Last Updated: 24th July, 2022

Antidepressants: Depression is one of the most common and serious mental health problems of the current time period. The percentage of people wordlessly falling victim to this disease have increased substantially. In 2015, an estimated 322 million people have been affected by depression, as shown by global health figures of the World Health Organization (WHO) since 2017.

India has now become host to a record 57 million people who are affected by depression (18 percent of the worldwide assessment). It is indeed a disorder of psychological health that would involve people of any age, from childhood to adulthood to expectant mothers and elderly patients.

Common Misconceptions And Fallacies About Antidepressants

Although several people are coming out in the open regarding struggling with depression, especially celebrities, as well as how they addressed it, there is certainly still a lot of tabulation about with this psychological disorder. We’re reading accounts of people being distressed taking their own lives. The lack of self-awareness of the condition and its treatments available has become one of the fundamental reasons for this.

People with depression often learn from family members and closest friends that depression medications have various side effects, are addictive in virtue, and are therefore not beneficial for health and wellbeing. Mindfulness meditation, physical activity and alternative medicines can however help individuals get out of the untrue state of mind.

So in this article, we discuss some of these common misconceptions and fallacies about antidepressants and spread awareness about the condition and its treatment.

1. Misconceptions: Antidepressants Are Addictive

Absolutely not, it’s one of the common misconceptions and fallacies. Antidepressants are not really addictive, like tobacco or alcohol, since you don’t have any opioid cravings. In fact, antidepressants do not trigger resistance, meaning you do not need to run a higher amount of the drug to be efficient for the prolonged period.

Furthermore, if you suddenly stop taking antidepressants, you might experience symptoms of withdrawal such as nausea, and it is therefore necessary to take professional medical advice when off antidepressants.

2. Antidepressants Are Medicines Which Are Commonly Represented As “Happy” Pills

It’s utterly wrong since antidepressants wouldn’t grant you a high or exhilaration. These are substances that serve to resolve the chemical imbalance in the brain and for a person experiencing depression and overwhelming negative thoughts. These assist a depressed person that makes things feel reasonably comfortable throughout the day and not so much a cheerful person.

3. Antidepressants: Lifetime Or Not

Not really. As nothing more than a rule of thumb, to avoid relapses, antidepressants are typically taken for once or 2 years, occasionally further. In addition, an individual will take antidepressants for estimating six months once the manifestations of depression are stopped or as the physician instructs.

Thereafter, by slowly regulating the dosage, the physician would begin to kick the habit off the antidepressants.

In a few instances, particularly for people with two or even more major depressive disorder relapses, it is advised on using long-term antidepressants.

4. Antidepressants Give You Quick Relief

Not many people are aware of the fact that antidepressants can take around four to six weeks for the medication at a clinically effective dose to start showing any signs of improvement. You can feel the adverse effects of the drug much sooner, though. Hence, it is advised to stick to the medications for at least six weeks before you consider changing the medication.

5. Antidepressants Make You More Depressed

This is very much the case, unfortunately who have no chronic depression yet undergo the medications wrongfully. The second instance, might be that another antidepressant might be required by the patient. It is therefore essential to find the right specialist who would accurately diagnose the condition also provides you with the right combination of antidepressants.

6. Misconceptions: Quit Taking Antidepressants Once Start To Feel Better

Even though you mustn’t quit taking an antibiotic course without finishing the course of the antibiotics, although if you feel revived, you should not refuse to take antidepressants.

Staying on antidepressants for the specified time period is advised in order to eliminate a relapse. Speak to your doctor about the weaning process or any queries you have regarding the same.

7. Antidepressant Succeeded For Depression With A Friend Or Family Member, Then It Will Work For All

Understanding that each individual is mentally and physically unique is vital. Since our bodies are designed in a unique manner, it may not act for you – the medicine, which might succeed for your close friend or family member. Is that because the medicine focused at a specific chemical messenger might behave differently.

And hence, before administering any antidepressants, it is vital to understand a patient with depression on and off.

8. Antidepressants Have Serious Side-Effects

As with any other drug, antidepressants do have several adverse effects, tend to range from a headache, nausea, fatigue and dry mouth to low libido. More than half of these people experience adverse effects of such prescribed drugs.

Nevertheless, after the introductory weeks of treatment, they are much less prevalent. Also, consult with your psychotherapist or psychiatrist right away if you already have significant side effects, including indigestion, dizziness, sleeplessness, blurry vision, vomiting, epileptic seizures, low libido, or dry mouth.

The symptoms such as yellowing of the skin, itchy skin, palpitations and increased heartbeat, could indicate liver or heart damage, which is a sign that you should consult your doctor. Finally, keeping in mind about the common misconceptions and fallacies, would help everyone.