Don’t make these 2 common mistakes when deciding if an antidepressant is effective. Many people have inadequate trials on antidepressant medication due to dosing that is too low or taking the medication for too short of a time. Without accurate expectations of treatment, people assume the medicine isn’t effective and discontinue it. So how long does it take for antidepressants to work?

2 Common reasons for inadequate trials of antidepressant medication:

• A person is on a starting dose of the medication and the dose was never raised.
• They stayed on the antidepressant medication for less than the amount of time needed to get a response.

Increase your chance to choose the right medication the first time!

6 Questions You Must Ask Before Choosing an Antidepressant read more

It’s important to know what to expect when starting on an antidepressant and to be aware of common side effects of antidepressants. Most commonly, antidepressant side effects happen when a medication is started. With antidepressants side effects are usually manageable and time-limited.

I find when people are aware of potential side effects and how long they may last, they are more tolerant of transitional discomfort while their body gets used to the medicine. If people aren’t aware of the common side effects of antidepressants they may stop the medication assuming they don’t tolerate it. read more