6 Signs Your Antidepressant Isn't Working

In addition to going to therapy, some people need antidepressants to manage their mental health condition. Antidepressants are commonly prescribed to people with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other disorders. If you’ve just started a new medication, you’ll need to monitor your mental health closely to make sure it’s working.

At Psychiatry Treatment Centers, we offer several mental health services, including medication management. In this article, we’ll discuss how long antidepressants usually take to work, the signs that you might need to try something else and what to do next.

How long does it take for antidepressants to work?

Most antidepressants take about four to eight weeks to kick in. However, everyone’s experience is a little different. Antidepressants aren’t just medications that even out your mood– they actually change the way your brain regulates your mood and behavior. How quickly they work depends on your brain’s chemistry, your genetics and many other factors, such as:

The severity of your symptoms
Co-occurring health conditions
Medical history
Weight
Age

When you’re prescribed an antidepressant, the most important thing to do is follow your provider’s instructions and remain tuned into how you’re feeling. If you stop taking it too soon, you may not realize your medication’s full benefits. If it’s truly not working, you and your provider can work together on other solutions (maybe a different antidepressant or different intervention entirely).

6 signs your antidepressant isn’t working

Many people find that mental health care is an exercise in systematic trial and error. You may need to learn different coping strategies and try a few medications before arriving at a combination that suits your needs. When it comes to antidepressants, they may work well for some people and not at all for others. Here are some indications that your antidepressant isn’t working:

1. Your symptoms aren’t getting any better.

Some people don’t feel any different after taking an antidepressant, while others may feel more energized but still depressed. If you’ve been taking it as directed and you haven’t felt any positive mood changes, that medication might not be for you.

2. You’ve started feeling worse.

Antidepressants are designed to ease your mental health symptoms — they definitely shouldn’t make you feel worse. If your feelings of sadness or hopelessness seem to worsen or you feel out of control, this could be a sign that your antidepressant isn’t working.

3. You’re experiencing mood swings.

Antidepressants should help regulate your mood. However, some people experience unexpected mood swings. This might be agitation and irritability or even mania in some individuals. If this unfortunate side effect describes your experience, it might indicate that your antidepressant isn’t the right fit for your current condition.

4. You’ve noticed unpleasant side effects.

Many people experience mild side effects that subside after a while. However, if they’re significant or don’t seem to be going away, it could indicate that either your dosage needs an adjustment or this just isn’t the treatment for you. Possible side effects of antidepressants may include:

GI issues (e.g., nausea, vomiting, constipation)
Weight gain
Sexual dysfunction
Dry mouth
Insomnia
Drowsiness
Glucose, cholesterol or triglyceride changes
Heart-related effects

Although extremely rare, one serious side effect to be aware of is serotonin syndrome. This reaction can occur when serotonin levels in the body become too high. The signs of serotonin syndrome can include:

Agitation or restlessness
Sweating or shivering
Racing heartbeat
Headaches
Tremors
Involuntary muscle spasms
Dizziness, confusion or disorientation

5. The effects wore off quickly or only partially helped.

After starting an antidepressant, some people feel better right away. They’re sleeping better, their moods have improved and they seem to have more energy. But if these improvements don’t last, it could be a sign that this medicine isn’t a good fit.

6. You’re relying heavily on other coping strategies.

If you’re on an antidepressant and you find yourself relying more and more on other coping strategies to manage your symptoms, this could mean it’s not working. Sometimes a medication can feel like it’s not working as well as it used to — this can happen because of changes in your condition, stress or other factors.

What to do if your antidepressant isn’t effective

If your antidepressant doesn’t seem to be working, the first thing to do is talk to your provider. Be sure to discuss your symptoms, your medication regimen and other factors that could be affecting your results, so they can help you figure out what to do next. Common treatment adjustments include:

Modifying the dosage — It can take a few tries to get the dose just right.

Trying a different medication — The one you’re currently on might not be a good fit, and you may need to try something else.

Adding medication — Some people need a combination of medications to manage their symptoms.

Some people have what’s called treatment-resistant depression (TRD), which refers to depressive symptoms that have not responded to at least two trials of traditional antidepressants. You might find that antidepressants and therapy alone don’t work for you. In this case, your provider can recommend other approaches, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy or Spravato® (esketamine). TMS is a noninvasive therapy where different parts of the brain are stimulated using electromagnetic pulses to help alleviate depressive symptoms. Spravato® (esketamine) is an FDA-approved nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression.

Find help for depression with PTC Med

If you’re experiencing TRD or need help managing your antidepressant, PTC Med is here for you. Based in California and Georgia, we offer in-person outpatient therapy and telehealth. Spravato® (esketamine) treatment is offered at our California locations. Our licensed mental health professionals will assess your symptoms and develop a custom treatment plan that can help you feel more like yourself again.

Reach out to our team by phone today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment. You can also book your initial appointment online now.