Antidepressant Overtreatment

Antidepressants may take weeks to work, provide minimal benefit even when effective, and cause side effects during that period. For mild depression, the article says lifestyle interventions are as effective or more effective than antidepressants. Older adults commonly experience antidepressant side effects such as dry mouth, dizziness, and nonspecific symptoms. A recurring problem is that women started on antidepressants in midlife may remain on them indefinitely without a planned endpoint. Some patients who gradually reduce antidepressant doses report no mood worsening and improved symptoms, suggesting the medication may have been reducing quality of life. Depression in older adults can reflect underlying medical, cognitive, or social causes that may be missed when it is treated as a standalone condition.