I take antidepressants and I feel worse: why and what can I do?

Antidepressant drug therapy is one of the first options in cases of severe depression. However, unlike other medications, In the effects of antidepressants we found notable individual differences. In this way, it is possible to find people who claim that they are worse, even though they take antidepressants.

The first thing we should know is that there may be several reasons for someone to think this way. Furthermore, it is not something that we should take lightly, since sometimes people unilaterally make wrong decisions regarding the proposed intervention plan. Therefore, it is important to be aware of what could be happening and what can be done about it.

How do antidepressants work?

Antidepressants are drugs that have psychoactive properties to treat mental illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, and other conditions.. Theory tells us that these types of alterations can be related to imbalances in neurotransmitters. The latter are nothing more than a set of substances that participate in different processes, including mood.

Now, not all antidepressants work in the same way; Each one has different components and mechanisms of action. Most of those prescribed are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (associated with mood).. Thus, its objective is to prevent neurons from capturing serotonin, increasing its levels in the body and improving mood.

If that is so, why would someone say “I take antidepressants and I am worse”? Something we should know about these drugs is that their action is slower than others. When starting therapy with antidepressants, their effect usually takes between two and four weeks to appear. There are even cases in which this time can be extended up to 6 weeks. In the end, everything will depend on the type of antidepressant and the particular circumstances of each person.

Antidepressants usually take between two and four weeks to work.

Side effects of antidepressants

Continuing with the above, a fundamental fact about antidepressants is that they can cause different side effects. A large-scale study found that patients taking these drugs often report problems in different areas. Among the most common are body weight, sex life, appetite, sleep and pain perception. In several cases, the side effects worsened over time (Saha et al.2021).

Antidepressant therapy tends to show positive effects after a few weeks. While this is happening, your body may begin to experience the side symptoms that these drugs can cause.. That could be a factor that affects patients who say “I take antidepressants and I feel worse.”

We must not forget that these medicines induce changes in our body, and it takes time to adjust to them. Many of the side effects that may occur are only temporary reactions and disappear over time..

A useful recommendation is to ask the psychiatrist about what possible side effects you could have and how long they can be expected to last if they appear. In this way, you will be warned about what could happen to your body and mood.

The effectiveness of antidepressants

However, we must also consider that the response to antidepressants varies depending on the medication and the patient’s body. Furthermore, looking at the results of the study, we realize that 40% of patients do not achieve significant improvement. So, There is a chance that someone is not taking the correct antidepressant or that these drugs are not the solution.

Should I stop antidepressants?

“If I take antidepressants and I feel worse, should I stop taking them?” This is a common question and the answer is no. Under no circumstances are patients recommended to stop taking medications unless advised by a specialist. Doing this could lead to other problems even more unpleasant than the possible side effects.

It is best to maintain constant communication with the psychiatrist and tell him or her about how you feel. In this way, the specialist could make certain decisions such as reducing or increasing the dose or changing drugs. This will make it easier to know which medication works best for you and how you should take it to be effective.

Before stopping drug treatment, it is necessary to speak with a psychiatrist.

The importance of psychotherapy

When it comes to mental disorders, it is important to consider that they never respond to a single cause. Therefore, we cannot expect a single treatment to produce complete improvement in someone suffering from depression. Ideally, antidepressant therapy should be accompanied by psychotherapy and lifestyle changes. In this way, the effects of the drug will be enhanced and the chances of improvement will increase.

In conclusion, addressing depression and other disorders with psychotropic drugs is a complex issue.. To receive treatment safely, frequent contact with a specialist doctor is essential. Talking to an expert is one of the keys to ensuring that the intervention has an effect.

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