Antidepressants - Consequences
Consequences
Depression and anxiety can interfere with a person's happiness, success, and relationships. The symptoms of depression and anxiety should not be ignored. About 80 percent of people with depression respond very positively to treatment, but that leaves a significant number—the other 20 percent—without help. Thus, an important goal of NIMH research is to advance the development of more effective treatments for depression, especially those "hard-to-treat" forms that don't respond well to currently available medications and/or counseling.
Major depression can occur just once in a person's lifetime, but it is usually recurring. Depressive episodes will interfere with the ability to work, eat, sleep, concentrate, and take pleasure in formerly enjoyed activities. Treatment for depression is often a long-term process, but it can help those with the condition lead fuller and happier lives.
Taking antidepressants for depression and/or anxiety does have consequences. They all have side effects, some dangerous, that need to be monitored. A number of people believe that taking drugs for depression and/or anxiety is not necessary. In fact, they claim, it can even be harmful. In 2005, actor Tom Cruise spoke out against the use of antidepressants, citing vitamins and exercise as better alternatives. However, others state that their lives have greatly improved since they started taking antidepressants.
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