How to Know if Antidepressants Are Working
Practice patience., Watch for improvement in your symptoms., See if you feel any better., Identify side effects., Watch for warning signs that the antidepressant is not working.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Practice patience.
You need to be patient, since it can take a while to determine the right medication for you and it may take a few tries.
You should give your medication four to six weeks to start working.Recognize the long timeline.
Antidepressants take different amounts of time to start working for different people.
You may notice some benefit from a medication after only a day or two.
However, it may take a few weeks or even a few months for the antidepressant to kick in.If your antidepressant has not started working after six weeks, you should speak to your doctor about alternative medications. -
Step 2: Watch for improvement in your symptoms.
Use a diary to keep track of your symptoms on a daily basis.
If you felt like your future was hopeless prior to starting the medication, you might want to consider how you feel about your future after taking the medication for two weeks.
If you feel like you are slow and have a hard time concentrating, see if these symptoms have changed at all while on the medication.
Use a depression screening test to track your symptoms.
You can find depression screening scales online.
Complete the symptom questionnaire and view your results to see if they change over time.You can also use health diaries or mobile applications to track your symptoms. , If you start to have more energy for the day and feel less depressed, this is a sign that your medication has started working.
If you feel better after two to six weeks, this can be a very good sign. , Although the drug may be helping with some of your symptoms, it may also be resulting in side effects.
You should pay attention to both any improvements and any side effects.
Although the new wave of antidepressant types such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) have relatively fewer side effects than older types of medications, they still involve many side effects.
These side effects commonly include a lower sex drive, a dry mouth, nausea, insomnia, anxiousness and restlessness, gaining weight, sleepiness, constipation and diarrhea.Typically, side effects will emerge prior to the benefits of the treatment, so if you are experiencing side effects this may actually be a sign that the medication has started to work.
However, you should also tell your doctor if you are experiencing side effects.
If your side effects do not go away, you should talk to your doctor about alternative depression medication.If some of your symptoms are getting better but you are experiencing unpleasant side effects, you should talk to your doctor. , It is important to look for signs that your antidepressant is not working.
There are a variety of warning signs such as mood swings, suicidal thoughts and increased energy accompanied by the blues.
In particular, keep an eye out for the following signs that your antidepressant is not working:
If you feel you have way more energy but still feel down, this may be a bad sign.
Some medications start working but do not function correctly for your condition.
If this is the case, you will have more energy but will still feel blue.
Talk to your doctor if this is the case.If you feel better right away after starting a medication, it may be a sign that the medication may be inappropriate for you.It usually takes a while for antidepressants to influence your brain chemistry.
If you feel immediate improvement, you may be experiencing a side effect or placebo effect.
In either case, talk to your doctor.
If your depression gets worse or you start to experience horrible mood swings, this is a sign that your antidepressant is not working properly.
You should talk to your doctor.All antidepressants carry an increased risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 during the first two months.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, has worsening depression, or has behavioral changes, contact a doctor immediately.
Do not stopping taking your medication unless your doctor tells you to. -
Step 3: See if you feel any better.
-
Step 4: Identify side effects.
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Step 5: Watch for warning signs that the antidepressant is not working.
Detailed Guide
You need to be patient, since it can take a while to determine the right medication for you and it may take a few tries.
You should give your medication four to six weeks to start working.Recognize the long timeline.
Antidepressants take different amounts of time to start working for different people.
You may notice some benefit from a medication after only a day or two.
However, it may take a few weeks or even a few months for the antidepressant to kick in.If your antidepressant has not started working after six weeks, you should speak to your doctor about alternative medications.
Use a diary to keep track of your symptoms on a daily basis.
If you felt like your future was hopeless prior to starting the medication, you might want to consider how you feel about your future after taking the medication for two weeks.
If you feel like you are slow and have a hard time concentrating, see if these symptoms have changed at all while on the medication.
Use a depression screening test to track your symptoms.
You can find depression screening scales online.
Complete the symptom questionnaire and view your results to see if they change over time.You can also use health diaries or mobile applications to track your symptoms. , If you start to have more energy for the day and feel less depressed, this is a sign that your medication has started working.
If you feel better after two to six weeks, this can be a very good sign. , Although the drug may be helping with some of your symptoms, it may also be resulting in side effects.
You should pay attention to both any improvements and any side effects.
Although the new wave of antidepressant types such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) have relatively fewer side effects than older types of medications, they still involve many side effects.
These side effects commonly include a lower sex drive, a dry mouth, nausea, insomnia, anxiousness and restlessness, gaining weight, sleepiness, constipation and diarrhea.Typically, side effects will emerge prior to the benefits of the treatment, so if you are experiencing side effects this may actually be a sign that the medication has started to work.
However, you should also tell your doctor if you are experiencing side effects.
If your side effects do not go away, you should talk to your doctor about alternative depression medication.If some of your symptoms are getting better but you are experiencing unpleasant side effects, you should talk to your doctor. , It is important to look for signs that your antidepressant is not working.
There are a variety of warning signs such as mood swings, suicidal thoughts and increased energy accompanied by the blues.
In particular, keep an eye out for the following signs that your antidepressant is not working:
If you feel you have way more energy but still feel down, this may be a bad sign.
Some medications start working but do not function correctly for your condition.
If this is the case, you will have more energy but will still feel blue.
Talk to your doctor if this is the case.If you feel better right away after starting a medication, it may be a sign that the medication may be inappropriate for you.It usually takes a while for antidepressants to influence your brain chemistry.
If you feel immediate improvement, you may be experiencing a side effect or placebo effect.
In either case, talk to your doctor.
If your depression gets worse or you start to experience horrible mood swings, this is a sign that your antidepressant is not working properly.
You should talk to your doctor.All antidepressants carry an increased risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 during the first two months.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, has worsening depression, or has behavioral changes, contact a doctor immediately.
Do not stopping taking your medication unless your doctor tells you to.
About the Author
Margaret Hamilton
Brings years of experience writing about organization and related subjects.
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