It may take some time to get back to the way you felt before the depression. It is important to remember that antidepressants can help with symptoms of depression. These medicines work best when you try to have an active lifestyle with exercise, get eight hours of sleep a night, and eat healthy foods.
Your doctor may also recommend working with a counselor to help you improve the thoughts of depression. Antidepressants are usually taken every day. It can take 1 or even 2 months to see the full results. You may need to try different kinds or amounts dosages to find the antidepressant that works best for you.
Your doctor will let you know how long to take your antidepressant. If this is the first time you have been treated for depression, you will probably continue to take this medicine for at least 6 months after you begin to feel better. Depression that comes back a third time may require you to continue taking an antidepressant for a longer time. You can get unwanted side effects if you stop taking your antidepressant suddenly.
If you want to stop taking your medicine, talk to your doctor first. He or she can try to help you avoid these side effects. Talk to your doctor about drinking alcohol while taking an antidepressant. You should be careful about drinking until you know how the medicine affects you.
The effects of alcohol can combine with the effects of the antidepressant and cause problems. Regular heavy drinking can make it harder to treat depression. Certain kinds of medicine can lead to seizures for heavy drinkers. Antidepressants can have an effect on many other medicines. He or she can let you know if your regular medicines may cause problems when combined with an antidepressant.
In some cases, the use of antidepressants has been linked to an increase in suicidal thoughts and behavior in children, teens, and young adults. The Food and Drug Administration FDA now requires antidepressants to carry a warning about the risk of suicide in children, teens, and young adults 24 years of age or younger. It means they should be carefully monitored by their doctor and loved ones while taking the antidepressant.
Many doctors will want to see a child or teen sometime in the first few weeks after starting an antidepressant to assess any risk for suicide.
All antidepressants have some side effects. However, not all people taking antidepressants have these side effects. Most of the side effects happen in the early weeks of therapy and lessen over time. You may experience the following:. He or she may change your dosage or suggest another medicine to get rid of the side effects. If you accidentally get pregnant while taking an antidepressant, tell your doctor right away. Your doctor will know if your particular antidepressant is safe to take.
Most medicines you take can pass into your breast milk. That means it may be passed on to your baby. Taking hormones may even help some depressed women feel better. Family therapy , which involves the entire family. Lifestyle changes There are also lifestyle changes you may be able to make that may help your depression symptoms: Eat healthy foods.
Don't drink alcohol. Get regular exercise. Get a good night's sleep. Get social support from family and friends. Try to keep a positive attitude—remember that feeling better takes time, and your mood will improve little by little. Other treatment choices Besides counselling and lifestyle changes, there are some other treatments you can try: Alternative treatments such as massage therapy and yoga may help you get better faster and make your life better.
You can try relaxation exercises at home to lower your stress. Complementary therapies are sometimes used for depression. Talk to your doctor before taking any of them, because they can interfere with other medicines. Electroconvulsive therapy may be used to treat severe depression or depression that hasn't responded well to other treatment.
It also may be a treatment choice for someone who cannot live with the side effects of antidepressants. Why might your doctor recommend antidepressants? Your doctor might suggest that you try antidepressants if: You have tried counselling and lifestyle changes, and they haven't worked. Your symptoms are bad enough that they interfere with your daily life.
Compare your options. Compare Option 1 Take antidepressants Don't take antidepressants. Compare Option 2 Take antidepressants Don't take antidepressants.
Take antidepressants Take antidepressants You take a pill or liquid medicine one or more times a day for months or sometimes years. Antidepressants can improve or completely relieve symptoms. Antidepressants usually help when counselling and lifestyle changes haven't worked. It takes weeks, and sometimes months, for the medicine to start working. You may have to keep taking antidepressants for a long time.
Side effects—which can include nausea, diarrhea or constipation, sexual problems, weight gain, and trouble sleeping—cause many people to stop taking the medicine. Don't take antidepressants Don't take antidepressants You treat your depression with counselling, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy CBT or interpersonal psychotherapy IPT. Many studies show that CBT helps mild to moderate depression as much as antidepressants.
You may try alternative treatments, such as massage and relaxation techniques. Counselling works well for many people who have depression. Studies show that people who receive CBT have lower rates of relapse after treatment has stopped compared to people treated only with antidepressants. Counselling may not be enough if your symptoms are severe. Untreated depression is likely to get worse.
Personal stories about deciding whether to take antidepressants These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. What matters most to you? Reasons to take antidepressants Reasons not to take antidepressants. My symptoms are keeping me from living my normal life. My symptoms aren't bad enough to get in the way of my life. I don't like the idea of taking medicine for a long time.
I think the side effects will be worse than my symptoms. My other important reasons: My other important reasons:. Where are you leaning now? Taking an antidepressant NOT taking an antidepressant. What else do you need to make your decision? Check the facts. Yes Sorry, that's wrong. Taking medicine for your depression can help you get your life back to normal.
No You're right. I'm not sure It may help to go back and read "Get the Facts. Yes That's right. There are many ways to manage the side effects of antidepressants. If you're worried, talk to your doctor. No Sorry, that's wrong. Yes No, that's wrong. And you may need to try several before you find one that works.
No That's right. Decide what's next. Yes No. I'm ready to take action. I want to discuss the options with others. I want to learn more about my options. Your Summary. Your decision Next steps. Your knowledge of the facts Key concepts that you understood. Key concepts that may need review. Getting ready to act Patient choices. What matters to you. Print Summary. Credits and References Credits. Kennedy S, et al. Hollon SD, et al. A conversation about reducing the harms of social media.
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