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Information about the harmful effects of antidepressants. There are many types of antidepressant medications, but no one should take them before consulting a doctor, because they have many side effects that can appear temporarily during only the first weeks of taking them, or they may continue to be taken continuously. pharmaceutical.

Information about the harmful effects of antidepressants

• The side effects that result from taking antidepressant drugs may be more disturbing to the person taking them than the feelings of depression themselves, as they negatively affect physical health and reduce the ability of the body’s organs to perform their functions.
• Antidepressants may cause some side effects that vary from person to person, and their severity also varies from person to person depending on several reasons, but in most cases these effects are annoying but not serious.
• Side effects of antidepressants appear in the form of feeling nauseous, so-called insomnia, or having problems sleeping, and may appear in the form of a noticeable increase in body weight. These symptoms are not the only ones, but they are the most common among many people.

See also: Symptoms of depression before menstruation

How to reduce the side effects of antidepressants

• Anyone who takes anti-inflammatory drugs must constantly check the blood levels in the body and follow them very carefully, as they are considered a strong indicator of the effectiveness of the type of medication and the dose that this person is taking.
• You should not change the type of medication or the size of the dose that a person takes of the medication or stop taking it, whether because of feeling better and not needing it or because of not tolerating the side effects caused by this medication, except after consulting a specialist doctor.
• Stopping taking antidepressants suddenly has a very negative effect on the human body, as a phenomenon called withdrawal occurs, and it can make the person return to zero on the treatment journey, and the symptoms of depression return again.

Symptoms of harmful side effects of antidepressants

There are some side effects that may be caused by antidepressants, and we will learn about them in detail in this article, and we will discuss how to reduce or get rid of these effects:

1- Feeling nauseous

• Nausea is considered one of the first harmful side effects of antidepressants that appear in a sick person, because the body or stomach is not accustomed to the therapeutic substance present in the drugs that are classified as antidepressants.
• Sometimes the feeling of nausea is only a temporary feeling that the person feels in the beginning only until both the body and stomach get used to this type of drug, and in some other cases this feeling continues by continuing to take the dose each time.
• To avoid feeling nauseous, you can take antidepressant medications while eating, but only after consulting a specialist doctor. It is possible to reduce the amount of food in one meal while increasing the number of meals, so that the stomach is not suddenly filled with food.
• When feeling nauseous, a person can also suck on any type of hard candy, such as a lollipop or a bonbon, as it eliminates the feeling of nausea. It must be sugar-free, such as those taken by people who are on a diet.
• The body must be kept hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids and cold water to avoid feeling nauseous. It is also possible to take doses of antacids when feeling nauseous begins, but you must first consult a doctor.

2- Weight gain

• Depression often suppresses appetite, so the medications used to get rid of depression cause appetite to increase again and thus lead to weight gain.
• Weight gain may occur as a result of fluid retention in the body, but weight gain may also be due to lack of physical effort.
• If you are afraid of gaining weight, you can tell your doctor about this, as there are types of antidepressants that cause weight gain more than others.
• The side effects of each of these types are also known to the doctor, so that your doctor should avoid these types.
• To avoid weight gain during the treatment period, the amount of sweets must be reduced, and it is best not to put sugar or honey in drinks to avoid excess unnecessary calories.
• It is also advisable to avoid food that is high in saturated fats.
• To control the calories that you should take in throughout the day, you can download an application to regulate calories, and you enter your weight and height and the weight you want to reach, then the application will calculate the calories allowed for you, thus making it easier for you.
• Before eating any food, you enter this application to know the calories in it to regulate your food. This application will also provide you with several other services, such as reminding you to drink water regularly, or to do deep breathing exercises, or exercise.
• Exercising daily for a certain period, whether it is a large or small period, will maintain weight and make the body healthier and able to carry out its functions more efficiently. It also works to improve the psychological state and get rid of negative energy.
• It is necessary to talk to your doctor about changing the type of antidepressant medication from time to time, so that you can learn the advantages and disadvantages of each type for yourself, and find out which type is most suitable for you through personal experience, so that you can settle on the type that is appropriate for you.

See also: The best types of psychological depression and its symptoms

3- Feeling tired or sleepy

• Fatigue and drowsiness are common symptoms among all users of antidepressant drugs. They are normal and do not cause panic. They occur especially in the first weeks of taking treatment and often do not continue with continued treatment.
• To avoid succumbing to a feeling of fatigue or sleepiness, you can take a small nap when you feel tired, and it is desirable for it to be in the middle of the day, so that the body can enjoy a rest, so that it can complete the day actively.
• One of the best treatments for feeling tired is walking. Walking is considered the best exercise for all muscles and organs of the body. You can walk daily for fifteen continuous minutes to help the body feel active and eliminate fatigue.
• To avoid exhaustion and fatigue caused by antidepressant drugs throughout the day, which makes the person unable to work or carry out his daily life normally, these medications can be taken before going to sleep at night, but only if the doctor approves.
• It is best not to operate any electrical appliances or any equipment that can emit vibrations that stress the body, causing fatigue. It is also best not to drive during the treatment period unless necessary, and to rely on walking as previously mentioned.

4- Insomnia

• Antidepressant medications can cause insomnia for the person who takes them, make it difficult for him to sleep, and make the person unable to reach the deep sleep stage, which affects the person’s performance during the day and throughout the next day.
• If your antidepressant medication causes you to feel insomnia, you can consult your specialist doctor about the possibility of taking the medication early in the morning after waking up, to avoid feeling insomnia and sleep peacefully at night.
• Drinks that contain caffeine should be avoided, which stimulates the nerves and brain, which helps in feeling insomnia and anxiety during sleep, and not relaxing properly. If a person cannot stay away from caffeine, he should drink it during the day and avoid it at night.
• Avoid daily exercise immediately before bed if you suffer from insomnia. It is best to practice it early in the day, or at least several hours before bed, so as not to increase the alertness process and affect your sleep.
• If you follow all of these aforementioned steps and are unable to get rid of insomnia and anxiety while sleeping, then you can consult your doctor about the possibility of taking a type of narcotic medication before going to sleep, so that you can enter into a deep sleep.

5- Dry mouth

• Many types of antidepressants cause dry mouth, so it is recommended to continue drinking fluids regularly, or chew gum to activate the glands responsible for secreting saliva, to keep the mouth moist and prevent dryness, but on the condition that the type of gum is sugar-free.
• You can also suck on hard candy or sugar-free bonbons to get rid of dry mouth. There are those who recommend sucking on ice cubes to keep the mouth moist. It is better to breathe through the nose rather than through the mouth, which is healthier in general.
• Teeth should be brushed regularly, at least twice a day, as dry mouth can easily cause tooth decay, so pay attention to the cleanliness of your teeth if you suffer from dry mouth, and you should stay away from drinking cigarettes or anything that harms the teeth.
• Alcoholic beverages and drinks that contain caffeine, such as coffee, or nicotine, such as cigarettes, increase the risk of dry mouth, which in turn affects many things, such as dental problems.
• If you have implemented all the instructions mentioned in the previous paragraph, but dry mouth still persists, you must go to your specialist doctor and change the size of the dose of the antidepressant medication you are taking to avoid this problem.

6- Constipation

• There are some types of antidepressant drugs that may cause constipation in those who take them. These types are tricyclic, because the nature of these drugs works to inhibit the functions of various organs of the body, the most important of which is the digestive tract, which causes constipation.
• To avoid constipation, you must keep drinking water continuously, and practice simple exercises on a daily basis for a fixed period that each person sets for himself according to his ability. Exercise helps improve the performance of the body’s organs.
• It is recommended to eat food that contains natural fibers that work to eliminate constipation. Make sure to eat fresh fruits and vegetables in moderate quantities, neither too much nor too little. This type of food has a positive effect on constipation.
• If you eat food that contains natural fiber and do not feel better, you can use nutritional supplements that contain fiber to help the body get rid of constipation. Examples of these nutritional supplements are Citrucel.
• If you try all of these tips and do not get the desired results, you can use stool softeners, whether they are herbs that are taken or drops that are placed in water and drunk, or the drugs responsible for that, but you must consult the treating physician first.

7- Feeling dizzy

• A few types of antidepressant drugs can make people who take them feel dizzy. This happens because they work to lower blood pressure in the body as a result of being tricyclics and are considered a monoamine oxidase inhibitor rather than an antidepressant.
• To properly deal with the feeling of dizziness, do not move from one position to another suddenly, and move slowly to avoid falling. Use stable objects while walking, standing, and sitting to lean on. It is advisable not to drive a car during dizziness to avoid accidents.
• Stay away from drinks that contain caffeine when you feel dizzy. You should completely avoid alcohol while taking anti-depressant drugs, and stay away from cigarettes and tobacco, which negatively affect a person’s psychological and physical health.
• To avoid feeling dizzy throughout the day, you can consult your doctor about the correctness of taking the medication immediately before sleeping, and if your doctor agrees, do so, but if he refuses, know that this may have other side effects on your condition.

8- Agitation, disturbance, and anxiety

• Antidepressant medications may cause disturbances and anxiety because they supply the body with a lot of energy, making it difficult for the body to calm down and relax, and thus the person feels anxious and disturbed as a result.
• It is possible to practice fast sports, such as running, basketball, horse riding, or swimming, to get rid of the excessive activity that affects a person who takes this type of medication, but the specialist doctor must be asked first about the type of sport and the amount of effort required.
• If the doctor refuses to practice fast sports, you can resort to exercises that rid the body of excess activity and disturbances without exerting effort, such as yoga or deep breathing exercises, which is filling the lungs with air through the nose and emptying it through the mouth.
• If the situation continues as it is after all the previous steps and you do not notice any change, you can take nerve-sedating or pain-relieving drugs that calm the body and nerves, but you must consult a specialist doctor first before taking these medications.
• You can ask your doctor to change the type of antidepressant medication that causes you agitation and disturbance, and replace it with another type of medication that does not cause you these problems, so that your mental and physical health will not be affected if you continue with this type.
• Until the problem of agitation and nervous disorder is resolved, do not make important decisions in your personal or professional life, because they may be impulsive thoughts arising from the moment as a result of taking this type of treatment, and you may regret them later when you calm down and think.

9- Heart-related side effects.

• The side effects that may affect the heart vary from one person to another depending on the health condition of the heart. Its effect on a healthy person who does not suffer from any heart problems is not the same as its effect on a person who suffers from chronic heart disease, for example.
• The side effects that may affect the heart vary from one type of treatment to another, but to take safety precautions, it is preferable to perform a set of necessary tests before starting a specific treatment, to confirm the heart rhythms and the extent of the drug’s effect on them.
• As soon as you go to the doctor who specializes in treating depression, you must tell him that you suffer from chronic heart disease of any kind, so that your doctor will avoid giving you any type of antidepressant medication that negatively affects the heart.

10- Genetic variations

• A group of studies have been conducted to find out whether genetic changes have a role in the body’s response to antidepressant drugs or not. It has been proven that there is an effect of genetic changes on this issue, and that drugs may cause side effects on people who suffer from these changes.
• The necessary genetic tests must be done before starting the treatment journey and taking antidepressant medications, but these tests must be done in specialized places.

See also: Physical symptoms of depression in detail

Therefore, at the end of our journey with information about the harmful effects of antidepressants, if you notice any symptom in yourself that indicates that you are suffering from depression, do not hesitate to go to the specialist doctor to follow up on your condition and prevent its development, and do not take any type of antidepressant or practice any type of exercise without consulting him. The specialist doctor.