Myths about antidepressants
There are many misunderstandings about medication
for depression. Here are four common misconceptions
about antidepressants - and the facts.
Antidepressants are addictive.
There is no habit-forming tendency with antidepressants.
Tranquillisers like Valium
and Serepax work just as well as antidepressants.
These medications calm you
down, but they do not lift depression. In fact,
they can make depression worse.
You have to take antidepressants
forever.
It is important to take
antidepressant medication properly. This means taking
it to get better, and then continuing to take it
for some time to stay well. Normally this means
at least 6-12 months, but sometimes it will mean
years.
Antidepressants make you
fat.
It is often a sign that the depression is lifting
when you start to eat more. As your mood lifts,
your appetite increases and you regain the weight
you lost when depressed. Some antidepressants do
increase appetite but weight gain can generally
be controlled with a good diet.
