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.

What do antidepressants do to a healthy person?

What does Antidepressant Medications do? Antidepressant medications increase the activity of chemicals called neurotransmitters in the brain. Increasing the activity of the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine seems to help lessen the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Can antidepressants change me as person?

Fact: When taken correctly, antidepressants will not change your personality. They will help you feel like yourself again and return to your previous level of functioning.

Is there any harm in taking antidepressants?

In rare cases, some people experience suicidal thoughts and a desire to self-harm when they first take antidepressants. Young people under 25 seem particularly at risk. Contact your GP, or go to A&E immediately, if you have thoughts of killing or harming yourself at any time while taking antidepressants.

Is it normal to take antidepressants?

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.

Taking Antidepressants For The First Time

What happens if you take an antidepressant when 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.

How do you feel 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 age can you take antidepressants?

The use of antidepressants is not usually recommended in children and young people under the age of 18. This is because there is some evidence that, in rare cases, they can trigger thoughts about suicide and acts of self-harm in this age group.

Do antidepressants damage 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).

Do antidepressants make you happy or numb?

On antidepressant medication, it is possible that you might experience a sense of feeling numb and less like yourself. Though the symptoms of depression have decreased, there may be a sense that other emotional responses – laughing or crying, for example – are more difficult to experience.

Can you feel antidepressants on the first day?

Also, understand that antidepressants don't work immediately. Some people expect them to work within days, but it can take 4-6 weeks to feel their full effect. And if one drug doesn't work, consider taking another.

Do antidepressants give you confidence?

(Health.com) -- People who take antidepressants such as Paxil often say they feel less stressed and more outgoing, lively, and confident.

Do antidepressants take away your emotions?

When first starting antidepressants, you may suddenly find that you don't feel like yourself anymore. Though your depression symptoms may have improved, the overwhelming waves of gloom can sometimes be replaced by an emotional inertness in which are neither able to cry nor share a real belly laugh.

Do antidepressants Make You Fat?

Weight gain is a possible side effect of nearly all antidepressants. However, each person responds to antidepressants differently. Some people gain weight when taking a certain antidepressant, while others don't.

Do antidepressants shorten your lifespan?

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.

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 know if I should take antidepressants?

Why might your doctor recommend antidepressants? Your doctor might suggest that you try antidepressants if: You have tried counseling and lifestyle changes, and they haven't worked. Your symptoms are bad enough that they interfere with your daily life.

Should my teenager go on antidepressants?

For many children and teens, antidepressants are an effective way to treat depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder or other mental health conditions. If these conditions aren't treated effectively, your child may not be able to lead a satisfying, fulfilled life or do everyday activities.

Can antidepressants delay puberty?

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been associated with endocrinologic adverse effects in several reports in adults, but there is no information on their effect on growth and puberty in children.

What can a teenager take for anxiety?

What medications are prescribed for teen anxiety? The most common type of medication prescribed for teen anxiety is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). 5 Other anxiety medication options for teens include benzodiazepines, non-SSRI antidepressants, hydroxyzine, and atypical antipsychotics.

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.

How do you know if you are emotionless?

Do antidepressants make you sleepy?

Antidepressants can make you sleepy or they can produce insomnia. It is often a matter of your neurological wiring. Individuals on the same dose of the same medication can have completely opposite effects. One person may become sleepy.

What is being emotionless called?

Nonmedical terms describing similar conditions include emotionless and impassive. People with the condition are called alexithymics or alexithymiacs.

Can I exercise while taking antidepressants?

“On average, no antidepressant should ever interfere with someone's ability to exercise unless they are experiencing more severe than usual side effects like dizziness or fatigue,” Dr. Khurana says.