Is it bad to take antidepressants for a long time?
Is it bad to take antidepressants for a long time?
SSRIs are generally considered safe to take long-term, says Maurizio Fava, executive vice chair of the department of psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital.
What was the first antidepressant drug?
The 1950s saw the clinical introduction of the first two specifically antidepressant drugs: iproniazid, a monoamine-oxidase inhibitor that had been used in the treatment of tuberculosis, and imipramine, the first drug in the tricyclic antidepressant family.
How long do you have to take antidepressants for depression?
This continuation therapy is necessary to stop the symptoms from coming back. The medication is sometimes taken for longer to prevent relapses. The duration of treatment also depends on how the symptoms continue to develop over time and whether the depression is likely to return. Some people take antidepressants over many years.
When does discontinuing SSRI antidepressants is a challenge?
While outside the scope of this review, one in eight cases of discontinuation symptoms with tramadol, a painkiller with serotonergic activity, resemble symptomatic SSRI discontinuation (with symptoms such as psychosis, confusion, anxiety/panic, and numbness and tingling in the extremities) and are distinct from classical opioid withdrawal ( 43 ).
When did the first antidepressants come out?
They aim to correct chemical imbalances of neurotransmitters in the brain that are believed to be responsible for changes in mood and behavior. Antidepressants were first developed in the 1950s. Their use has become progressively more common in the last 20 years.
What are the outcomes of taking antidepressants?
Only patients with a first diagnosis of depression were included. Outcomes were falls, fractures, upper gastrointestinal bleed, road traffic accidents, adverse drug reactions and all-cause mortality recorded during follow-up.
This continuation therapy is necessary to stop the symptoms from coming back. The medication is sometimes taken for longer to prevent relapses. The duration of treatment also depends on how the symptoms continue to develop over time and whether the depression is likely to return. Some people take antidepressants over many years.
When did I stop taking my antidepressants?
Not only was this five-minute exchange routine, but at no point during my years in the American mental health system did a psychiatrist, psychologist, doctor or pharmacist suggest that I consider reevaluating the decision to take antidepressants.
When do symptomatic SSRI antidepressants are a challenge?
Discontinuation symptoms are a constellation of symptoms that start soon after the discontinuation of SSRIs (symptomatic discontinuation), similar to other psychoactive medications and older antidepressants ( 18 – 20 ).
Which is safer SSRIs or tricyclic antidepressants for older people?
SSRIs are safer than tricyclic antidepressants for older people because they do not disturb heart rhythms and rarely cause dizziness that results in falls. But liver function is less efficient in older people, so there is a greater risk of drug interactions involving the cytochrome P450 system.