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Why Do Antidepressants Stop Working After Years?
Why do antidepressants stop working? I know that the brain gets used to them and shuffles the neurotransmitters around. But I have been on them for many years and notice changes with memory and other issues and have concerns. Thanks also none of the psychiatrists validate any of theses concerns and it is frustrating.
Wed, 23 Oct 2013
Hi,
Thanks for writing to us,
The possible reasons for the problems you are facing may be recurrence of the disorder despite the intake of antidepressants, which may happen if there is a stressor in your life or you are finding it difficult to cope with some situation currently going on in your life. The other possibility is cognitive side effects after a long term use of the drug.
Antidepressants do not usually stop working after years. These have no properties of tolerance which is usually responsible for rendering a drug ineffective after a while. Kindly discuss with your psychiatrist regarding a solution for the problem, no matter what the cause of the problem is.
Hope this helps,
Dr A Rao
Thanks for writing to us,
The possible reasons for the problems you are facing may be recurrence of the disorder despite the intake of antidepressants, which may happen if there is a stressor in your life or you are finding it difficult to cope with some situation currently going on in your life. The other possibility is cognitive side effects after a long term use of the drug.
Antidepressants do not usually stop working after years. These have no properties of tolerance which is usually responsible for rendering a drug ineffective after a while. Kindly discuss with your psychiatrist regarding a solution for the problem, no matter what the cause of the problem is.
Hope this helps,
Dr A Rao
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