Duration of side effects
In general, the side effects of antidepressants occur mainly at the beginning of a therapy. Instead, the desired antidepressive effect occurs with a delay of a few weeks, which increases the risk of premature discontinuation of therapy. However, it should be borne in mind that the side effects mostly diminish continuously in the course of antidepressive therapy or can be reduced by accompanying medication.
At the same time, there are strong differences between the individual patients with regard to the occurrence and duration of the side effects. Symptoms that can typically occur throughout treatment with antidepressants include sexual dysfunction, weight changes and increases in intraocular pressure. Instead, tremor at the beginning of the therapy, constant fatigue, sleep disturbances and gastrointestinal complaints usually subside continuously within a few weeks.
