Questions to Ask Yourself and your Doctor About Antidepressants
Make sure you make a well-informed decision before taking antidepressants. Ask yourself, a mental health professional and your doctor the following questions:
- Is my depression severe enough to justify drug treatment?
- Is medication the best option for treating my depression?
- Am I willing to tolerate unwanted side effects?
- What non-drug treatments might help my depression?
- Do I have the time and motivation to pursue other treatments such as therapy and exercise?
- What self-help strategies might reduce my depression?
- If I decide to take medication, should I pursue therapy as well?
- Are there any medical conditions that could be causing my depression?
- What are the side effects and risks of the antidepressant you are recommending?
- Are there any foods or other substances I will need to avoid?
- How will this drug interact with other prescriptions I’m taking?
- How long will I have to take this medication?
- Will withdrawing from the drug be difficult?
- Will my depression return when I stop taking medication?
Remember to not take this decision lightly and weigh all the pros and cons. Antidepressants aren’t the only way to overcome depression.
The next post will be about avoiding antidepressant withdrawal.
Take care,
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