How long does the average person stay on antidepressants?

The length of treatment varies.

Even once you do start to feel better, you should expect to remain on your antidepressant for at least 4 to 6 additional months. Those experiencing depression for the first time may require even longer, from 6 to 12 months.

How long does the average person take antidepressants?

It's usually recommended that a course of antidepressants continues for at least 6 months after you feel better, to prevent your condition recurring when you stop. Some people with recurrent illness are advised to carry on taking medicine indefinitely.

Is it okay to be on antidepressants for years?

Long-term—even indefinite—use of antidepressants may be the best treatment for someone with multiple past episodes of depression, especially if they have a history of suicide attempts or have residual symptoms, like sleep problems, says Dr. Potash. Dr.

Does your brain go back to normal after antidepressants?

If the symptoms develop later or gradually, they may constitute a relapse of the depression. Ultimately, these withdrawal symptoms will improve with time, but they can be unpleasant for days and possibly even weeks. In time, the brain readjusts and people should experience a return to their normal state.

How do I detox my brain from antidepressants?

Antidepressant detox involves gradually stepping down doses until the user can safely stop taking them. To be able to taper off an antidepressant medication successfully, we want to do it slowly. So, it can take a month or six weeks or two months. But we just simply step the dose down slowly over time.

How Long Should You Use Antidepressants?

How long does it take to feel normal after antidepressants?

Withdrawal symptoms usually come on within 5 days of stopping the medicine and generally last 1 to 2 weeks. Some people have severe withdrawal symptoms that last for several months or more. See your doctor if you get severe withdrawal symptoms after you stop taking antidepressants.

Can you live a long life on antidepressants?

Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 17 studies comparing people using antidepressants to those on placebo. They found that those taking antidepressants were 33% more likely to die during the study time frame and 14% more likely to have a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular event.

How long is too long to be on antidepressants?

Clinicians generally recommend staying on the medication for six to nine months before considering going off antidepressants. If you've had three or more recurrences of depression, make that at least two years.

Can you take antidepressants for 30 years?

Antidepressants, specifically SSRIs which are considered the most tolerable and are therefore the most prescribed, are generally safe to take long-term.

How do you know when to go off antidepressants?

Stopping antidepressants suddenly is not dangerous but you could get withdrawal symptoms or become unwell again if you make a sudden change. If you can, stop your antidepressant when you have felt better for the last six months on medication. Plan in advance to cut down your dose gradually.

Can I take SSRI forever?

And luckily, as long as the benefits of the medication outweigh the potential side effects, there's no strong evidence that long-term use of SSRIs poses any major problems. “These medications have been around for decades,” says Dr. Jin Hee Yoon-Hudman, a psychiatrist and medical advisor at Minded.

Are antidepressants meant to be permanent?

So do antidepressants work as a permanent cure for depression? No, they do not, and the reason for this lies in how they work. While they cause changes in brain chemistry, this effect is only temporary. When you stop taking the antidepressant, your brain chemistry will return to its previous state.

Can antidepressants stop working after 20 years?

If you feel like your antidepressant has stopped working, you're not alone. It's common for a medication that once worked wonders to become ineffective, especially if you've been taking it for a long time. Symptoms return for up to 33% of people using antidepressants — it's called breakthrough depression.

How can I get off antidepressants naturally?

Never stop "cold turkey." In many cases, the best way to stop taking most antidepressants is to slowly cut back your dose under the guidance of your doctor. This is called tapering. Tapering helps your brain adjust to the chemical changes and can help prevent discontinuation symptoms.

Why do people stop taking antidepressants?

Some may want to quit because of side effects such as loss of sexual desire or decreased arousal. In other cases, their prescribers may recommend they stop taking the medications.

Do antidepressants age you?

Antidepressants played a role as well.

Twins who were on prescription antidepressants were perceived as significantly older, possibly due to the consistent relaxation of facial muscles that occurs with antidepressant usage. This relaxation can lead to facial sagging, creating an older appearance.

How long after stopping antidepressants will I feel better?

The return of depression or anxiety usually takes longer – typically weeks or months. Some antidepressants, like fluoxetine, take a lot longer to leave the body. So, with these, symptoms can start days or even weeks after stopping or reducing your dose.

What is the success rate of antidepressants?

Without antidepressants: About 20 to 40 out of 100 people who took a placebo noticed an improvement in their symptoms within six to eight weeks. With antidepressants: About 40 to 60 out of 100 people who took an antidepressant noticed an improvement in their symptoms within six to eight weeks.

Is there an alternative to antidepressants?

Exercise. Research suggests that regular exercise may be a more effective treatment for mild depression than antidepressants. Exercise helps boost levels of chemicals called serotonin and dopamine in the brain, which can lift your mood.

Do antidepressants affect your brain long-term?

In observational studies, antidepressants have been linked to increased risk of dementia [13]; they may induce depressogenic effects; and the prevalence of treatment-resistant depression appears to be increasing [14].

What happens if you don't want to be on antidepressants forever?

If you decide to stop taking antidepressants, don't quit taking them on your own. And don't stop all at once. A major drop in medication levels can trigger a relapse or other harmful symptoms, such as suicidal thoughts. Work with your doctor to create a plan to gradually reduce your medication dose over time.

Why are so many people on antidepressants?

Perhaps the fundamental reason why antidepressants are so widely prescribed and used is that they fit with the 'medical model' of mental illness, which has become the standard view in western culture. This model sees depression as a medical condition which can be “fixed” in the same way as a physical injury or illness.

Will I be happier if I take antidepressants?

Taking antidepressants may help to lift your mood. This can help you feel more able to do things that don't feel possible while you're depressed. This may include using other types of support for your mental health. See our page on treatments for depression to find other options which may help.