Antidepressant Medication Side Effects Once the person is feeling better, it is important to continue the medication for at least four to nine months to prevent a relapse into depression. Therapy Therapy Site Map Health Health Site Map Anxiety Anxiety Site Map Psychotherapies Some drugs, like alcohol (wine, beer, and hard liquor) or street drugs, may reduce the effectiveness of antidepressants and should be avoided.
"It is harder in a combined medication and therapy approach to tell which approach is or is not helping and how much it is helping."
Depression Symptoms
Facts
An NIMH sponsored study of 9 to 17 year olds estimates that the prevalence of any depressive disorder is more than 6 percent in a six month period, with almost 5 percent having major depression.
Although available therapies alleviate symptoms in over 80 percent of those treated, less than half of people with depression get the help they need.
Twenty to 40 percent of adolescents with major depression go on to reveal bipolar disorder within five years after the onset of depression.
More than half of people with bipolar disorder type I (with severe mania) have a co occurring substance use disorder.
Over 70 percent of older suicide victims visit their primary care physician within the month of their death; many have a depressive illness that goes undetected during these visits.
"As with other serious illnesses, such as HIV, heart disease, or stroke, cancer can be accompanied by depression, which can affect mind, mood, body and behavior."
Healthcare Physician
"Despite the enormous advances in brain research in the past 20 years, depression often goes undiagnosed and untreated."
Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management
"The most common side effects of ECT are confusion and memory loss for events surrounding the period of ECT treatment."
Access To Care In Healthcare
"Recently, concerns have been raised that the use of antidepressant medications themselves may induce suicidal behavior in youths."