What are the risks of Zoloft and other antidepressants?
Antidepressants and Your Brain
Before delving into the research, let’s look at how antidepressants work.
Each one unlocks certain receptors (chemical “locks”) that keep the message traveling.
Verywell / JR Bee
This is achieved by slowing down a process calledreuptake, which is essentially a clean-up or recycling process.
Long-Term Side Effects
Every neurotransmitter has many different jobs.
Beyond that, there’s the issue of antidepressants becoming less effective over time.
However, many other side effects can persist and have a negative impact on your quality of life.
However, more than two-thirds of the people questioned said the medication helped them cope with life.
About one-fifth of the participants said antidepressants helped them to function well.
Never stop taking antidepressants suddenly.
Talk to your doctor about the proper way to wean off of them.
Know that you may need to try several drugs before finding the best one for you.
You should involve your doctor in any decisions you make regarding antidepressant use.
Over time, that can really add up.
Weight gain can have negative effects on your self-esteem as well as your health.
They looked at 22 studies, including a couple with more than 4,000 participants.
However, the larger and more recent studies they looked at suggested that the risk was small.
They do say, though, that higher doses appear to be linked to greater risk.
You may also want to test your blood sugars more frequently.
Can Antidepressants Stop Working?
Some people refer to this as antidepressant “poop-out,” although the medical term is tachyphylaxis.
TRD can lead to poor social functioning, medical comorbidity, and increased mortality.
In some cases, a doctor may alter your dosage or switch you to another antidepressant entirely.
Do not discontinue the use of antidepressants on your own.
It may lead to relapse and/or withdrawal symptoms such as agitation and suicidal thoughts.
Many people attend therapy while they’re taking antidepressants.
In some cases, a depression relapse may occur, even while you’re taking an antidepressant.
A depression relapse is when your symptoms occur after a period of recovery.
If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
The Takeaway
As all drugs do, Zoloft and other antidepressants can have long-term side effects.
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