If this happens to you, talk to your doctor. There are other medicines that may help with these problems. Women who take an SSRI during pregnancy have a slightly higher chance of having a baby with birth defects. But not treating depression can also cause problems during pregnancy and birth. If you are pregnant, you and your doctor must weigh the risks of taking an SSRI against the risks of not treating depression.
Health Canada and the U. Food and Drug Administration FDA have issued advisories on antidepressant medicines and the risk of suicide. Talk to your doctor about these possible side effects and the warning signs of suicide.
Counselling is an important part of the treatment for depression. The types of counselling most often used for treatment of depression include:. These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
I didn't even realize that I was depressed for a long time. I thought everyone felt this way; at least everyone in my family seemed to. I probably would have just gone on like that if my doctor hadn't asked one day if I had ever thought about taking an antidepressant. I was relieved to find out that it isn't normal to feel like I do and that a lot of people are helped by medicines. I know it might take a while to find the right one, but I'm in no hurry; I've spent my whole life feeling sad.
I tried antidepressants about a year ago. I really was not prepared for the first few weeks, when the side effects seemed to get me down even more than the depression did. So I stopped taking them. It took me about 3 months, but I eventually started to feel better without any medicine.
Then last month, I started to feel depressed again. I don't want to wait so long to feel better this time. So I'm going to try the antidepressants again. This time, I know what to expect and am better prepared for it. I guess I'm just not comfortable with taking medicine for my depression. I feel like I ought to be able to manage this on my own without needing medicine.
It seems too much like taking the easy route. But maybe I just don't feel bad enough yet. I recently began going to counselling. I know that if I took an antidepressant, I might feel better sooner, but I don't like the sound of the side effects I could have. My therapist and I have set some goals for me to work on, and we agreed to revisit my decision in 3 months. I want to wait and see how the counselling goes before I take medicine. Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts.
Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements. I'm willing to take medicine every day for at least 6 months, and maybe longer. Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now. How sure do you feel right now about your decision? Use the following space to list questions, concerns, and next steps.
Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision.
My symptoms are worse than the possible side effects of the medicines. Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you? Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice? Author: Healthwise Staff.
Weinstock MD - Psychiatry. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.
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Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Please turn on JavaScript and try again. Important Phone Numbers. Depression: Should I Take an Antidepressant? Get the facts. Your options Take antidepressants to treat depression. Don't take antidepressants. Key points to remember 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. The medicines won't change your personality. Antidepressants don't work right away. And you may need to try a few before you find one that works. Side effects are one reason that people stop taking antidepressants. But talk to your doctor. There are many ways to manage side effects. And lowering the dose or changing medicines may also help. Are you depressed? The symptoms of depression include a loss of interest in daily activities or feeling sad or hopeless and having at least four of the following symptoms: A change in eating patterns that causes either weight gain or weight loss Sleeping too much or not enough Feeling restless and unable to sit still, or feeling that moving takes a great effort Feeling tired all the time Feeling unworthy or guilty without an obvious reason Having problems concentrating, remembering, or making decisions Thinking often about death or suicide.
What are antidepressants? Antidepressants are a type of medicine used to treat clinical depression. Antidepressants are also sometimes used to treat people with long-term chronic pain. Read more about when antidepressants are used. It's thought they work by increasing levels of chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. Certain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and noradrenaline, are linked to mood and emotion.
Neurotransmitters may also affect pain signals sent by nerves, which may explain why some antidepressants can help relieve long-term pain. While antidepressants can treat the symptoms of depression, they do not always address its causes. This is why they're usually used in combination with therapy to treat more severe depression or other mental health conditions. Research suggests that antidepressants can be helpful for people with moderate or severe depression.
Studies have shown that they're better than placebo "dummy medicine" for people with these conditions. They're not usually recommended for mild depression, unless other treatments like therapy have not helped. Antidepressants are usually taken in tablet form. When they're prescribed, you'll start on the lowest possible dose thought necessary to improve your symptoms. Antidepressants usually need to be taken for 1 or 2 weeks without missing a dose before the benefit starts to be felt.
It's important not to stop taking them if you get some mild side effects early on, as these effects usually wear off quickly. If you take an antidepressant for 4 weeks without feeling any benefit, speak to your GP or mental health specialist. They may recommend increasing your dose or trying a different medicine. A course of treatment usually lasts at least 6 months. Some people with recurrent depression may be advised to take them indefinitely.
Read more about antidepressant doses. Different antidepressants can have a range of different side effects. Clinical depression is an illness, a medical condition. It significantly affects the way someone feels, causing a persistent lower St John's wort is a herb used as a complementary medicine, often in the treatment of depression. Find out about its uses, side effects and interactions.
Authors' conclusions: There is low evidence, at the present, supporting the clinical use of antidepressants for the treatment of depressed opioid addicts in treatment with opioid agonists. Read more on Cochrane Australasian Centre website. Authors' conclusions: The limited available evidence suggests folate may have a potential role as a supplement to other treatment for depression. Authors' conclusions: There is very limited evidence upon which to base conclusions about the relative effectiveness of psychological interventions, antidepressant medication and a combination of these interventions.
Authors' conclusions: Caution is required in interpreting the results given the methodological limitations of the included trials in terms of internal and external validity. Authors' conclusions: There is some evidence that in the short-term, PS reduce symptoms of depression. Authors' conclusions: Both desipramine and paroxetine show a trend towards efficacy in depression in MS the short term, but both treatments were associated with adverse effects, with significantly more patients treated with paroxetine suffering from nausea or headache.
Switching people from one antidepressant to another is commonly needed but can cause drug withdrawal symptoms, drug interactions and relapse in depression Read more on Australian Prescriber website. Authors' conclusions: For patients suffering from non-seasonal depression, light therapy offers modest though promising antidepressive efficacy, especially when administered during the first week of treatment, in the morning, and as an adjunctive treatment to sleep deprivation responders.
Depression is a mood state that is characterised by significantly lowered mood and a loss of interest or pleasure in activities that are normally enjoyable. Such depressed mood is a common and normal experience in the population. Healthdirect Australia is not responsible for the content and advertising on the external website you are now entering. There is a total of 5 error s on this form, details are below. Please enter your name Please enter your email Your email is invalid.
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Your email: is required Error: This is required Error: Not a valid value. Send to: is required Error: This is required Error: Not a valid value. Treating anxiety and depression Antidepressants are a common treatment for depression and anxiety. Benefits of antidepressants Antidepressants can help to improve your mood, or if you have lost interest in activities you once enjoyed. Side effects of antidepressants Side effects differ between antidepressants.
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