How long should I continue my medication?

Recovery takes time

When your acute treatment is completed successfully, your mood will improve, and you will have more energy and interest in the world around you. You'll be able to get back to work and to other activities you love.

But recovering from depression takes time. Many patients stop taking their medication as soon as they feel better, because they think that they “can manage the rest themselves”. In actuality, if you stop taking your medication before you have recovered, your risk of relapse is substantially increased.

Research and clinical experience both clearly demonstrate that this risk is greatest in the first few weeks after the symptoms of depression disappear. For that reason, you should continue taking a consistent dose of your antidepressant treatment for as long as your doctor recommends (6 months after you have recovered, if you have never been depressed before; more than 6 months if you have been depressed before). And never stop your treatment early unless your doctor specifically instructs you to.

Why does it matter if I relapse? Can’t I just start taking Cipralex again then?

It’s not that easy. Each new episode of depression increases the risk for yet another new episode. And each new episode tends to be more severe, more protracted and more difficult to treat than the previous episode, which in turn increases the risk for still another new pisode. In short, inadequately treated depression leads to a vicious cycle of disease.

When will I be completely recovered?

Recovery from depression can be as difficult to diagnose as depression itself. The best way to be sure that you are in remission is to consult your doctor. The doctor will most likely administer a test and interview you regarding your mood, health, work and sleeping habits, etc., just like when you were initially diagnosed.