Do Antidepressants Work?

Do antidepressants work? If you've been diagnosed with depression or are experiencing depressive symptoms, it's natural to wonder if antidepressants are an effective treatment and if they can cure your condition.

The answer is: yes and no.

Antidepressants can be effective in treating depression, but they do not cure it the same way that an antibiotic cures an infection. Antidepressants work by altering neurotransmitter levels in the brain, but they do not cause permanent changes in brain structure or chemistry.

How Antidepressants Work

Antidepressants target one or more neurotransmitters thought to be involved in regulating mood. Important neurotransmitters in the brain that are affected by antidepressants include serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

The way antidepressants affect these neurotransmitters can vary from one medication to the next. Some help the brain use neurotransmitters more efficiently, some increase neurotransmitter levels, and others impact neurotransmitter receptors.

By affecting neurotransmitters, antidepressants allow a greater quantity of these neurotransmitters to remain available within the brain. This aims 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. The change in brain chemistry they cause is only temporary. When you stop taking the antidepressant, your brain chemistry will revert to its previous state.

However, this does not mean that antidepressants are ineffective or not helpful in treating depression. A 2018 review published in The Lancet found that all antidepressants included in the review were more effective than a placebo for major depressive disorder.

Antidepressants and Long-Term Effects

Antidepressants can provide long-term relief from depression symptoms. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research reported that depressed adults who used antidepressants were three times less likely than their unmedicated counterparts to still be depressed after eight years.

Unfortunately, many people stop taking their medication when they start to feel better. This can cause serious problems, including:

• A return of depression
• Worsening depression
• Discontinuation syndrome (symptoms such as muscle aches, fatigue, and nausea that occur when you stop taking an antidepressant)

Tips for Taking Antidepressants

• Give your medication enough time to work before you give up on it. Generally, it takes anywhere from two to eight weeks for an antidepressant to exert its full effects.
• Take your antidepressant exactly as your doctor has prescribed. Not taking your full dose or skipping doses can create problems and make the medication less effective.
• Don't stop your medication without consulting your doctor. Your doctor can advise you about whether stopping your medication is a good idea. They can also help address any problems you might have with it, such as unpleasant side effects. Finally, they can help you avoid potential problems, such as discontinuation syndrome or worsening depression.
• Don't give up if the first medication you try doesn't help. Different antidepressants work in slightly different ways, and you may need to try a few different medications to find the right one for you.
• Don't stop taking your antidepressant when you start feeling better. Quitting too soon could lead to a return of your depression. Your doctor will help you determine when, and if, quitting your antidepressant is advisable.

Long-Term Use of Antidepressants

Whether you need to take an antidepressant for the rest of your life depends on several factors, including your risk for depression relapse. If this is your first depressive episode, your doctor may recommend that you stay on your medication for four to nine months (sometimes up to a year) and then gradually taper off it. If you've had two or more episodes of depression, a family history of depression, or a particularly severe depressive episode, your doctor might recommend that you remain on your antidepressant long-term.

Fortunately, more and more research is being done on the long-term use of antidepressants and their impact on your health. Like all medications, SSRIs have the potential for side effects such as weight change, sleep changes, and sexual side effects.

However, the benefits of taking an antidepressant long-term can outweigh the risks. These benefits include feeling less depressed and having a better quality of life overall.

A Word From Verywell

Antidepressants are an effective treatment for moderate to severe depression. However, they are not a cure. Other treatments, such as psychotherapy, can also be helpful. If you have symptoms of depression, talk to your doctor about which treatments might work best for you.