Anti-depressants...?

Question

I was wondering, can some anti-depressants make you sleep a lot. Like most of the time?

This is for someone I'm worried about, and I know they are asleep and not just lying in bed.

Thanks.

She has been taking them for quite a while, and its helped her with feeling better, but obviously I don't know the whole truth!

Thanks for your answers though, I'll have a talk with her and see =)

Answer 1

Hi, try this link to the Mind website:

Understanding Anti-depressants
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Making+sense/Making+sense+of+antidepressants.htm

Understanding Depression
http://www.mind.org.uk/Information/Booklets/Understanding/Understanding+depression.htm

They are both easy to read and understand, and will hopefull answer some of your questions relating to your friend's illness and behaviour.

It's good to know that you are looking out for her and trying to educate yourself on the sujbject.

Another link to try:
http://www.mind.org.uk/Mind+in+your+area/

This will help you to locate a local Mind close to you.

They are easy to access and very informal, it only takes a phone call.

They offer a wide range of services to anyone suffering from or caring for anyone with any type of mental helath issue.

Remenmber to take care of yourself as well, as this will be a stressful time for you too.'

Good look and hope this helps.

Answer 2

Yes, they can make you sleep an awful lot, I wouldn't be too worried about your friend as long as she/he is happy with the drugs they are taking. As has already been mentioned it is hard to get out of bed when you suffer from depression also depression makes it hard for you to sleep when you want as your mind is focusing on the things that stop you from relaxing. It could be a combination of a disruptive sleep pattern and the sedative effect of the drugs. Talk to your friend and help them evaluate the effectiveness of their treatment. Depression can stop you from thinking too clearly about major decisions and if coupled with anxiety a real feeling of fear is also present so I think your genuine concern will be welcomed and a great comfort. It can be a case of trying a number of different drugs before the correct\best treatment is found. Good luck.

Answer 3

Yes, they definitely can!

I took Citalopram for four weeks, and it made me so tired I was sleeping all the time.

Another one, called Mirtazipene, also makes quite a lot of people sleepy.

A lot of anti depressents cause fatigue; it's a well known side effect. Sometimes though, this goes away after a few weeks - all these medications take a good four weeks to start working.

If your friend keeps on sleeping, it may mean this medication simply isn't working and they either need a higher dose or a different medicine. Urge them to speak to their doctor; they shouldn't change the dose without getting medical advice.

Answer 4

It could be a number of different things i.e the drugs could be making this person tired but according to a lot of people here it is a side affect of depression but i take my anti depressants in the morning and they don't make me feel sleepy at all and never have,and i must have been on every single one over the years and am on citalopram at the moment.secondly my depression is the opposite of what people here are saying as i can't sleep.
So like i said it could be something un-related to the drugs.So they should go and see the doc to try and eliminate the other possibility's /causes.

Answer 5

The tricky thing about anti-depressants is that they can make you sleepy. You also tend to sleep a lot when you are depressed (or at least I do). So, if your friend is sleeping becasue she just doesn't feel like getting out of bed (ie. has no desire to), then the meds probably aren't working. If she is really just that drowsy, then she should probably start taking the medication at night to help with the daytime sleeping.

Good Luck

Answer 6

As Salaam to you all, Taking any medication for a true illness is not Haram, even if that medicine has alcohol within it. Enough has been said about anti-depressants by other contributors to this question but it is up to the individual and what the doctor has prescribed that matters. It is up to the individual to take or not take the prescription if they truly think and believe that they can do without it, or the doctor can be influenced into prescribing an alternative medicine. Wa Salaam

Answer 7

I know that SSRIs taken at the wrong time can cause sleepiness. The ones I've been on always have to be taken first thing in the morning otherwise I'd be up all night.
Alot of the time sideeffects do wear off after a month or so.

Answer 8

I have never taken them but if they are causing your friend to be sleepy then they can't be doing there job, after all excessive sleep is a sign of depression so surely the anti-depresants are suppose to stop that. I think they should go back to the GP.

Answer 9

Depression can make you sleep alot also. It takes a lot of trial and error to get the right anti deppressant. Tell your friend to go back to the doctor and explain there symptoms. Also remember it can take up to three weeks for antideppressants to take effect.

Answer 10

Yes some Antidepressants can make you sleep a lot, however, be on the watch because so can an oncoming depressive episode. Just try and get your friend up and moving....once your moving the tiredness can dissipate..it's just hard getting out of bed.

Good Luck