Side Effects of Anti-Depressants

Antidepressants allow you to cope with your depression, reducing symptoms, and 
lowering the effects of those depressive episodes. Unfortunately, they also come with 
some side effects. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take them, but you should always 
be aware and prepared for side effects of any medication you take.

Common Physical Side Effects

There are physical and mental side effects of antidepressants to be aware of, but let’s 
start with the physical ones. These are often easier for people to notice and understand, 
since emotional changes can be a little more subtle. When you begin taking 
antidepressants, you may notice any or all of the following:
 
Increased appetite 
Weight gain 
Nausea and/or vomiting 
Blurry vision 
Dizziness or lightheadedness 
Constipation 
Dry mouth 
Sexual dysfunction

You might also notice an increase in other physical symptoms of depression for a week 
or so after starting the medication.

Common Mental and Emotional Side Effects

The next set of side effects of your antidepressants are mental and emotional ones. 
Keep in mind many of these are also similar to depression itself, but side effects are 
temporary. They might get a little worse within the first few weeks of taking a new 
medication, but then you start feeling much better. It is important to prepare for them 
and have a good support system until your antidepressants start kicking in.

Some of these side effects include:

Severe mood swings 
Agitation and irritability 
Increased anxiety 
Fatigue 
Insomnia

More Serious Side Effects

There are also some potentially more serious side effects, but these also tend to occur 
only shortly after you start taking your medication.

The first is a bigger threat of self-harm or suicidal thoughts, which is often the result of 
the changes in your brain, combined with increased anxiety and depression symptoms. 
This is temporary and exactly why you need a good support system around.

Other people will have worsened physical symptoms as a result, such as a rapid 
heartbeat or sever dizziness to the brink of fainting. If you experience these types of 
side effects, talk to your doctor immediately.

It is essential that you not stop taking your antidepressants on a whim. You need to 
discuss it with your doctor if you think you need to change the dosage or switch to a 
different type of antidepressant. Your body and mind might not be able to handle just 
stopping the medication immediately and suddenly. 
