Do antidepressants change personality?

Have you ever wondered if those tiny pills your doctor prescribed to you are transforming your personality along with fixing depression symptoms? The truth is, antidepressants can have an impact on one’s mood and behaviors. However, the extent of this effect is still being debated among scientists. Get ready for a wild ride as we delve into the topic of whether or not ‘happy pills‘ can alter who you are.

What Are Antidepressants?

Before jumping into whether they change personalities or not- let’s start from scratch here.

Antidepressants are drugs that primarily work by altering the chemistry in our brains, specifically by increasing levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine. These medications have been around since the 1950s when Drugs Overboard! came out (just kidding). Their intended purpose is to improve depressive symptoms such as low moods, anxiety attacks, difficulty concentrating which most sufferers face.

Although each medication has its unique mechanism of action- they all aim to help increase these important brain chemicals responsible for improving mood and energy. Isn’t science so amazing sometimes?

The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved some popular drugs commonly used; including:

  • Sertraline
  • Citalopram
  • Escitalopram
  • Fluoxetine

There are other types of medications that operate differently but belong under this umbrella category: MAOIs(Monoamine oxidase inhibitors), NDRI -Norepinephrine dopamine reuptake inhibitor- , SNRI –serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors-, TCA-tricyclic antidepressants .

Some common side effects seen with taking these medicines includes weight gain/loss , drowsiness/fatigue , sexual dysfunction only to mention a few!

While antidepressants may come in handy in alleviating depression levels at times – it could also lead to serious risks when misused like a double-edged sword.

The Effect of Antidepressants on Personality

One common question plenty people ask: “Do antidepressants change personality?”

The answer? Not entirely but it might have an impact in the long term! Sounds confusing right, let’s break things down further.

Researchers are trying to study whether or not psychiatric medications can alter one’s personality in some ways. However, there is still very little research done on the topic and hence we cannot say for sure.

When considering how one presents themselves- Our personalities typically have certain traits that make up who we are – like our sense of humour, interests ,approachability etc. Some studies seem to suggest that taking medication could possibly dampen these qualities which would translate as mood obliteration .

Moreover since everyone personally responds differently to therapy depending on their life experiences,lifestyle choices and/or mental makeup . It is fair enough to expect similarly unpredictably diverse results when it comes to any effect medication may have on your psyche ! Just bite those nails out now haha!

Not fun fact : Often, people with depression also exhibit neuroticism—a character trait marked by negative emotions such as anxiety and worry related tendencies. While treating depression ideally must improve symptoms related specifically associated with depression(mood swings, lack of self confidence), Scientists discovered through preliminary tests observe that a small percentage individuals exhibit more neurosis during drug intake .

In contrast , A 2018 review published in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews described many cases where patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD) saw improvement across several aspects including anti-social behavior improvements after being subjected under certain treatment program lasting for 6 months only “Fewer fights=tickets saved”.

So does this really help us understand what implications drugs may bring forward in shaping an individual’s characteristics ? Only time will tell .

How Mental Illness Affects Personality

In order to answer this question with a greater degree of accuracy, it is essential to have broader understandings of mental illnesses, their causes and effects. Have you ever heard : “The sign that someone has depression is seen through everyday behavior rather than mood disorders specifically?” Huh?

Our state of mind plays an enormous role no doubt- but plenty people struggle with personality disorders in addition or now because they are experiencing psychiatric conditions ! As per ‘sicksadworld’ , People report troubling experiences from purely internal phenomenon such as exaggerated negative emotions (like anger)from traumatic life events .

The point here being – psychological conditions can also bring about changes to one’s character! If not addressed properly these could manifest into something more considerable down the line . This explanation begs another question: Is it possible that when we treat depression symptoms through medication, we may actually be treating some underlying personality trait issues too? Interesting food for thought!

Conclusion

After considering all the sides – research on antidepressants’ impact on personality traits seems limited- YET always continue seeking professional medical consultation regarding concerns concerning medicine ingestion.

While there isn’t enough evidence suggesting medicated induced transformations post-treatment – Precautionary measures remain necessary since interactions between individuals and drugs varies heavily .

Above all else taking care of our own well-being should come from within and account for a multitude factors beyond just medicine intake. It’s pretty cliché advice but truly understanding your body & your triggers makes it easier ensuring those happy juice pills work effectively in tandem with yourself…our precious little selves ~~looking at the bright side~~.

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