How to Know if You Need to Change Antidepressants
Decide if the antidepressant is working., Consider the seriousness of the side effects., Notice if you’ve improved with an increased dosage., Refrain from changing because you are worried about suicide or addiction.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Decide if the antidepressant is working.
You may need to change antidepressants if they are not working.
The goal of any antidepressant is to help your symptoms and make you feel better.
If the antidepressant isn't working, you may have lingering symptoms or not experience any change in your mood.
If this is the case, your doctor will probably want to change your antidepressants.Some antidepressants take four to six weeks to start working.
If by week six you have experienced no improvement, it may not be the right fit for you.
Talk to your doctor about how you're feeling.
For example, if your moods have not improved or you are still experiencing side effects like insomnia, you may need a different antidepressant.
If you are taking an selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs), like Prozac or Zoloft, your doctor may switch you to an atypical antidepressant like Cymbalta or Wellbutrin. -
Step 2: Consider the seriousness of the side effects.
If you are experiencing severe side effects but seeing no improvements, your doctor will probably want to switch your antidepressants.
Even if you are experiencing moderate improvement, you and your doctor should evaluate the side effects to decide if switching medication would be a better option.For example, you may experience weight gain, nausea, sexual problems, worsening depression symptoms, or change in energy levels.
Mild side effects are side effects that you can live with.
They may be uncomfortable, but they don't interfere with your daily life.
Severe side effects may cause physical symptoms that interfere with your daily life, like nausea that keeps your from work or low energy levels that make it difficult to make it through the day.
Severe side effects are ones where you feel you'd rather be depressed than experience the side effects because they're so bad. , Your doctor may choose to increase the dosage of your antidepressant if an antidepressant has made mild to moderate improvements, but you’re not quite where you should be.
Changing your antidepressant to a higher dosage may help attain better results.If you don’t improve with a higher dosage, your doctor will probably change you to a different antidepressant. , Some people may want to change or stop their antidepressants because they are scared they will commit suicide or become addicted.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts, and in adolescents it may increase the risk of suicide.However, most professionals believe the benefits of taking antidepressants outweigh the risks.Antidepressants aren’t addictive in the same way other substances, like alcohol, nicotine, or recreational drugs, can be.
You may end up with a mild physical dependence, which may lead to you experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
However, following a doctor’s instructions for getting off antidepressants should ease any withdrawal symptoms. -
Step 3: Notice if you’ve improved with an increased dosage.
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Step 4: Refrain from changing because you are worried about suicide or addiction.
Detailed Guide
You may need to change antidepressants if they are not working.
The goal of any antidepressant is to help your symptoms and make you feel better.
If the antidepressant isn't working, you may have lingering symptoms or not experience any change in your mood.
If this is the case, your doctor will probably want to change your antidepressants.Some antidepressants take four to six weeks to start working.
If by week six you have experienced no improvement, it may not be the right fit for you.
Talk to your doctor about how you're feeling.
For example, if your moods have not improved or you are still experiencing side effects like insomnia, you may need a different antidepressant.
If you are taking an selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRIs), like Prozac or Zoloft, your doctor may switch you to an atypical antidepressant like Cymbalta or Wellbutrin.
If you are experiencing severe side effects but seeing no improvements, your doctor will probably want to switch your antidepressants.
Even if you are experiencing moderate improvement, you and your doctor should evaluate the side effects to decide if switching medication would be a better option.For example, you may experience weight gain, nausea, sexual problems, worsening depression symptoms, or change in energy levels.
Mild side effects are side effects that you can live with.
They may be uncomfortable, but they don't interfere with your daily life.
Severe side effects may cause physical symptoms that interfere with your daily life, like nausea that keeps your from work or low energy levels that make it difficult to make it through the day.
Severe side effects are ones where you feel you'd rather be depressed than experience the side effects because they're so bad. , Your doctor may choose to increase the dosage of your antidepressant if an antidepressant has made mild to moderate improvements, but you’re not quite where you should be.
Changing your antidepressant to a higher dosage may help attain better results.If you don’t improve with a higher dosage, your doctor will probably change you to a different antidepressant. , Some people may want to change or stop their antidepressants because they are scared they will commit suicide or become addicted.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts, and in adolescents it may increase the risk of suicide.However, most professionals believe the benefits of taking antidepressants outweigh the risks.Antidepressants aren’t addictive in the same way other substances, like alcohol, nicotine, or recreational drugs, can be.
You may end up with a mild physical dependence, which may lead to you experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
However, following a doctor’s instructions for getting off antidepressants should ease any withdrawal symptoms.
About the Author
Samantha Baker
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