Many people take antidepressants to deal with the depression and anxiety of everyday life. Your doctor is likely to prescribe the drugs to you if you suffer from either ailment. Known fully as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the drugs can help many people. However, you may not think so, if dangerous side effects from the drug take shape. There are many other ways to deal with your anxiety or depression than by taking the drugs. You may wish to be aware of the many unintended consequences of taking drugs such as Zoloft, Lexapro or Prozac:
1) Sleeping Troubles
When you take antidepressants, you may face problems falling asleep. You could also find yourself waking up in the middle of the middle of the night. According to Frontiers in Psychiatry, a medical journal, 22 percent of people on antidepressants have sleep troubles. You might also experience sleepwalking and nightmares.
2) Sleeping During The Day
Sleeping at night is not the only trouble you might have. You could have problems staying awake during the day. It could be troublesome for you if you keep falling asleep at work or in school. Insomnia may be the cause because the drug could keep you up and awake at night. According to the same journal, 25 percent of antidepressant drug users experience falling asleep during the day. It is a troubling statistic.
3) Decreased Sexual Desire
While taking antidepressants, you may find you are not as sexually active as before. For women, it could be losing the ability to have an orgasm. For men, they may not be able to ejaculate on schedule. The journal states 60 percent or more of people on antidepressants could have the sexual side effects from the drug. For both men and women, they report experiencing a decline in their sexual appetite.
4) Weight Gain
You may gain extra weight if you take an antidepressant. Maybe, you have found your spot on the weight scale and want to stay in the current position. Illnesses such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes might result from the weight gain. You might not need to worry about it all at first because the weight gain is a late term side effect. Medical professionals recommend exercising for 30 minutes each day to fight it.
5) Suicide
One of the most deadly risks of antidepressants is the risk of ending your life. Researchers have found taking antidepressants can double your risk of suicidal thoughts. For children, teens and adults, the risks turn out to be around 2-4 percent. You might find you gather enough energy to put together a suicide plan. Medical professionals recommend you continue to meet with your doctor to combat the risk of suicide.
6) Physical Troubles
You may encounter a variety of different physical side effects from the drug. Such side effects could include headaches, joint pain, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. You could even have skin rashes. A Clinical Therapeutics study said the most usual side effects from the drug in over 40,000 antidepressant users include headaches and nausea.
You may wish to take into account the very real possibility you might experience some of the side effects. Considering other ways of coping with depression and anxiety such as exercise and meditation could be potentially more beneficial than taking the drugs. There are ways to combat the side effects. Yet, you might need to consider the pros and cons either way of whether or not an antidepressant can truly benefit you.
