Antidepressant Medications: Are They Addictive and What You Should Know
Antidepressants are a common treatment option for individuals experiencing depression, but they come with potential side effects, withdrawal symptoms, and interactions with other medications.
Doctors advise monitoring people who start taking antidepressants closely, as signs of mania can develop. These symptoms include insomnia, trouble listening or following conversations, pressured speech, impulsiveness, extreme irritability, excessive or unnecessary spending, reduced self-care, trouble focusing, hypersensitivity to external stimuli, extreme self-confidence, and hypersensitivity to light, noise, or touch. If any of these symptoms arise, it's crucial to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Antidepressants can cause a wide range of side effects, such as headaches, dizziness and unsteadiness, dry mouth, restlessness, sexual problems, problems sleeping, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, vision problems, trouble urinating, drowsiness, weight loss or gain, increased sweating, sudden decreases in blood pressure when transitioning from sitting to standing, aggression, irritability, panic attacks, heart issues, seizures, liver damage, and suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
It's essential to gradually reduce the dose of antidepressant medications over several weeks under a doctor's guidance to avoid experiencing these effects. Antidepressants can negatively interact with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, some asthma medications, psychosis and schizophrenia medications, bipolar disorder and severe depression medications, and certain foods (in the case of monoamine oxidase inhibitors).
Withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants, often called antidepressant discontinuation syndrome, involve physical and psychological symptoms occurring shortly after reducing or stopping the medication. These symptoms usually start within 1-3 days of stopping and tend to fluctuate in intensity throughout the day, often described as “waves.” Some common symptoms include dizziness, nausea, vertigo, nervousness, flu-like symptoms, electric shock sensations ("brain zaps"), and sleep disturbances. Despite the presence of psychological withdrawal symptoms (like anxiety or low mood), depression relapse is not a symptom of withdrawal itself but more likely an illness recurrence requiring clinical attention.
It's worth noting that addiction typically involves tolerance (needing higher doses) and cravings, which are common with substances like opioids or benzodiazepines but are not generally features of antidepressant use or cessation.
In most cases, doctors recommend antidepressants for individuals experiencing both depression and substance use disorders. A combination of medications and cognitive behavioral therapy could be useful in treating people with depression and alcohol use disorders (AUD). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are recommended as the first-line treatment for those with both depression and substance misuse disorders.
Consuming alcohol while taking antidepressants can worsen symptoms of depression and cause excessive drowsiness and dizziness. Taking antidepressants with other psychotropic medications can lead to negative interactions, such as increasing the risk of experiencing serotonin syndrome. Those taking antidepressants should avoid using cannabis and illegal substances such as cocaine, heroin, ketamine, and amphetamines.
In summary, while some withdrawal symptoms of antidepressants may mimic addiction symptoms, especially psychological distress, the lack of compulsive use patterns and craving differentiates withdrawal from addiction. Careful clinical evaluation of timing, symptom type, and patient history is necessary to distinguish these conditions.
- Managing mental health is crucial when considering antidepressants, as they can potentially cause side effects like insomnia, trouble focusing, and extreme irritability.
- The science of health-and-wellness recognizes the importance of mental health, and antidepressants are one of the treatments for depression, although they may interact with other medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Mental-health treatments and therapies often recommend gradual reductions in antidepressant medication to avoid withdrawal symptoms, such as dizziness, nervousness, and sleep disturbances.
- For those with depression and substance use disorders, a combination of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and cognitive behavioral therapy may prove beneficial, while it is advisable to avoid alcohol, cannabis, and illegal substances when taking antidepressants.
