine categories for depression

Beyond the OTC adjuncts above, you can browse whole medicine and supplement categories, with prices compared across Dr. Max, Catena, Tei, HelpNet. CANAMED is the official ceiling price for prescription items. Category pages are in Romanian — the comparator works the same way for you.

Step by step

How to find a pharmacy fast for depression

Open the interactive map and grant location permission — you'll see pharmacies sorted by distance with their opening hours and a one-tap route in Google Maps. For overnight or weekend trips, switch on the 24/7 filter. For depression some medicines need a prescription — make sure you have a valid one (electronic or paper) before you leave, to avoid wasted trips.

For chronic treatment, save your favourite pharmacy in the app and check prices on the comparator — OTC differences between chains can hit 20-40%, while CANAMED-capped Rx items have a fixed maximum but may carry promotions. If your treatment for depression runs on a monthly script, schedule pickup a few days before you run out.

See also

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