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← Back to blogPrejudice Against Antidepressants
Are antidepressants addictive? Do they change your personality? The 6 most common fears and what the evidence says 👇
Antidepressants do not cause addiction: craving, a need for progressively higher doses, and compulsive use do not occur. The "discontinuation/withdrawal symptoms" that may occur when stopping abruptly are a different phenomenon — the solution is gradual tapering under medical supervision (Horowitz & Taylor, 2022).
"They turn you into someone else" is not true either: the changes measured reflect reduced vulnerability to depression, not the erasure of one's identity (Tang et al., 2009). As for efficacy, a 2018 network meta-analysis of 21 antidepressants found that all were more effective than placebo in adults, and guidelines support this finding (Cipriani et al., 2018; CANMAT 2023).
To be frank: the effects are not immediate, and a full response often takes weeks (~20 days); some degree of emotional blunting may occur in approximately 40–60% of patients, but it overlaps substantially with symptoms of depression itself and can usually be managed by adjusting the dose or switching medications; the evidence is weaker in people over 65. The decision is individual.
This content is for general information only; it is not medical advice. Decisions about starting medication, changing the dose, or stopping treatment should only be made together with the physician who has assessed you. Do not stop taking your medication on your own.