RxSideEffect.org: The effects of drugs vary depending upon the drug taken

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Like most prescription medicines, psychiatric drugs can cause side effects. These unwanted effects are often mild, but sometimes they are more serious and can have a major impact on health or quality of life. Most of modern psychiatric medications are very well tolerated and only rarely cause serious side effects. The effects of drugs can vary depending upon the kind of drug taken, how much is taken, how often it is used, how quickly it gets to the brain, and what other drugs, food, or substances are taken at the same time. Effects can also vary based on the differences in body size, shape, and chemistry. Psychiatric drugs differ in how commonly they cause particular side effects. Medications are prescribed for a specific purpose, and anything else the drug does is a side effect. Some side effects are mild, like a slight headache. Others, like liver damage, can be severe and, in rare cases, fatal. Some go on for just a few days or weeks, but others might continue as long as you take a medication, or even after you stop. Some occur within days or weeks of starting a drug. Others may only show up after months or years of therapy.

The psychiatric disorders range from depression and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) to bipolar and anxiety disorders. In 2004, the FDA finally ordered a black box label on all antidepressants to warn of psychiatric drugs’ increasing suicide risk in children and adolescents. In 2006, the FDA increased the age to include young adults up to age of 25 for SSRI antidepressants. That's why the risk of negative side effects cannot be ignored and should absolutely be thoroughly discussed and understood.

Psychotropic medications, like all drugs, do not come without potential risks or side effects, including physical side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, changes in appetite, sleep disturbance, and/or weight gain and emotional side effects such as mood swings, disinterest in activities, or emotional numbness. Side effects of SSRIs that might affect one’s sexuality and love relationships, such as diminished sexual interest. One should always discuss the risks of medication use with a qualified health professional and decide if the risks are worth the potential benefits or if an alternative treatment method may be a better option.