Reasons your Anxiety/Depression medications May Not Be Working to Their Fullest

May 23, 2021

3 min read

Medications can greatly improve symptoms for people who experience anxiety and/or depression. For most people, these medications are very effective at managing the changes in energy, sleep problems, mood swings, muscle tension, and other symptoms of anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, medications may not always work to their fullest for some people.

Nearly one-third of people with a major depressive disorder have symptoms that do not respond to treatment. Doctors often refer to this as treatment-resistant depression or anxiety.

6 Factors that Affect How Well Your Anxiety/Depression Medications Work

A number of factors can increase the risk for treatment-resistance. Some are controllable – simply making a few lifestyle changes can make your anxiety/depression medications work better. Other risk factors may be out of your control.

Here are the top 6 reasons why your medication for anxiety or depression may not be working as well as it should.

1. New stress

Stress is an inevitable part of life – everyone is in a stressful situation now and then. Chronic stress can lead to anxiety and depression; adding new stress on top of chronic stress can worsen your symptoms of anxiety and depression. If the new stress is significant enough, or continues long enough, your antidepressant or anxiety medication may not be able to compensate.

2. Drug or alcohol use

The use of alcohol or illicit drugs can trigger strong mood changes that make antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications ineffective. Using drugs or alcohol regularly can create both short- and long-term changes in the brain that can lead to depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says the following drugs can have this effect:

Cocaine
Inhalants – chemical vapors that induce a psychoactive, or mind-altering, effect
Ketamine – a hallucinogen
Kratom – used to lift mood or relieve pain
LSD
Marijuana
MDMA – a stimulant also known as Ecstasy or Molly
Methamphetamine
PCP
Prescription drugs
Steroids (appearance- and performance-enhancing drugs)

3. Tolerance

Medications work to reduce symptoms by triggering a physiological response in the body. Over time, the body may become tolerant to the medication and stop responding as well. If you and your doctor agree that your symptoms are returning because you have built up a tolerance to your medication, your doctor may suggest increasing your dosage or switching to a new prescription.

4. Pregnancy

Pregnancy causes changes in your body weight and the amount of blood in your body, and these changes may affect how well your anxiety or depression medications are working. If you are pregnant and you are experiencing an increase in your symptoms, speak with your doctor. In some cases, you and your doctor may decide to stop or change your medications; you should never stop or change the way you take any prescription medication unless your doctor tells you to.

5. Another medical condition

Certain health problems, such as an underactive thyroid gland, can cause or worsen depression.

6. Other medications

Interactions between depression or anxiety drugs and other types of medications can prevent antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs from working their best. Research shows that a common non-prescription painkiller, known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can reduce the effectiveness of SSRIs.

In many cases, though, antidepressants and anxiety medications sometimes stop working for no apparent reason – and researchers are still working to understand why. If your prescription for anxiety or depression isn’t working as well as it should, consult with your doctor.