How Long Does it Take for Antidepressants to Work?

November 7, 2023

3 min read

Did you know more than 10% of people in the U.S. take antidepressants? While experiences with antidepressants vary from person to person, antidepressants have been proven to be significantly more effective than placebos. In other words, antidepressants really do work for many people.

So if you’re like many other Americans, you’re either thinking about taking antidepressants or you’ve just started taking them. If you’ve just started taking them, there’s a good chance you haven’t felt anything yet, and are wondering how long this type of medication takes to work. Below, we’ll go over what antidepressants are, how they work, and how long they take to work.

What Are Antidepressants?

Antidepressants are a type of prescription medication that is used to treat depression. However, your healthcare provider may also prescribe certain antidepressants to treat other conditions including (but not limited to):

Anxiety
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Agoraphobia
Social anxiety disorder (SAD)
Panic disorder

Depression is a mood disorder that results in persistent sadness and a loss of interest in activities and things you used to enjoy. Depression can affect your thinking, sleep patterns, energy levels, eating, motivation, and memory.

Some common depressive disorders include:

Bipolar depression
Persistent depressive disorder
Major depressive disorder (also called clinical depression)
Atypical depression
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Seasonal affective disorder (seasonal depression)

Healthcare professionals prescribe antidepressants to help reduce your symptoms and improve your quality of life.

How Do Antidepressants Work?

Antidepressants help to lessen the symptoms of certain mental health conditions by targeting the brain’s neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are responsible for many important tasks including regulating mood, anxiety, motivation, sleep, and more.

Most antidepressants are taken in a pill or tablet by the mouth every day. Because there are several types of antidepressants, how they work depends on which type you’re talking about.

Types of Antidepressants

A few common types of antidepressants include:

SSRIs: Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors are the most common type of antidepressant. They allow for more serotonin available to send messages by preventing it from being taken up by nerve cells
SNRIs: SNRIs work the same way SSRIs, but in addition to making serotonin more freely available, they do the same with norepinephrine too.
NMDA receptor blockers: Block NMDA receptors in your brain, which results in brain cells releasing more glutamate (a neurotransmitter).
MAOIs: Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are the oldest kind of antidepressants, but aren’t commonly prescribed because they require modifications to your diet.

When Will My Antidepressants Start Working?

Antidepressants don’t kick in right away. So if you just started taking them, give it some time. If you’re concerned, speak with your healthcare provider.

While some people may see improvements almost immediately, it’s more common for them to start working within the first one to two weeks of using antidepressants. It can take four to 8 weeks for others to receive the full benefits of their new medication.

Why Does It Take So Long For Antidepressants to Work?

Your healthcare provider will usually start you at a lower dose and slowly increase it over time to ensure you experience the fewest possible side effects. Sometimes, certain people won’t receive the desired benefits from a specific medication so your doctor may prescribe a different one.

Takeaway

While antidepressants often don’t work right away, the arduous journey towards receiving the full benefits from your medication is well worth the wait. Always be upfront with your healthcare provider and let them know if you have any questions or concerns. For example, if you begin experiencing side effects or you’ve been on your medication for several weeks without any primary effects, speak to your healthcare provider.

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