Antidepressants work within hours

The effects of antidepressants on mood and negative thoughts can be seen within hours, a new study indicates.

According to researchers from Oxford University in the UK, people taking antidepressants may not notice the effects for months but subconsciously the drugs started working within three hours.

“We found the antidepressants target the negative thoughts before the patient is aware of any change in feeling subjectively,” the researchers said.

“Over time, this will affect our mood and how we feel because we are receiving more positive information.”

In the study, researchers looked at the reactions of 33 depressed patients and 31 healthy controls given either an antidepressant or a dummy drug.

Within hours of taking the active drug, the depressed patients felt better about themselves, didn’t dwell on the negative as much, and were less upset by the actions of other people.

This was despite feeling no improvement in mood or anxiety.

Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, the UK National Association for Mental Health, said: “This research may contribute to our understanding of how our bodies respond to antidepressants, but the changes recorded can't always be felt by patients and it can be some weeks before they begin to feel the symptoms of depression easing.

“We must also remember that the side-effects of medication can often be felt straight away long before the benefits really kick in, and this will always affect people's experiences in the initial stages of treatment.”

The study was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

For more information on depression, click on http://www.irishhealth.com/clin/depression/index.html

[Posted: Tue 27/10/2009]