Antidepressants, also known in the past as psychic energizers, are a class of medications used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, and addiction.
Common side effects of antidepressants include dry mouth, weight gain, dizziness, headaches, akathisia, sexual dysfunction, and emotional blunting. There is an increased risk of suicidal thinking and behavior when taken by children, adolescents, and young adults. Discontinuation syndrome, which resembles recurrent depression in the case of the SSRI class, may occur after stopping the intake of any antidepressant, having effects which may be permanent and irreversible. Tapering off medications gradually is shown to reduce the risk of withdrawal complications.
The effectiveness of antidepressants for treating depression in adults has strong support, though studies also highlight potential risks and limitations. In children and adolescents, evidence of efficacy is more limited, despite a marked increase in antidepressant prescriptions for these age groups since the 2000s. A 2018 meta-analysis reported that the 21 most commonly prescribed antidepressants were found in all studies to be more effective than placebos for the short-term treatment of major depressive disorder in adults. However, other research suggests that some benefits may be attributable to the placebo effect. Response to antidepressants is highly variable, and medications that are effective for certain patients may have no effect or a negative effect for others. Research into the factors that influence individual responses to antidepressants is ongoing.
