If you suffer from a constant feeling of depression, you are not alone, as about 280 million people in the world suffer from depression, according to the World Health Organization, and the numbers are rising. What are the medications for depression? What are the side effects? When does it start to feel better?
What is depression?
Most people go through periods of feeling sad that may last a few days, but when you develop depression, you feel persistent sadness for weeks or months. Depression is a common mental disorder. It affects people in different ways and can cause a wide range of symptoms.
These symptoms range from a constant feeling of sadness and despair, to losing interest in things that the person used to enjoy and feeling an intense desire to cry. Some people with depression also suffer from symptoms of anxiety.
Depression can also cause physical symptoms, such as feeling constantly tired, sleeping poorly, and loss of appetite, according to the British National Health Service website.
Some people think that depression is unimportant and not a real health condition. But they are wrong, as it is a real disease with different symptoms and treatments.
What are antidepressants?
Antidepressants are a group of medicines used to treat conditions such as depression and anxiety. “Antidepressant is an umbrella term for several classes of drugs, but there are similarities in their mechanism of action,” Carmine Pariante, professor of biological psychiatry and spokesperson for the Royal College of Psychiatrists, told The Telegraph.
Antidepressants work to reduce overactivity in areas of the brain associated with sadness or anxiety, and these medications help reduce negative thinking. There are several types of them.
When are antidepressants prescribed?
Dr Poonam Krishan, a GP at the NHS, explains that antidepressants can be prescribed to treat a range of conditions, the most common of which are depression, generalized anxiety disorder and other mental health issues.
She adds that it can also be used in some pain conditions. Antidepressants treat symptoms that last for many weeks or months, and have a significant impact on the patient’s daily life.
What are common side effects of antidepressants?
Antidepressants, like all other medications, come with a range of potential side effects, the most common of which are:
- Gastrointestinal symptoms, including indigestion, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhea, and loss of appetite.
- Feeling irritable, shaky, or nervous.
- Dizziness.
- Headache.
- Dry mouth.
- Sleep disturbances, such as insomnia or drowsiness.
- Sexual problems.
Most side effects should subside within a few days or weeks, Dr. Krishan says. Each antidepressant has its own side effects, which do not necessarily affect all patients.
It is also important to note that, as with any medication, individuals respond to different degrees to different types of antidepressants.
“If you find that the side effects do not subside, contact your doctor,” Krishan says. “It may be that an antidepressant or a particular class of antidepressant is not right for you. Your doctor will be able to recommend another medication. It is also important to contact your doctor if your mental health deteriorates after you start taking an antidepressant or “I thought any dangerous thoughts.”
We sometimes see a worsening of anxiety or depression symptoms with some antidepressants, or even thoughts of suicide, in the first few days of treatment. Although rare, this side effect can be serious, Pariante explains, and is likely to be more common in young adults than it is in adults over the age of 30.
How are antidepressants taken?
“All antidepressants are taken daily, and it’s important to be regular,” Pariante says. “But if you miss a day or two, there won’t be a significant disruption in their work. You may experience side effects like dizziness, nausea, or insomnia, or you may not notice any difference in your health.” If not, continue to take your medication as usual, and do not take any extra doses to make up for the doses you missed.
Doctors recommend taking the medication at the same time every day. Some antidepressants can cause drowsiness, so it is a good idea to take these types before bed.
What can I expect when I take antidepressants?
Patients need 2 to 4 weeks to feel better, and should be given a chance of at least 2 weeks before judging their effectiveness. “I always tell patients that it usually takes 2 to 4 weeks to fully feel whether antidepressants are working,” Krishan says. “Some people can have an early response, but you have to give it at least 2 weeks.”
What other medications should I avoid when taking antidepressants?
When you start taking antidepressants, your doctor should take into account any other medications you are taking before deciding which option is best for you, and you should tell him or her about all the medications you are taking, whether they are prescription medications or over-the-counter. You may need to be careful with the following medications:
- Some medications that do not require a prescription.
- Some herbal supplements such as St. John’s wort.
- Some heart medications.
When is it appropriate to change the dose?
There are guidelines for prescribing antidepressants, which specify the minimum and maximum recommended dose. Any changes to the dose must be made in consultation with the doctor, and the doctor increases the dose gradually until the effective dose that suits you is reached. The doctor also stops the medication gradually, in order to reduce the symptoms that may accompany stopping the medication.
How long do I need to use it?
This varies from person to person, but as a general rule, “within 2 to 3 months of taking antidepressants, people usually start to feel ‘normal’ again,” Parianti says. If this is your first depressive episode, it’s recommended that you continue taking them for Another 6 to 9 months after that.”
During this period, changes in work, social relationships, or lifestyle can be made, and antidepressants should not be viewed as a way to improve mood, but rather as a way to allow people to make changes that will have a long-term impact on their mental health.
People with severe or recurrent depression may need to take antidepressants long-term. “It’s always about balancing quality of life without antidepressants versus quality of life with antidepressants,” Pariante says.