Consequences of taking antidepressants for several years

Antidepressants first appeared in the 1950s, and have come a long way in the medical world today. Despite its relevance in the treatment of various mental disorders, There are many people who suffer the consequences of taking antidepressants for several years.

These medications are often prescribed from family medicine and without providing accompanying psychotherapy support. These processes are often prolonged over time, since their withdrawal can cause withdrawal syndrome.

Therefore, it is necessary to know what long-term effects they have on the body. Here you will find useful information, so don’t stop reading.

Effects of consuming antidepressants

According to data from RTVE, the consumption of antidepressants in Spain has increased by 40% in the last decade. Withdrawal is not the only problem reported by the extension of antidepressant treatment over time. Depending on which of them is being taken, the doctor must be aware of a number of dangers, such as the following:

Behavior and mood changes: irritability, hostility, nervous excitement, panic attacks and even aggression.Hepatotoxicity: The liver can be damaged by long-term antidepressant treatment. It occurs, above all, with tricyclics and SSRIs.

Another classic study such as that by Maurizio Fava and Lesley Graves, and a more recent one published by Patient Preference and Adherence highlight the cognitive and physiological effects of these long-term treatments. Some of those found were the following.

1. Forgetfulness

Antidepressants may be related to forgetfulness. However, it is necessary to clarify that this effect can vary from one person to another, and not all patients experience it. Although some studies, such as those cited previously, highlight a possible impairment of memory, however, the evidence is not yet conclusive. More research is needed on this matter.

2. Drowsiness

Another potential effect of antidepressants is excessive sleep. This happens because depression medications affect neurotransmitters in the brain, some of which may be involved in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness. It is worth mentioning that not all of them cause drowsiness, some cause insomnia.

3. Suicidal ideation

Suicidal tendencies was another of the adverse effects that the study published in Patient Preference and Adherence managed to identify. The relationship between antidepressant use and suicidal ideation is still not very clear, but it is believed that it could be mediated by the appearance of other side effects and by biochemical changes that occur in the brain.

4. Lack of attention

As mentioned, antidepressants act on different neurotransmitters that are involved in mood. Many of them, such as norepinephrine, are also involved in attention and concentration. Therefore, long-term consumption of these medications could affect this cognitive process.

5. Weight gain

The use of antidepressants for years may be linked to weight gain in some subjects. The metabolic and appetite changes they cause usually alter the weight of those who consume them. However, as Mayo Clinic experts say, these medications are not always a direct cause of weight gain. There are other factors that can affect this variable.

6. Sexual dysfunction

7. Mental and physical fatigue

In the short and long term, treatment with antidepressants can promote mental and physical fatigue. Because some have sedative properties. The person feels tired and sleepy during the day. Additionally, some antidepressants can induce insomnia, leading to a feeling of exhaustion, as a result of the lack of an adequate night’s rest.

8. Feeling of withdrawal

Withdrawal symptoms or effects were one of the main adverse consequences reported by participants in Claire Cartwright and Kerry Gibson’s (2016) study. This can occur when the antidepressant is stopped suddenly or if the dose is reduced too quickly.

9. Emotional numbness

Emotional dullness or numbness It decreases people’s ability to experience positive or negative emotions. According to an article from the University of Cambridge, between 40% and 60% of patients experience this effect.

10. Gastrointestinal problems

Another consequence of taking antidepressants is gastrointestinal discomfort. Nausea and upset stomach are very common side effects. In addition, constipation can also occur during antidepressant treatment.

11. Less concern for others

This was another of the adverse effects reported by participants in the study published in Patient Preference and Adherence (2016). Lack of concern for others is related to empathy, which can be negatively affected by the use of antidepressants, according to a 2019 study by Markus Rütgen and his team.

12. Slowed thinking

This phenomenon is also known as bradypsychia. It manifests itself as a difficulty in thinking quickly and clearly, processing or responding in a timely manner to stimuli. Slowed thinking is one of the cognitive effects that has been associated with antidepressants.

13. Agitation

Long- and short-term use of antidepressants can cause agitation in some people. This status It may manifest as a feeling of restlessness, nervousness, anxiety or irritability.

14. Dysphoria

A study published in Journal of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics warns that Poor administration of these medications, in the long term, would produce vulnerability to depression or tardive dysphoria.

15. Cardiovascular problems

An investigation published in BJPsych Open established a relationship between prolonged use of antidepressants and cardiovascular effects. Found a increased risk of coronary heart diseaseas well as a high mortality from conditions of this type.

It is important to emphasize that long-term side effects vary from person to person and depend on the type of antidepressant.

Does taking antidepressants for several years work?

According to the report published in 2020 by the Spanish Ministry of Health, “34.3% of women and 17.8% of men over 40 years of age have removed at least one container of antidepressant, anxiolytic or hypnotic/sedative during the year of study, 2017. The antidepressant industry is large and lucrative, but do these treatments make a real improvement?

On the other hand, there is the issue of relapses. In a study published by Clinical Psychology Review it is reported that 50% of people who recover from depression remain vulnerable to have a second one, and 80% of those who relapse twice will be more likely to relapse a third time. For this reason, antidepressant treatments are usually intermittent, not continuous.

Even so, this information does not imply an outright refusal to take antidepressants. Its effectiveness is still being investigated and there have been cases in which chronic treatment is the only way to help. Therefore, always consult with your psychiatrist and find out in depth about your diagnosis. If you think it is necessary, ask for an expert’s assessment.

The importance of multidisciplinary treatment in mental disorders

Taking antidepressants for years is a repetitive pattern in society, especially in women, the elderly and residents of small towns, according to the aforementioned report from the Spanish Ministry of Health. When it comes to mental health, the debate opens on several fronts: Experts point out that they do not cure the disease, and that they only serve as support in serious cases. But they are prescribed without the possibility of providing a comprehensive treatment.

Like any other illness, depression and other mental disorders deserve a complete diagnosis and treatment that is not just based on medications. Psychotherapy is the most effective approach in combination with antidepressant drugs, but this is not offered in sufficient degree and quality for the entire population.

Therefore, before taking these psychotropic drugs, make sure you have all the information about how they operate in your body and their side effects. And, above all, to demand decent and accessible mental health care.

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