Antidepressant

Antidepressants 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.

The effectiveness of antidepressants for treating depression in adults remains a subject of debate, with studies highlighting both potential benefits and limitations. In children and adolescents, evidence of efficacy is 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 modestly more effective than placebos for the short-term treatment of major depressive disorder in adults. However, other research suggests that the observed benefits may largely be attributable to the placebo effect.

Much of the existing research has focused on individuals with severe depressive symptoms, a group known to show reduced placebo responses. As a result, these findings may not be fully applicable to the broader population, including those with milder symptoms or individuals who have not been formally diagnosed with depression or anxiety.