But many people are unaware that antidepressants can also lead to something known as emotional blunting. One of the most commonly reported side effects of using antianxiety antidepressant drugs (typically selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) is feeling “flat” and being unmotivated.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), commonly used to treat depression, are associated with loss of motivation, anergy, and lack of curiosity often referred collectively as apathy.
Fatigue and drowsiness are common, especially during early weeks of treatment with an antidepressant. Consider these strategies: Take a brief nap during the day. Get some physical activity, such as walking.
The majority of people taking the most commonly prescribed antidepressants—selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)—improve substantially. But sometimes, SSRIs go beyond improving mood and make a person feel too little emotion.
On antidepressant medication, it is possible that you might experience a sense of feeling numb and less like yourself. Though the symptoms of depression have decreased, there may be a sense that other emotional responses – laughing or crying, for example – are more difficult to experience.
If the symptoms develop later or gradually, they may constitute a relapse of the depression. Ultimately, these withdrawal symptoms will improve with time, but they can be unpleasant for days and possibly even weeks. In time, the brain readjusts and people should experience a return to their normal state.
“If you are going on six weeks and see no effect, or only a very small effect when it comes to helping those symptoms, that's usually a sign that you need to switch to a different antidepressant,” he says. “It's worth talking to your doctor.”
When first starting antidepressants, you may suddenly find that you don't feel like yourself anymore. Though your depression symptoms may have improved, the overwhelming waves of gloom can sometimes be replaced by an emotional inertness in which are neither able to cry nor share a real belly laugh.
Sometimes, in the process of changing the neurotransmitters and pathways, antidepressants can also change things that people consider parts of their personality, like sexual desire. They can also affect our ability to sleep, which may make us crabbier and less patient with others.
Mixing antidepressants with alcohol, cocaine, Molly or other illegal drugs is never recommended. If you're taking medication for depression, it is important that you leave the drug alone and don't throw in any other substances that might prevent it from doing its job.
When first starting antidepressants, some people have mild stomach upset, headache or fatigue, but these side effects often diminish in the first few weeks as the body adjusts. Some people gain weight, though many stay “weight neutral,” and some even lose weight, Dr. Cox says.
If you're taking antidepressant medication and you either feel unusually elated, or you become very terse with your loved ones, feel noticeably more irritable, or have an uncharacteristic bout of rage, then it's likely that your antidepressant dose is too high.
Meanwhile, patients who benefit from antidepressants may not need to stay on them long term. Some may want to quit because of side effects such as loss of sexual desire or decreased arousal. In other cases, their prescribers may recommend they stop taking the medications.
People can still develop a physical dependence on Antidepressants. Individuals with depression are also more likely to abuse other drugs. Antidepressant dependence can form in people who never needed the drugs in the first place. Some people are incorrectly diagnosed with depression and prescribed Antidepressants.
Low motivation can be a common symptom of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. You can practice self-help and self-care as much as you can, but you may find that seeking professional help is more helpful for your emotions. Online therapy is beneficial, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Antidepressants played a role as well.
Twins who were on prescription antidepressants were perceived as significantly older, possibly due to the consistent relaxation of facial muscles that occurs with antidepressant usage. This relaxation can lead to facial sagging, creating an older appearance.
While antidepressants often help people with depressive disorder manage their symptoms, new research shows that the use of these drugs is not associated with improved quality of life in the long term.
Further, pooled across measures of quality of life, global mental health, self-esteem, and autonomy, antidepressants yielded no significant advantage over placebo (k = 3 trials, g = 0.11, p = 0.13).
What are the most common antidepressants? Sertraline hydrochloride, used for multiple mental health and mood disorders, is the most prescribed antidepressant on the list with more than 18 million prescriptions in 2021.
It's usually recommended that a course of antidepressants continues for at least 6 months after you feel better, to prevent your condition recurring when you stop. Some people with recurrent illness are advised to carry on taking medicine indefinitely.
Taking antidepressants may help to lift your mood. This can help you feel more able to do things that don't feel possible while you're depressed. This may include using other types of support for your mental health.
A person may experience withdrawal symptoms due to chemical changes in the brain. The body adjusts to changes that an antidepressant such as Zoloft may cause. Stopping or reducing the antidepressant can throw the brain into a state of imbalance. This can have a physical and mental impact.
You get sick.
Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome, also called antidepressant withdrawal, occurs when a person abruptly stops taking antidepressant medication. Many people who experience antidepressant withdrawal feel like they have the flu or a stomach bug. They may also experience disturbing thoughts or images.
Guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence recommends that antidepressants are used as 'maintenance' treatment for up to 2 years to prevent their depression returning (relapse). It also recommends cognitive-behavioural therapy to change habits of thought and behaviour.