when would you consider lifetime treatment with an ssri for depression

Continuation therapy of 3 to 6 months after acute stabilization should be considered standard for all depressed patients, and maintenance therapy should be considered for many depressed patients. Newer agents, such as the SSRIs

, are preferable to the TCAs for long-term treatment based on their superior tolerability and safety.

Full Answer

Do SSRIs work for depressive symptoms?

Depression symptoms go away completely for about one out of every three people who take an SSRI. Doctors do not know why SSRIs work for some people and not for others. If an SSRI does not work for you, your doctor may suggest other treatments to try.

How long does it take for SSRI to work?

The production of serotonin in the brain is reduced, and within only a few hours, the symptoms of depression and anxiety appear. These results were used to defend the decision to administer drugs that block the inactivation of serotonin; they are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs.

What should I do if my SSRI doesn’t work?

There are many options a doctor may suggest for people whose depression symptoms do not improve enough from treatment with an SSRI: Increase the dose (amount) of the SSRI you take. It is important to never increase the amount of your medicine without your doctor telling you to do so. Switch to a different SSRI.

How many studies have been published on the effects of SSRIs?

Researchers funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a Federal Government research agency, reviewed 44 studies published between January 1980 and April 2011 on depression treatments after taking an SSRI. The report was reviewed by clinicians, researchers, experts, and the public.

Can you take SSRIs indefinitely?

And luckily, as long as the benefits of the medication outweigh the potential side effects, there's no strong evidence that long-term use of SSRIs poses any major problems. “These medications have been around for decades,” says Dr.

Can you be on SSRI for years?

There are now many people who have been on these drugs for several years and feel fairly well, but are unsure whether they still benefit from taking them. Many people who have had depression continue to take antidepressants for years for fear that if they stop, they might have a relapse.

Can antidepressants be taken life long?

Long-term antidepressant users are risking permanent damage to their bodies, according to leading medical experts. Dr Tony Kendrick, a professor of primary care at the University of Southampton, says more urgent action needs to be taken to encourage and support long-term users to come off the medication.

How long should you take SSRI for depression?

It's usually recommended that a course of SSRIs continues for at least 6 months after you feel better, to prevent your condition coming back when you stop. However, if you've experienced previous episodes of depression, a 2-year course may be recommended.

How do SSRIs work long term?

SSRIs work by blocking the re-uptake of serotonin into the presynaptic neuron. Because of this, more serotonin will be circulating around the synaptic cleft, making it more likely that serotonin will reach the receptors of the postsynaptic neuron.

What is the best long term antidepressant?

The most effective antidepressants for adults revealed in major...escitalopram.paroxetine.sertraline.agomelatine.mirtazapine.

Are antidepressants a permanent solution?

The goal of this is to make up for any deficiencies that might be causing a person's depression symptoms. So do antidepressants work as a permanent cure for depression? No, they do not, and the reason for this lies in how they work. While they cause changes in brain chemistry, this effect is only temporary.

Can SSRIs permanently change brain?

Some research has suggested this type of drug aids in neuroplasticity. In other words, these drugs can affect how our minds organize and form synaptic connections. Other researchers believe this type of medication has no long-term effects on our brains once the individual stops using the drug.

Can antidepressants stop working after years?

Answer From Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D. When depression symptoms improve after starting an antidepressant, many people need to continue taking medication long term to prevent symptoms from returning. However, in some people, a particular antidepressant may simply stop working over time.

What happens if you take antidepressants for years?

Those who had used antidepressants for >3 years reported more severe side effects, including “weight gain”, “addiction”, “feeling not like myself ”, “withdrawal symptoms”, and “suicidality”, than those who had been on antidepressants for ≤2 years.

How many years can you take antidepressants?

A course of treatment usually lasts for at least 6 months after you start to feel better. Some people with recurrent depression may be advised to take them indefinitely.

How long should you give an antidepressant to work?

In general, it takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks for antidepressants to work. If you are still experiencing symptoms after this amount of time, talk to your doctor. You may need to increase the dose of your current antidepressant drug or switch to another one altogether.

SSRIs Approved to Treat Depression

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved these SSRIs to treat depression: 1. Citalopram (Celexa) 2. Escitalopram (Lexapro) 3. Fluoxetine...

Possible Side Effects and Cautions

All SSRIs work in a similar way and generally can cause similar side effects, though some people may not experience any. Many side effects may go a...

Suicide Risk and Antidepressants

Most antidepressants are generally safe, but the FDA requires that all antidepressants carry black box warnings, the strictest warnings for prescri...

Stopping Treatment With SSRIs

SSRIs aren't considered addictive. However, stopping antidepressant treatment abruptly or missing several doses can cause withdrawal-like symptoms....

Finding The Right Antidepressant

People may react differently to the same antidepressant. For example, a particular drug may work better — or not as well — for you than for another...

How to help depression with SSRI?

There are many options a doctor may suggest for people whose depression symptoms do not improve enough from treatment with an SSRI: Increase the dose (amount) of the SSRI you take. It is important to never increase the amount of your medicine without your doctor telling you to do so. Switch to a different SSRI.

How long does it take for SSRIs to work?

SSRIs can take up to 6 weeks to start working.

What to do if SSRI does not work?

If an SSRI does not work for you, your doctor may suggest other treatments to try. Be sure to let your doctor know if anything interfered with you taking your SSRI (such as the cost being too high, trouble remembering to take it, or side effects).

How long does depression last?

This information is right for you if. Your doctor*said you have major depressive disorder, a kind of depression that lasts longer than 2 weeks. You have taken one of the following antidepressant medicines for at least 6 weeks†and your depression is not getting better.

What can I take with SSRI?

Add an antipsychotic medicine to your SSRI, such as aripiprazole (Abilify®), olanzapine (Zyprexa®), or quetiapine XR (Seroquel XR®). Antipsychotic medicines work by affecting the way certain chemicals act in your brain. Taking an antipsychotic medicine does not mean you have psychosis.

What are some exercises to help with depression?

Exercise:Good exercises include those that get your heart rate up or strengthen or stretch your muscles, such as yoga. Note:For severe depression that interferes with a person’s daily activities, some doctors may suggest “electroconvulsive therapy” or “repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.”.

Is depression a serious problem?

Depression is a serious but treatable problem that should not be ignored. There are many treatment options for people with depression. If at any time you have thoughts about harming yourself or thoughts of suicide, call your doctor right away.

What is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors?

These results were used to defend the decision to administer drugs that block the inactivation of serotonin; they are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. One thing that has become obvious to neuroscientists is that our drugs are only as good as the models that we use to discover them.

Which process involves many more molecules than serotonin?

The adaptation process by the brain is complex and involves many more molecules other than serotonin. Given the complexity of these changes and our poor understanding of what they mean, it is naïve to assume that the changes in serotonin are the only ones that matter.

Does cocaine cause depression?

For the duration of the action of cocaine at your serotonin synapses, you are not experiencing depression. I am not recommending cocaine for the treatment of depression; however, during the 1880s, cocaine was sold over the counter for the treatment of depression. It was very popular.

Does diet deplete serotonin?

You would have to have a very poor, or very unusual, diet to deplete your brain of the try ptophan it needs to make serotonin. Most of the tryptophan that appears in the blood after a typical meal will never enter the brain; rather, it will be utilized by one of the ten million or more serotonin neurons in your gut or by one of the trillions ...

Does serotonin depletion cause depression?

Essentially, this is the problem with the tryptophan depletion model—a depletion of serotonin does not underlie depression. Depletion of serotonin can cause depression; however, this is not proof that the cause of depression is actually due to the depletion of serotonin or reduced activity of serotonin neurons.

What is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor?

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are a class of drugs that are prescribed to people suffering from depression or anxiety disorders. They are relatively safe and are the most commonly prescribed anti-depressants.

How many serotonin receptors are there in the brain?

The human brain has seven serotonin receptors. Among them, two receptors: 5-HT2A and 5-HT7 played particularly important roles in SSRIs efficacy. When these two receptors were blocked, the neurons of non-responders were not hyperactive.

Do SSRIs work for depression?

How SSRI Work. There are various studies that show limited evidence regarding the efficacy of SSRIs for depression . Studies show little to no difference in the efficacy between SSRIs and placebo for severe depression. Their efficacy in some patients with depression maybe more due to a placebo effect than the effect of the drug itself.

Do SSRIs make you hyperactive?

A recent study has found that in some patients, the SSRIs make the neurons hyperactive .

Why do people take SSRIs?

SSRIs are used to help treat depression by increasing levels of serotonin in the brain , a neurotransmitter that contributes to feelings of happiness and well-being. While the exact cause of depression is unknown, scientists believe it stems from an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the body.

Can you take SSRIs with depression?

If you’re interested in taking a more natural approach to managing your depression, you may be interested in alternatives to SSRIs. Keep in mind that while trying alternatives, it’s important to continue taking your medication until your doctor feels comfortable reducing or eliminating medication. You may find the most relief when you use alternative treatment options in conjunction with your currently prescribed SSRIs.

How effective are SSRIs?

That means they are 33 per cent effective, which is the percent of patients who will respond well to a sugar pill. The article goes on to say that although SSRIs are effective to some degree in treating severe depression, they don't have any effect on the routine type of depressions they are most often used to treat.

Why is the whole serotonin hypothesis challenged?

What this new information shows is that there may be some help using SSRIs if there is a severe shortage of serotonin, but the average person's depression cannot simply be related to a "chemical imbalance.". The human brain is too complicated.

Can drugs be the answer for you?

Drugs may not be the answer for you, and some drugs may not be the answer for almost anyone. Re: "Think twice, be skeptical, and question a smimplistic diagnosis you might receive after discussing your condition for five minutes with a rushed practitioner.". Great article.

Can SSRIs cure depression?

SSRI's are currently treated as the cure-all for every type of depression out there, which is where the problem truly lies. There's a lot of alternative treatments to depression that get completely ignored, and a lot of people could be doing a lot better if they weren't ignored. Reply to J. Issa.

Can antidepressants be used long term?

The horrors of coming off that drug are unbelievable. Long term use leads to irreversible damage that only the sufferer has to deal with. Once people realize antidepressants were not intended for long term use, they will be more mindful of stopping the abuse of the brain, liver, and kidneys. Reply to Sherry.

Is Prozac more effective than Paxil?

Reason One: A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association says that SSRIs like Paxil and Prozac are no more effective in treating depression than a placebo pill. That means they are 33 per cent effective, which is the percent of patients who will respond well to a sugar pill.

What is the treatment for depression?

The study, published in the journal Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, examined the two primary treatments for depression — cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Do SSRIs help with depression?

Study: Cognitive-behavioral therapy and SSRIs for depression both improve quality of life. Recently published research has found that treatments for depression don’t just reduce symptoms, they are also associated with moderate improvements in quality of life. The study, published in the journal Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, ...

Does CBT affect quality of life?

Individual, group, and computer-based CBT for depression all had similar effects on quality of life. However, the researchers were unable to directly compare CBT with SSRIs because of methodological issues with the previous studies. Though both treatments appeared to have similar effects on quality of life, the researchers were forced ...