Antidepressants: Side-effects

^{From: Understanding psychiatric medications: Antidepressants - Information for consumers, families and friends (© 2009 CAMH)}

All medications can have side-effects. Some people experience no side-effects. Others may find the side-effects distressing. In most cases, side-effects lessen as treatment continues.

Treatment is usually started at a low dose, to minimize side-effects, and then slowly increased until the ideal dose is found. The ideal dose is one that provides the greatest benefit with minimum side-effects.

One of the main reasons why people stop taking these medications is the side-effects. Check the information given to you by your doctor or pharmacist on the specific effects of any drug you have been prescribed. If side-effects are not mild and tolerable, it is best to continue taking your medication as prescribed and let your doctor know as soon as possible. Your doctor may:

• encourage you to wait a little longer for the side-effects to fade
• adjust your dose
• suggest you take the medication at a different time of day
• prescribe other medications to help control side-effects
• change your medication
• stop medication treatment and suggest a different type of treatment approach.

Side-effects vary depending on the type of medication. More information on the various types of anti-depressants is on the following pages.

Do antidepressants increase the risk of suicide?

One of the symptoms of depression is suicidal thought and behaviour. When starting medication treatment for depression, people may be at an increased risk of suicide. One possible explanation is that it may be related to the increase in energy that comes early in treatment, before improvement in mood. In other words, antidepressants may give some people the energy to act on their suicidal thoughts.

Antidepressants can also cause feelings of agitation, restlessness and detachment. These feelings may resemble symptoms of anxiety and may add to, rather than relieve, feelings of hopelessness and despair. Some people may become suicidal or violent. This reaction to antidepressants is thought to occur in about four per cent of people who take them, with the risk being highest in the first few weeks of treatment.

Before starting treatment, it is important to prepare for the possibility of feeling worse before you feel better. Know what supports are available to you and who you can call. When you begin treatment, monitor your thoughts and moods, and communicate any thoughts of hurting yourself or others with your doctor, a crisis line or the emergency department.

If you experience an increase in suicidal thinking or anxiety, your doctor can help you decide if you should stop taking the medication or if you should try to be patient and give the medication a chance to work.

Contents

• Introduction
• Do I need treatment?
• What do antidepressants do?
• Side-effects
• Types of antidepressants
• Starting and stopping antidepressants
• Antidepressants, other drugs and driving
• Antidepressants, sexuality and pregnancy
• Is age an issue?
• Where can I get more information about antidepressants?
• How can I find treatment or a support group?

• Print
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