Understanding yourself
Psychiatric medicines: myths and facts
“Will I get addicted? Will it change who I am?”
Honest answers about psychiatric medication: what it does, what it does not, and how decisions are made together.
Nasim’s doctor suggested an antidepressant. At the family dinner that night, an uncle said those tablets make you a zombie, an aunt said you can never stop them, and someone forwarded a video saying they are a pharmaceutical trick. Nasim put the prescription in a drawer.
An illustration drawn from common experience. The person is invented; the pattern is not.
Common myths, and what the evidence says
- “Antidepressants are addictive.” They are not associated with craving or the need for ever higher doses. Stopping suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms in some people, which is why UK national guidelines advise reducing them in stages with a doctor, and note that most people stop them successfully. Withdrawal symptoms are not the same as addiction. Some other medicines, such as sleeping tablets of the benzodiazepine type, can cause dependence and are used for short periods.
- “They change your personality.” Treatment aims to lift the illness, not change who you are. If a medicine makes you feel flat or unlike yourself, tell your doctor; doses and choices can be adjusted.
- “Once you start, you take them for life.” Most courses for depression or anxiety are time-limited, and NICE advises continuing for at least six months after you feel well. Some conditions, such as bipolar disorder, need longer treatment, and that is discussed openly.
- “Therapy or medication, not both.” For depression, a 2020 analysis of trials in World Psychiatry found the combination works better than either alone.
How decisions are made
Medication is one option, and it is never given without discussion. Dr. Tajreen explains why a medicine is suggested, what to expect, the common side effects, and how it will be reviewed, and you decide together.
Common questions about psychiatric medicines
Are antidepressants addictive?
Antidepressants are not associated with craving or the need for ever higher doses. Stopping them suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms in some people, which is why UK national guidelines advise reducing them in stages with a doctor, and most people stop them successfully. Withdrawal symptoms are not the same as addiction.
How long do people usually take an antidepressant?
Most courses for depression or anxiety are time-limited, and NICE advises continuing for at least six months after you feel well. Some conditions, such as bipolar disorder, need longer treatment. How long is right for you is a decision made with your doctor, who will review it over time.
When to see a psychiatrist
If you have a prescription in a drawer, or questions no one has answered, a conversation can help you decide.
Care here is personal: built around your history, your health and what you want to change, and reviewed with you as it goes.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department.
If some of this sounds familiar, a first conversation is a good place to start. You do not need the right words, or to be certain.
Dr. Tajreen is consulting in Uttar Badda now, until 8:00 pm. Call +880 1847-331010Every address and its hours
Sources
- NICE guideline NG222, Depression in adults, 2022
- Cuijpers et al., World Psychiatry, 2020
You do not need to have everything figured out before you begin.
