What are the cons of antidepressants?

Why you should not take antidepressants?

SSRIs may not be suitable if you have any of the following conditions: bipolar disorder and you're in a manic phase (a period of extremely excitable mood), although they can be useful for depressive phases. a bleeding disorder, such as haemophilia. type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes.

Do antidepressants harm?

Long-term antidepressant users are risking permanent damage to their bodies, according to leading medical experts. Dr Tony Kendrick, a professor of primary care at the University of Southampton, says more urgent action needs to be taken to encourage and support long-term users to come off the medication.

Do antidepressants shorten your life?

The analysis found that in the general population, those taking antidepressants had a 33 percent higher risk of dying prematurely than people who were not taking the drugs. Additionally, antidepressant users were 14 percent more likely to have an adverse cardiovascular event, such as a stroke or a heart attack.

Do antidepressants mess up your brain?

We know that antipsychotics shrink the brain in a dose-dependent manner (4) and benzodiazepines, antidepressants and ADHD drugs also seem to cause permanent brain damage (5).

How do antidepressants work? - Neil R. Jeyasingam

Do antidepressants cause more harm than good?

Our review supports the conclusion that antidepressants generally do more harm than good by disrupting a number of adaptive processes regulated by serotonin. However, there may be specific conditions for which their use is warranted (e.g., cancer, recovery from stroke).

Is it better to take antidepressants or not?

Taking medicine for your depression can help you get your life back to normal, especially if you also get counselling. But if your symptoms are mild, lifestyle changes and counselling may be all you need. You don't need to be ashamed about taking antidepressants.

Are antidepressants a good idea?

Research suggests that antidepressants can be helpful for people with moderate or severe depression. They're not usually recommended for mild depression, unless other treatments like talking therapy have not helped.

Do antidepressants change your personality?

Antidepressant medications taken by roughly 7% of American adults cause profound personality changes in many patients with depression, far beyond simply lifting the veil of sadness, a study has found.

Do antidepressants have long term effects?

As previously mentioned, antidepressants could have long-term effects on physical as well as mental health. Specifically, weight gain seems to be a common long-term risk, especially the medications that affect serotonin levels.

Can antidepressants make you more depressed?

Starting an antidepressant can't actually make your depression worse. But it can cause side effects that are very similar to depression. Antidepressants can make you feel tired, cause concentration problems, and lead to changes in sleep and appetite.

What happens if a normal person takes antidepressants?

There is new reason to be cautious about using popular antidepressants in people who are not really depressed. For the first time, research has shown that a widely used antidepressant may cause subtle changes in brain structure and function when taken by those who are not depressed.

How long should you be on 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.

What is the #1 antidepressant?

Zoloft is the most commonly prescribed antidepressant; nearly 17% of those surveyed in the 2017 antidepressant use study reported that they had taken this medication.

What is the truth about antidepressants?

In general, antidepressants work really well, especially when used along with psychotherapy. This combination may give you better results than using either treatment alone. Most people on antidepressants say they have eventual improvements in symptoms such as sadness, loss of interest, and hopelessness.

How do I get off antidepressants?

Going off an antidepressant usually involves reducing your dose in increments, allowing two to six weeks between dose reductions. Your clinician can instruct you in tapering your dose and prescribe the appropriate dosage pills for making the change.

Why do you feel worse when starting antidepressants?

When you start an antidepressant medicine, you may feel worse before you feel better. This is because the side effects often happen before your symptoms improve. Remember: Over time, many of the side effects of the medicine go down and the benefits increase.

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.

How does it feel to be on antidepressants?

When first starting antidepressants, some people have mild stomach upset, headache or fatigue, but these side effects often diminish in the first few weeks as the body adjusts. Some people gain weight, though many stay “weight neutral,” and some even lose weight, Dr.

What will antidepressants do if I not depressed?

Most antidepressants boost mood and reduce depression symptoms by elevating serotonin levels in the brain. Although this is beneficial for someone who's depressed, for someone who does not have depression, taking antidepressant medication can cause serotonin to build up in the body, resulting in serotonin syndrome.

Can antidepressants make you mean or angry?

SSRIs are the first line of therapy for anxiety and depressive disorders and for many other clinical diagnoses. One of the most disturbing side effects that is observed is a tendency towards aggressiveness among patients receiving medications from this group, mainly during the first month of therapy.

Can antidepressants make you crazy?

Antidepressants may trigger hypomania or mania in some people. This may stop if you stop taking the antidepressant. But sometimes it may be a sign of bipolar disorder.

Can antidepressants make you lazy?

But even the newer classes of antidepressants—including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac (fluoxetine) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) such as Cymbalta (duloxetine)—can lay you low.

Can antidepressants make you emotionless?

Supporting Evidence. Similarly, an online survey of 1,431 antidepressant users from 38 countries aimed to identify the most common adverse side effects of treatment. "Emotional numbness" was ranked number one, with 70.6% experiencing the symptom.

Do antidepressants make you boring?

As it is with any medication, antidepressants can have side effects, including the possibility of what is termed “emotional blunting.” According to studies, nearly half of people taking antidepressants at some point experience emotional blunting from antidepressants.