Long-term antidepressant use can lead to benefits like sustained mood stability but also potential negative effects, including weight gain, sexual dysfunction, emotional numbness, increased risk of diabetes/GI bleeding (especially for older adults), cardiovascular concerns with certain types, and challenging withdrawal syndromes if stopped abruptly, though the benefits often outweigh risks for many, requiring close monitoring.
Two recent reviews of research in this area concluded that discontinuation effects, sexual dysfunction, weight gain, and sleep disturbance (multiple long-wake periods) are adverse effects of long-term SSRI use.
Antidepressants can have far-reaching effects on our brain functions. This can include changes to our cognition (how we think and understand), our emotions (how we feel), and our behavior (how we act).
loss of appetite. indigestion and stomach aches. diarrhoea, constipation or problems peeing. sweating more than normal.
Results. SSRIs were associated with a significantly increased risk of headache (RR = 1.06, 95%CI = 1.00–1.13, z = 2.0, p = 0.045) when compared to placebo.
Some antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), can cause short-term memory problems in certain individuals. Research shows that many people experience these side effects only while taking the medication, and the memory issues often go away when the treatment is adjusted or stopped.
Depression-related headaches are usually tension-type headaches that present with an ongoing dull ache that may feel like a persistent band of pressure around the head. The pain is usually not localized but can affect the entire head, sometimes accompanied by neck pain.
Antidepressants May Alter the Abundance and Composition of Intestinal Microbiota. Studies have shown that many intrinsic and extrinsic factors, such as diet, medication, smoking, lifestyle, host genetics, and diseases, affect intestinal microbiota in healthy individuals [80, 81, 82].
Antidepressants usually need to be taken for at least 6 months after your symptoms have gone away. However, this should be reviewed by your prescriber regularly. People with severe or recurring mental illness might need to take antidepressants for longer.
Take your antidepressant with food, unless otherwise directed. Eat smaller, more-frequent meals. Suck on sugarless hard candy. Drink plenty of fluids, such as cool water.
In time, the brain returns to a normal state after stopping antidepressants. If depressive symptoms do arise and gradually worsen, it's best to consult a psychiatrist or doctor if they don't improve within a few weeks or if they become severe.
Suicidal feelings
There is a possibility that taking an antidepressant could make you feel suicidal. It may happen even if you didn't experience suicidal feelings before. This side effect is mainly with SSRI antidepressants. But it is a risk with all antidepressants.
Depressants often produce feelings of being relaxed, calm, or to help with sleep. Other short-term effects may include dizziness, poor balance and co-ordination, and slower reflexes. In large doses, depressants may cause drowsiness, nausea, and loss of consciousness.
If you take antidepressants for a long time (several years or more) you may be at an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. This is more likely if you are over the age of 30 and are taking either SSRI or tricyclic antidepressants.
SSRI antidepressant side effects
Some patients taking SSRIs develop insomnia, skin rashes, headaches, joint and muscle pain, stomach upset, nausea, or diarrhea. These problems are usually temporary or mild or both.
Only a qualified doctor or mental health care professional can determine if taking antidepressants is a good idea for you. However, here's how to know if you might need or benefit from taking antidepressants: You feel persistent sadness or hopelessness. You feel numb or detached from reality.
Being on medication, particularly if the dose is too high, can dull your senses, making it difficult to think clearly or concentrate effectively. Getting off of antidepressants or reducing your dose can help you feel sharper and more alert in both your personal life as well as in your professional life.
However, when compared with antidepressants, a recent 2022 network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found no difference between exercise and pharmacological interventions in reducing depressive symptoms in adults with nonsevere depression.
Probiotics, prebiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation are shown to be promising strategies to ameliorate antidepressant-associated dysbiosis.
Antidepressants can make you feel worse at first
Not exactly. Antidepressants don't cause depression. But they can cause side effects that are very similar to depression — especially when you first start taking them. These side effects can make you feel like your depression is getting worse, instead of getting better.
Signs of bad gut health include digestive issues like bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and heartburn; skin problems such as acne or eczema; mood changes like anxiety or depression; fatigue; sugar cravings; and unintentional weight changes, all stemming from an imbalance in your gut microbiome (dysbiosis). These symptoms can signal that your gut isn't processing food and eliminating waste effectively, impacting overall well-being, notes Healthdirect and GoodRx.
The 7 Day Gut Reset is a clean-eating and lifestyle-based plan designed to: Eliminate common gut disruptors. Introduce healing, nourishing foods. Support your digestive system with hydration and rest. Improve the diversity of your gut bacteria.
Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood. Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism. Feelings of irritability, frustration‚ or restlessness. Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness.
New evidence shows that people who maintain a range of healthy habits, from good sleep to physical activity to strong social connections, are significantly less likely to experience depression.
Tension headaches occur when neck and scalp muscles become tense or contract. The muscle contractions can be a response to stress, depression, head injury, or anxiety. They may occur at any age, but are most common in adults and older teens. They are slightly more common in women and tends to run in families.