Table of Contents
Antidepressants are a form of medication used to treat individuals suffering from specific mental health disorders. Many individuals struggling with these disorders have a lowered quality of daily life due to their issues and can become dependent on antidepressants as well, leading to a need to know the signs of antidepressant addiction.
Antidepressants are usually available to support these individuals through their experiences but can result in their own issues too. They affect many different chemicals within the brain to help provide a balance to individuals with an imbalance.
Some of these brain chemicals include serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for the regulation of many different bodily functions. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that are found naturally within the brain.
Keep reading to find out about more about antidepressant dependence, and get the form of help you need now!
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) is one of many different types of antidepressant medications. They are one of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants, taking the place of Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) as they have less side effects.
SSRIs work by inhibiting the reabsorption or reuptake of serotonin within the body to boost an individual’s serotonin levels. This is a very beneficial treatment for individuals struggling with mental health.
Serotonin works in the body by helping regulate many parts of neural function and major organ systems. It is difficult to find core parts of the body which do not have serotonin activity. This being said, serotonin is a major support system for the functions, processes, and systems of an individual.
Antidepressants do not take effect immediately within an individual after the first dosage. It may take 1-2 weeks before an individual begins properly feeling its effects, and even then, for the medications to be properly integrated it can take up to 6-8 weeks.
If an individual is not feeling any effects around 3-4 weeks after beginning the medication, an individual may need an increased dosage or another form of medication. Not all forms of medications work for every individual.
There are many different varieties to provide individuals with the proper assistance and treatment they need.
Individuals struggling with depression are the ones who are prescribed antidepressants. Depression is one of many mental disorders that may be present within individuals and causes them to endure the issues that come with it daily.
According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), depression symptoms can include:
In some cases, antidepressant medication is used in addiction treatment to assist individuals through some of the withdrawals of addiction. This medication can also be prescribed to individuals struggling with other mental health disorders including:
Keep reading to find out more on mental health disorders!
It can be difficult for an individual to know if they are addicted or if they are dependent upon antidepressants. The differences between the two can seem unclear and can cause fear in individuals who are using antidepressants.
That is why it is important to understand the differences between addiction and dependence. To start, an addiction is defined as a complex relapsing disorder in which an individual cannot properly control or inhibit drug seeking and abusing behaviors.
Individuals struggling with addiction continue substance abuse despite the negative or harmful consequences of their actions. Addiction is seen through the behaviors and actions of an individual as it primarily affects an individual’s brain.
While this is a form of dependence, dependence does not inherently mean that an individual is addicted. Dependence is seen as a reliance upon a substance to maintain proper bodily functions and processes.
This means that as an individual uses a substance long term and consistently, their body slowly adjusts to the substance. When an individual stops substance use, they will most likely face withdrawals from removing the substance from their body.
Withdrawals are most commonly related to addiction however in the case of antidepressants, an individual experiencing withdrawals are experiencing the drawbacks from no longer using a substance that the body was expecting and relying upon for proper functions.
It is important to realize that every substance, drug, or medication are all different and comes with its own effects. One substance may be much more addictive than another and can affect individuals differently.
Antidepressants are not an addictive substance however, there are some antidepressants with the potential for abuse. An individual stopping long term antidepressants are likely to experience withdrawal symptoms due to dependence.
Dependence does not inherently mean an individual is addicted to a substance. Withdrawal symptoms are mainly associated with substance abuse or drug abuse however, withdrawals are a sign of dependence, not addiction.
As was said before, dependence upon something does not always mean addiction, but addiction to something always means dependence upon something. As an individual’s body and mind adjust to the consistent use of one thing, they can become dependent upon it.
Since antidepressants, in general, influence changes within the brain to provide an individual with a proper chemical balance, they are likely to become dependent upon this substance. This substance will be typically taken every day to allow the brain to adjust to this medication.
When the brain begins adjusting to the antidepressants, taking at most 6-8 weeks, symptoms of depression or other mental disorders alleviate over time. Keep in mind, that there are times when one specific medication may not work for an individual and they may require either an increased dosage or another form of medication.
This adjustment from the brain is a form of dependence within an individual. If antidepressants, after about 4 weeks, were suddenly stopped and no longer introduced to an individual, they will face withdrawals.
To avoid experiencing withdrawals, an individual can work with their doctor or medical provider to properly remove antidepressants from their system.
The process for removing this substance is a tapering method: slowly lowering the dosage to allow the brain and body time to readjust without the substance. This will best allow an individual to avoid the unwanted withdrawal symptoms.
Antidepressant medications aren’t usually addictive or at least as addictive as many other medications and substances. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), there are very few individuals who are prescribed antidepressants and misuse or abuse them.
This does mean that some of the medications do carry the potential for abuse. An individual that is taking their medication as prescribed and with doctor’s advice are not misusing or abusing their medication.
Abuse or misuse of prescription medication can appear as altering the proper dosage or taking too much of the dosage. Individuals who adjust the method of ingestion for a desired high or another intended purpose are the individuals abusing their medication. The signs of antidepressant abuse can include:
Individuals with a family or personal history of abuse are at an increased risk of abusing this medication. Individuals that have previously abused other substances attempt to use antidepressants to become high from them.
Many of the cases presented by NIH were individuals trying to achieve a high, typically a stimulant-like high, from the substance. Individuals abusing antidepressants often exceeded the maximum recommended dosage and took antidepressants at very high doses.
This led individuals to require medical assistance from the severe side effects that followed antidepressant abuse. It is important for individuals to use this medication only for its intended purpose to best avoid prescription drug misuse, abuse, and overdose.
Mental Health disorders are the reason individuals are prescribed antidepressant medication in the first place. Individuals struggling with mental health disorders endure a lowered daily experience.
Mental health disorders are a type of psychiatric disorder in which an individual’s thoughts, feelings, mood, behaviors, and perception are altered. This can affect many aspects of an individual’s life, especially if they are left without being diagnosed and properly treated.
Some of the many different mental disorders include:
Often individuals will use other drugs to better manage their experience when they do not receive treatment for their mental disorders; however, self-medicating can be very dangerous. Self-medicating is a form of determining the dosage of a substance without a doctor’s advice.
As Individuals determine their dose for themselves, they may use an inappropriate amount of a harmful substance and can face unwanted experiences. In this way, they can end up struggling with addiction.
Drug abuse may seem like a solution to some but those individuals are at an increased risk of developing an addiction. Overcoming addiction is one of the most difficult experiences life can bring, especially while managing mental disorders.
Of the many mental disorders that can be present within an individual, there is one that specifically inhibits control over substance abuse called a substance use disorder. This disorder inhibits an individual from properly controlling substance use with the most severe case of a substance abuse disorder being addiction.
To best avoid these substance abuse disorders, it is important for an individual to receive a proper diagnosis for disorders they may have and receive treatment for those disorders.
Unfortunately, the diagnosis for this disorder typically comes after substance abuse and so while an individual is receiving treatment for an addiction or substance abuse, professional treatment advice will be available.
It is important for an individual to receive a proper diagnosis for a mental health disorder to manage their experience and best avoid complications arising within themselves or from substance abuse.
Like most other prescription medications, antidepressants can have side effects. Most doctors prescribe antidepressants for between one and two years, or longer for patients at risk for depression relapse. Using antidepressants long-term increases the risk of dependence and overdose.
Possible long-term side effects of antidepressants:
Research shows that depression medication side effects are often more severe and common with TCAs than with SSRIs. For every 100 patients who use TCAs to treat depression, 15 patients end up switching to SSRIs to avoid the side effects of TCAs.
Quitting antidepressants abruptly can cause you to experience antidepressant withdrawal symptoms, also known as discontinuation syndrome. Antidepressants generally work by altering levels of brain neurotransmitters responsible for your mood, such as serotonin.
When you suddenly stop taking antidepressants, your body will experience a set of withdrawal symptoms as your neurotransmitters try to rebalance and adapt to the absence of antidepressants. Common antidepressant withdrawal symptoms include:
Keep in mind that going through withdrawal can reduce an individual’s tolerance level, and make them more vulnerable for an overdose if they go back to using higher doses. It is important for an individual to work together with their doctor to properly stop antidepressant use.
An antidepressant overdose can happen if an individual takes the drugs in too-high doses, misuse the pills by injecting, crushing, or snorting, or combining them with alcohol and other substances. The class of antidepressants linked to the highest number of antidepressant overdoses is TCAs.
Evidence reveals that TCA overdoses are linked to higher rates of hospitalization compared to those of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and produce higher overdose fatality rates.
Another study examining the toxicity of antidepressants used by patients to commit suicide by self-poisoning found that TCAs also had higher toxicity rates than other antidepressants, and were linked to a higher number of overdose deaths.
Prescription drug abuse with antidepressants can cause individuals to become physically dependent on their medication. Over time, antidepressant dependence can lead to an overdose if they end up using higher amounts than what their body can handle.
Antidepressant overdose symptoms often vary depending on the drug. TCAs are found to have the most toxic effects on major organs including the brain, heart, respiratory system, and the parasympathetic nervous system. Symptoms of a TCA overdose can begin within four hours of the last dose, and may include respiratory depression, convulsions, and coma.
Other common symptoms of antidepressant overdose:
An individual most often does not require treatment for antidepressant dependence. Many individuals who are struggling with dependence may desire treatment to help them stop use. Typically, this can be accomplished simply working with an individual’s doctor.
Antidepressant dependence is commonly treated using a tapering method, which is when an individual’s doctor gradually reduces their doses until they’re no longer physically dependent on their medication.
Tapering is a detoxification method commonly used to help individuals overcome dependence on prescription drugs — including antidepressants. Individuals who desire to stop their antidepressant medication may still be struggling with the issue they were prescribed antidepressants.
Thankfully, there are other therapies to assist individuals through these issues. Behavioral therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), may be a treatment that is used to support individuals through their experience and function without medication.
CBT is also used in many addiction treatment programs. As mentioned before, there are some individuals abusing antidepressants who usually have a history of other drug abuse and may require treatment for their issues.
Addiction is a very difficult issue to overcome and it can be especially difficult for individuals struggling with mental health disorders and addiction. A specific type of treatment for these individuals is called dual diagnosis treatment. To read more on that click here!
Whether you are struggling with dependence or addiction, it can be difficult to properly overcome your issue. Here at Find Addiction Rehabs, we can provide professional treatment advice to help find you the help you need.
Whether finding a treatment center in your location, or connecting you with recovery tools and resources, our hotline is available 24/7 to make sure you can get the help you need, anytime you need it.
If you or a loved one are struggling with antidepressants, call us today and we can help find you the right treatment!
Anna M. joined Find Addiction Rehabs with extensive experience in the field of addiction treatment. As a former Nurse Practitioner in Miami, she found her passion for addiction treatment when a family member was lost to his disease. With each article and resource, she hopes to save other families from experiencing the anguish of a loved one’s passing due to drinking or drugs.
