Published on
updated on
Reading 3 min.
Taking antidepressants is an option that raises many questions. However, in certain indications, they are necessary to get back on your feet. For The Conversation, Natalina Salmaso, clinical psychologist and neurobiology researcher, looks back at 5 myths about them.
Being prescribed antidepressants is not insignificant, but it is a medical aid that can help you out when you are affected by severe depression (always in combination with psychotherapy). However, antidepressants have a bad reputation. Given the increase in rates of anxiety and depression, psychologist and neurobiology researcher Natalina Salmaso has set out to combat misconceptions about these drugs.
I’m stronger if I get through this without medication
You can be an incredibly strong person psychologically on a daily basis, that doesn’t mean you can do without help. If you suffer from depression, your brain will no longer react in the same way. So it will have to “heal” before you can expect it to function as it did before the depression.Overcoming depression is like “overcoming” a broken leg. You can be an extremely strong weightlifter, but if your leg is broken, you can’t use it in the same way.” aptly illustrates the expert.
I will depend on antidepressants to be happy
The idea is wrong. Antidepressants do not make people happy: they allow them to experience all their emotions in an appropriate and balanced way. Antidepressants do not offer immediate relief of symptoms or the illusion of well-being. It takes four to six weeks for them to take full effect. However, they are a long-term treatment (usually at least a year) and curative, much like chemotherapy for some types of cancer.
“In fact, most studies show that if you take antidepressants for a year and then stop taking them, the majority of people will not relapse. This means that you will probably need to take them for a period of time to maintain the effects, but these effects will often persist long after you stop taking them.” specifies the expert.
Medication will change my personality
Contrary to popular belief, antidepressants do not make people high or change your personality. They allow you to see things from a more balanced perspective.I once heard a patient describe taking antidepressants in a very simple way: ‘I always see the same good and bad things, but when I was depressed I seemed to only pay attention to the bad and now I pay attention to the good as well.'” says the expert.
I’m going to get addicted
Antidepressants taken as prescribed are not addictive and have a low risk of abuse, the expert maintains. Unlike opioids, for example, antidepressants are not known to be addictive. While they can cause withdrawal symptoms such as headaches or nausea when stopped abruptly, these are generally short-lived and can be minimized by gradually reducing the medication.
Medication should only be used as a last resort
Reserving antidepressants for extreme cases makes no sense for several reasons. First, it is a question of quality of life: depression hurts. It harms the person suffering from it as well as those around them, their workplace, etc. The financial repercussions attributed to depression in terms of the number of days missed from work, for example, are enormous. To combat this, there are now medications that can help, that are not addictive and that have been available long enough for the long-term effects after treatment to have been studied.
Let’s also remember that depression is also associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. So why not consider treatment if it proves necessary? Why live with depression?
Treating depression, a delicate subject
Putting an end to these myths about antidepressants does not necessarily mean “encouraging” every person in crisis to take their medication. Contrary to popular belief, this is not the case in France, which is now in the lower average of OECD prescribing countries.
“I’m not saying that everyone with depression should take medication. Of course, this is something to discuss with your doctor and there may be reasons why it might be a good or bad option for you.” emphasizes the psychologist.
Like any treatment, antidepressants have side effects and can pose risks for some patients. In the context of therapy, if you notice an improvement, do not hesitate to continue, the antidepressant box does not have to be checked.But if you’re having difficulty and are hesitant to take medication because of the myths about antidepressant reluctance, you may want to reconsider and discuss this possibility with your doctor.” estimates the expert.
Furthermore, antidepressant medications have evolved significantly since the first generation, and medicine now has data on the long-term effects and underlying functions of these molecules over several years. Discussing them openly and without fear with your doctor can therefore allow you to make informed management decisions.
Slideshow: How to react when your partner is depressed