Marina EskandrousSenior Project: Task 1: Article: "Side Effects of Antidepressants: An Overview"According to the DSM5 major depressant describes a person who is in a depressed mood due to most of the time, most days. The person also has reduced interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the time. You may experience significant weight loss or gain due to decreased or increased appetite, respectively. The person may also experience insomnia or hyperinsomnia almost every day. You may also experience a persistent feeling of tiredness or loss of energy. Inappropriate feelings of worthlessness or guilt are usually present in major depression. It is also common to have a reduced ability to think, concentrate, or experience indecisiveness. All of these symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. (DSM 5, 160-161) Antidepressants are a form of pharmacotherapeutic treatment developed to treat the symptoms of major depression. Antidepressants are used for many other types of conditions including anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, dysthymia, eating disorders, sleep disorders and substance abuse, pain syndromes, gastrointestinal disorders. Antidepressants usually take several weeks to notice significant effects. There are no antidepressants or medications that are completely free of adverse effects. This article explains that the adverse effects of antidepressants can reduce compliance and slow the rate of recovery. It is important to take note of potential side effects before choosing the best antidepressant to suit your individualized needs. Statistics show that approximately 28% of patients sto...... middle of paper......n also occur. This may occur due to increased serotonin at the synaptic level causing inhibition of dopamine release through specific subtypes of presynaptic serotonin receptors. Another typical side effect includes bleeding such as bruising, nosebleeds, and gastrointestinal bleeding. SSRIs inhibit platelet function and this could lengthen the time and risk of bleeding. When serotonin receptors are overstimulated, a condition called serotonin syndrome can occur. This syndrome causes nausea, diarrhea, restlessness, delirium, extreme agitation, seizures, hyperreflexia, and many other symptoms. This syndrome can occur if SSRIs are taken together with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (a member of a different class of antidepressants). Sudden withdrawal of SSRIs with a short half-life can cause withdrawal syndrome after the drug is no longer present in the body..