If you live with depression, your doctor may prescribe an antidepressant. For many people, these drugs are lifesaving and lead to an overall better quality of life.
But using antidepressants as a long-term medication can come with side effects. Knowing what to expect can help you decide the best path forward for managing your depression.
Make sure to talk to your doctor often while you take antidepressants. They can help you decide if it’s time to stop taking them or adjust your treatment.
Benefits of Antidepressants for Mental Health Treatment
Depression can make you feel down, frustrated, and hopeless. You might experience depression from outside stressors and problems. But often, it occurs because of the chemicals in your brain.
For example, depression can impact serotonin and dopamine — the brain chemicals that make us happy. Antidepressants work to regulate that chemical imbalance and treat depression. They can help with other mental health disorders, too, such as:
- Anxiety.
- Bipolar disorder.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In addition to antidepressants, therapy and mindfulness are also proven methods to improve depressive symptoms. But antidepressants are the most common of the bunch.
Kinds of antidepressants
There are a lot of different types of antidepressants. Your doctor will choose which one is best for you based on your symptoms. Some of the most common kinds of antidepressants include:
- Norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs) — Stop your brain from reabsorbing norepinephrine and dopamine, two chemicals that keep your mood balanced.
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) — Increase serotonin levels in the brain, putting you in a happier mood.
- Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) — Help your brain stop absorbing helpful chemicals like serotonin. By making the chemicals more available, SNRIs help with depression symptoms.
No matter which antidepressant your doctor prescribes, there may be side effects. Make sure to always practice NDRI, SNRI, and SSRI safety.
Can You Take Antidepressants for Years?
Antidepressants keep your mental health stable. If they help you feel better, your doctor will likely recommend that you keep taking them.
Some with depression only take antidepressants for several months, until they start to feel better. Others may stay on them for several years. But there are risks of long-term antidepressant use.
Can antidepressants cause heart problems?
If you’re taking an antidepressant, heart issues may be a cause for concern. By learning how your medication affects your heart health, you can stop problems before they start.
People who take antidepressants for five years or more could have a higher risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). When your heart suddenly stops pumping properly, your organs don’t get oxygen — and they need oxygen to survive. A lack of oxygen could lead to SCD.
SCD happens quickly and often without much warning. You could go into SCD as soon as an hour after your symptoms begin.
If you take an antidepressant and worry about SCD and other heart issues, don’t panic. The direct impact of antidepressants on your heart varies. Many factors affect your heart health, including your age, family health history, and physical activity level.
If you start having chest pain, a high heart rate, or shortness of breath, seek emergency care right away. Also, talk to your doctor about any heart health concerns.
What you should know about antidepressants and weight gain
Weight gain can be a side effect of taking antidepressants, although changes in your weight will vary. According to a 2025 study in the Archives of Clinical and Biomedical Research journal, weight gain from antidepressants impacts around 55% to 60% of people.
Some people don’t gain any weight from antidepressants; others see a difference of up to seven pounds. You may not gain weight right after you start an antidepressant, or notice weight changes for months or even years.
Antidepressants aren’t always to blame for weight gain. You might gain weight due to overeating, age, or a sedentary lifestyle. It’s important to learn how to manage weight fluctuations through lifestyle changes and new healthy habits.
If you’ve gained weight since starting an antidepressant, talk to your doctor. They may switch your antidepressant type or use an alternative treatment for your depression. Your doctor can also help you get back to a healthy weight.
Other side effects of long-term antidepressant use
Heart health risks and weight gain aren’t the only issues that come along with taking antidepressants over time. Other side effects of long-term antidepressant use include:
- Death — In some cases, staying on antidepressants for a long time causes life-threatening health issues.
- Emotional blunting — Your medication may make you feel numb to strong emotions. If you feel detached from your emotions, you may be dealing with emotional blunting. This means you have trouble crying, laughing, or feeling strong emotions like anger and fear.
- Sexual dysfunction — Some people may notice the loss of libido, arousal, or orgasm.
- Trouble sleeping — Sleep problems like insomnia can worsen the longer you stay on an antidepressant. Take note if you find yourself unable to sleep or waking up in the middle of the night.
If you have one or more of these symptoms, talk to your doctor.
Tapering Off Antidepressants Safely
If you’re having negative side effects from your antidepressants, it may be time to stop taking them. But tapering off this medication isn’t something you should ever attempt on your own. Talk to your doctor for help going off antidepressants safely.
You should never stop antidepressants altogether and all at once. This can cause withdrawal symptoms, especially if you take SSRIs — the most popular kind of antidepressant.
Stopping the medication quickly can also cause a rebound effect. This means your symptoms return worse than they were before you started taking the medication.
Tapering off your antidepressants may take weeks or, in some cases, months. Your health care provider will offer guidance on this process. They can also help you manage any new symptoms or side effects.
Your decision to stop your antidepressants is an important one. Take time to consider whether it’s the right choice for your mental health.
How can I treat depression without antidepressant medication?
In some cases, your health care provider may suggest you seek an alternative treatment for your depression.
Therapy is another common treatment for depression. While therapy can benefit everyone, it’s especially useful if you have a mental health disorder. To connect with a therapist, talk to your primary care provider (PCP) or visit a reputable online database of mental health professionals.
Diet and exercise, meditation, and group mental health programs are other valid ways to treat depression without medication.
Sources
Devendra K. Agrawal, Leena Nabipur, Michael Mouawad, Impact of Antidepressants on Weight Gain: Underlying Mechanisms and Mitigation Strategies. Archives of Clinical and Biomedical Research. Accessed January 2026. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12121960/pdf/nihms-2079557.pdf. Link.
European Society of Cardiology, Use of Antidepressant Medication Linked to Substantial Increase in Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death. Accessed January 2026. https://www.escardio.org/news/press/press-releases/Use-of-antidepressant-medication-linked-to-substantial-increase-in-risk-of-sudden-cardiac-death/. Link.
Harvard Medical School, Harvard Health Publishing, Going Off Antidepressants. Accessed January 2026. https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/going-off-antidepressants. Link.
National Institute of Mental Health, Mental Health Medications. Accessed January 2026. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/mental-health-medications. Link.
University of Bristol, Adverse Health Outcomes Associated With Long-Term Antidepressant Use. Accessed January 2026. https://www.bristol.ac.uk/primaryhealthcare/news/2022/adverse-health-outcomes-associated-with-long-term-antidepressant-use.html. Link.