Commonly Asked Questions About Medications
to Treat Mental Illness

By A. Michele Tedder, BSN RN

For many people with emotional problems, medication can be a very helpful part of treatment. People are often reluctant to begin a medication trial because they lack information about the potential benefits to their overall treatment plan. The following are common questions that people ask when trying to decide whether medication might improve their condition.

1. Which medication is right for me?

Before medication can be prescribed, an individual should have a comprehensive mental health assessment to determine mental health diagnosis.  Accurate treatment is dependent upon accurate diagnosis.  A mental health assessment should be done by a health professional with special training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders. This can be a nurse, licensed social worker, psychologist or psychiatrist. Once an accurate diagnosis is established, then your health care provider can help you determine which medication might work best for you.

2. How long does it take for the medication to work?

It usually takes four to six weeks to see the full benefit of the medication.  Symptom relief is dependent on accurate dosing; therefore, some dosing changes may need to happen along the way.

3. What if the medication doesn’t work?

Don’t be discouraged if the first medication you are prescribed is not effective.  This is a very common occurrence, but it doesn’t mean that medication won’t work.  It simply means that each person is unique with individual needs.  With patience and an open relationship with your physician and/or therapist, an appropriate treatment plan using medication can be achieved.

4. Are antidepressants addicting?

Antidepressant medication is not addicting.  The newer antidepressants tend to have fewer side effects than some of the older antidepressants.  The most commonly used antidepressants used today belong to a class of drugs called Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs.  These include Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, Lexapro and Luvox.

5. What are the side effects?

The most common side effects of the SSRIs are stomach upset, jitteriness, dry mouth and headaches.  Most of these side effects are seen in the beginning of treatment and usually go away within a week or so.  Not everyone will experience these side effects, but if you do, you should discuss it with your health care provider.

6. How long will I have to take the medication?

This will vary from person to person, but research supports the idea that remaining on the medication for at least one year has the most long-term benefits to prevent recurrence of depression. Medication should never be discontinued without first discussing it with your physician.

7. Can the newer antidepressants increase suicidal behavior?

Though the FDA has recently recommended stronger warnings or “black box” warning labels on these medications, it is not certain that they do increase suicidal behavior.  It is more important to be aware of the fact that suicide is a symptom of depression.  If depression is left untreated, it greatly increases a person’s risk for suicide.  About 15 percent of untreated depression ends in suicide. 

Choosing to take medication to treat mental illness is very personal.  One must weigh the benefits versus possible risks to overall sense of well-being. With appropriate medical follow-up, many people reap the benefits of an improved quality of life through the use of medications to treat mental illness.

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Michele Tedder, BSN, RN is the Project Coordinator for Reaching Out to Adolescents with Depression (ROAD) an outreach program serving adolescents with behavioral health issues at UPMC. ROAD also offers workshops to educate the community about mental illness. If you would like to have more information or to schedule an appointment you may reach Michele by calling 1-866-670-ROAD(7623)

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