“Can depression medications cause more harm?”
I have depression and want to take medications. Can depression medications cause more harm?
7 Answers
It depends on your specific diagnosis and your personality. There is no general answer for this. People respond better to certain medications than others. What is good for you may not be for others.
All medications have side effects. Antidepressant could have harmful side effects, the worst one being worsening suicidal thoughts. However, the probability of medication helping the depression is about 70%, while the probability of medication making suicidal thoughts worse is less than 5%. So in another word, the chance of medication making depression better is significantly higher for FAD to continue to recommend medication treatment of depression.
I'm only a counselor and am answering from that perspective. I've seen great good come from medications. However, it is very normal to experience negative symptoms as you trial out different medications. It is uncommon for the first medication to work and be all that you need. Our brains are complicated. It's important that you educate yourself enough to advocate for yourself. Keep in close contact with your doctor that manages your medications. Know that mental health medications can interact with other medications taken for pain, blood pressure, etc. So, yes, there can be harm, but there can also be good. You likely want to approach it from the angle of how well am I functioning and is that enough. If it isn't, start looking for solutions through therapy, Neurofeedback, and/or medication management. Good Luck!
Medications for depression were never meant to be a stand alone treatment for depression, except for a few rare truly clinical cases of depression. These medications were to help control symptoms while you are in therapy to address the underlying feelings that feed the depression. Any medication you take for a mental health disorder is going to have some sort of side effect and you have the risk of being on these medications long term, and then suddenly have them not work as well or at all anymore.
I am not sure what you mean by harm, are you talking about side effects? Just like any other set of medications, those taken for depression have their side effects. The most commonly experienced side effects include nausea, gastric distress, insomnia/sedation, weight changes, etc. Research and empirical evidence has shown that these side effects usually go away when the medications are taken regularly for more than 3-4 weeks. Best recommendation would be to work with a mental health specialist and develop a plan that best suits your needs which may or may not include medications.
Note: this is an opinion, not to be misinterpreted as actual doctor-patient recommendations, which are provided when expert opinion is sought. If you're experiencing an emergency, kindly call 911 or visit the nearest ER immediately.
Note: this is an opinion, not to be misinterpreted as actual doctor-patient recommendations, which are provided when expert opinion is sought. If you're experiencing an emergency, kindly call 911 or visit the nearest ER immediately.
I would talk to your primary care provider about the risks and benefits of medication for your age. It is worth having a conversation to explore what might be right for you.
Medications can help depression, but all medications have side effects. Discuss with your mental health provider whether medications are right for you