Not to mention the moggies; miss K
Although I must say, your kids are very lucky to have a mom like you.
As for the way SSRI antidepressants work, AFAIK it isn't yet fully understood, but, I'm under the impression that it has a lot to do with the 5HT1a receptor (5HT: 5-hydroxytryptamine, shorthand for serotonn). Activation of 5HT1aRs induces oxytocin release,, shows anxiolytic and antidepressant properties.
Although this doesn't hold true AFAIK, for 5HT1a autoreceptors, which need to be desensitized/downregulated by the sustained high levels of 5HT induced by administration of a serotonergic antidepressant. This could well be the reason why there is the well known delay before proper AD effects manifest themselves.
