Antidepressant Treatment Timeline

December 27, 2014 Day 9: Antidepressant Treatment Timeline Facts and Tips about Antidepressants By Shereen A. Gharbia, PharmD Although antidepressants start to work immediately within the brain, patients may not notice the effects until some time later. One of the biggest controversies in the mental health field concerns how long it takes for people with depression to respond to antidepressants. Studies confirm that the type of antidepressant and the individual can have major impacts on the timing of response to these medications. It is generally accepted that all antidepressants have a delayed onset of action (the length of time needed for a medication to become effective) — with no major effects seen until after at least three weeks of treatment. Some studies show that in certain individuals, a full response to antidepressants could even take weeks to months. Full response from these medications is defined as at least a 50 percent reduction in symptoms. You can expect to feel some relief from depression symptoms as early as the first week, but the full response could take months. » Next Newsletter: Therapy for Depression