How long should you take antidepressants for? Let's find out exactly.

If you're taking medication to treat depression, after a while you might think, "I'm feeling great right now. Do I need to keep taking this medication? What will happen if I stop now?" This is a question that many people have. It's actually a very important question, because it's not something you should make on your own.

What is the best time to stop taking medication?

It is not a good idea to stop taking antidepressants suddenly. Also, stopping them before the right time can be dangerous. The length of time you need to take these medications varies from person to person. Several factors affect this.

• The type of medication you have been prescribed
• The dosage of the medicine you are taking
• How many times have you had depressive episodes before?
• Risk of relapse

Generally, if you are starting medication for your first depressive episode , medical guidelines say that you should continue taking the medication for at least 4 or 5 months after your symptoms have completely resolved.

Think about it, sometimes you have to try several medications to find the one that works best for you. And then it takes about 2 to 3 weeks for the medication to work and you to feel a little bit of a difference. It can take 3 to 6 months for your symptoms to completely improve and you to feel like, "I'm not depressed anymore." So all of this time, you may have to take the medication for at least a year to get the full benefits of the medication.

However, if you have long-term, recurring major depressive disorder (MDD) or have had it more than three times in the past, doctors recommend continuing treatment for several years. Doctors also recommend long-term treatment if they think the risk of recurrence is high.

Remember, medication for depression can improve things like your sleep, your energy levels, and your self-esteem. But medication is not the answer to your family problems and relationship problems. You have to find other solutions for those.

If you want to stop taking the medication, how should you do it?

If you and your doctor have talked and decided, "Okay, now is the time to stop taking your medication," there is a very specific way to do it.

If you stop taking your medication suddenly, the levels of the medication in your body will drop suddenly. This can cause your disease to come back (relapse) . It can also cause dangerous side effects, such as suicidal thoughts.

So what you need to do is work with your doctor to develop a plan for gradually reducing the dose of your medication (tapering) . Simply put, you gradually reduce the dose rather than stopping it all at once. Different medications are cleared from your body at different rates. So it may take weeks or months to completely stop taking them. During this time, you should stay in regular contact with your doctor and check for any new symptoms or side effects.

Additional support is also very important.

When tapering off medication, it can be very helpful to talk to a counselor. Counseling can be a great way to manage things like sadness, low self-esteem, and the habit of looking at everything negatively. Methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, in particular, can help you reexamine and correct your wrong, negative beliefs.

Also think about your daily lifestyle.

• Sleep well.
• Eating nutritious food
• Exercising regularly
• Using stress reduction techniques (such as meditation, yoga)

Good habits like these will greatly help the body adjust to the medication when it is reduced.

What can you expect when tapering off medication?

Some people may experience minor discomfort and side effects when reducing the dose of medication. These are usually not serious.

• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Flu-like symptoms, such as a cold or body ache

If you experience any of these symptoms, make a note of how severe they are and when they occur, and tell your doctor. He or she may be able to adjust your medication to reduce the discomfort, or give you a different medication for the symptoms.

However, if you suddenly stop taking your medication without your doctor's advice, you may develop a condition called "Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome." This risk is especially high if you have been taking the medication for more than two months.

If you experience these symptoms, don't panic. The most important thing is to tell your doctor right away. He or she can then determine whether the symptoms are a relapse or a temporary condition caused by stopping the medication, and provide the best solution to reduce the discomfort until your body adjusts to the new situation.