Side Effects of SSRIs
When a person suffers from depression, it affects all aspects of his life. In addition to the persistent feelings of sadness, despair and hopelessness, he may experience physical symptoms like insomnia, weight fluctuations, and unexplainable aches and pains. These symptoms interfere with daily functioning, so you’ll want to seek treatment.
Today, depression is commonly treated with SSRI antidepressants. SSRI antidepressants cause less severe side effects and withdrawal symptoms than older antidepressants. However, SSRIs medications can still cause side effects.
What Are SSRI Medications?
SSRI stands for “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.” Several SSRIs are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat depression and anxiety, including:
- Citalopram (Celexa©)
- Escitalopram (Lexapro©)
- Fluoxetine (Prozac©)
- Paroxetine (Paxil®, Pexeva™:)
- Sertraline (Zoloft©).
In addition to depression, SSRI medication may be used to treat anxiety, panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
How Does SSRI Medication Work?
Research indicates that low levels of serotonin in the brain contribute to depression. Serotonin is an important brain chemical that affects mood and cognitive thinking. SSRI medication blocks certain nerve cells in the brain from absorbing too much serotonin, leaving a higher level of the chemical in the brain. Higher levels of serotonin improve neurotransmission, or the communication of nerve impulses in the brain, which in turn, improves mood.
SSRI Antidepressant Side Effects
Although SSRI medications cause fewer and less severe side effects than older classes of antidepressants, most patients still experience some side effects during the first few weeks of treatment. Most side effects are due to the fact that serotonin, in addition to regulating mood, also plays a role in sleep patterns, digestion and libido.
Common SSRI antidepressant side effects include:
- Agitation
- Diarrhea
- Drowsiness
- Dry mouth
- Erectile dysfunction
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Nervousness
- Rash
- Reduced sexual desire
- Restlessness
- Sweating
- Weight gain.
A particularly alarming side effect of SSRI antidepressants is an increased pattern of suicidal thoughts and behavior among children, teens and young adults under the age of 24. Young people taking SSRI medication should be closely monitored while undergoing treatment.
Women should avoid taking paroxetine during the first trimester of pregnancy, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, because of an increased risk of birth defects. SSRIs can also interact with some other drugs, including MAOIs, herbal supplements, and anti-inflammatory drugs. Talk to your doctor if you are taking or have recently taken any of these drugs.
SSRIs are non-addictive and non-habit forming. However, many people still experience withdrawal symptoms after discontinuing SSRI medication. These symptoms include:
- Anxiety
- Dizziness
- Flu-like symptoms
- Odd sensations in the body
- Upset stomach
- Vivid dreams.
In some cases, symptoms of depression return after treatment ends. These patients often worry that they are addicted to SSRI antidepressants, but it’s more likely that the original depression has simply returned.
Resources
Antidepressants Staff. (n.d.). Discover the truth about SSRI antidepressants. Retrieved May 9, 2010, from the Antidepressants website: www.antidepressants.ws/ssri-antidepressants.html.
Healthy Place Staff. (2005). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Retrieved May 9, 2010, from the Healthy Place website: www.healthyplace.com/depression/antidepressants/selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors-ssris/menu-id-68/.
Masterson, G. (2003). The pros and cons of SSRI antidepressants. Retrieved May 9, 2010, from the Behind the Medical Headlines website: www.behindthemedicalheadlines.com/articles/the-pros-and-cons-of-ssri-antidepressants.
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2008). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Retrieved May 9, 2010, from the Mayo Clinic website: www.mayoclinic.com/health/ssris/MH00066.