Psychiatric medication side effects are often mild, and many ease with time. Common ones include an upset stomach, a headache, feeling sleepy, sexual side effects, and changes in sleep or appetite. When one doesn’t go away, your provider has real options. They can change the dose, the time of day you take it, or the medication itself.
If you’re dealing with one right now, you’re in good company. In a 2004 study of 401 people who had started a medication for depression, 86% reported at least one side effect. More than half, 55%, had one that bothered them. Here’s the part that matters most. Doctors surveyed in the same study underestimated how often these side effects happen, and how much they bother people. Your provider can’t fix what they don’t know about, so say it out loud.
The side effects people notice most
Every medication is different, and you may notice none of these. This table covers side effects people often report, and the kind of change that tends to help. Any change happens with your provider, not on your own.
| Side effect | What it can feel like | What often helps |
|---|---|---|
| Upset stomach | Queasy, not hungry, mild nausea | Taking it with food, if your provider says that’s fine |
| Headache | A dull ache in the first weeks | Often fades on its own. Mention it if it doesn’t |
| Feeling sleepy | Heavy, slow, needing naps | Taking it at bedtime, or a lower dose |
| Trouble sleeping | Feeling wired at night | Taking it at a different time of day |
| Sexual side effects | Lower desire, trouble with arousal or orgasm | A dose change or a different medication |
| Blurry vision | Things look a little out of focus | Mention it at your next visit, sooner if it gets worse |
| Appetite or weight changes | Eating more or less than usual | Regular weight checks, and a plan change if needed |
| Faster heartbeat | Feeling your heart race, a bit on edge | Blood pressure checks at your visits |
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) lists upset stomach, headache, and sexual problems among the common effects of medication for depression. It also notes that some ADHD medication can raise blood pressure and heart rate, and that some medications used for psychosis or bipolar disorder call for regular checks of weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol.
Why some side effects fade and others stay
For medication used for depression, NIMH says side effects are generally mild and tend to go away with time. That’s true for a lot of people. Your body gets used to the medication, and the queasy feeling or the headache simply stops.
But “give it time” isn’t always the whole answer. In the 2004 study, most side effects showed up in the first two weeks. Three months later, many people still had them. That was especially true for sexual side effects and blurry vision, where more than 8 in 10 people who had them still did. Sexual side effects and drowsiness were also the two that bothered people most.
So if something has hung on past the first few weeks, it’s worth a conversation. It doesn’t mean you did anything wrong, and it doesn’t mean treatment has failed.
What your provider can do about them
This is the part many people don’t know. A side effect is usually a problem to solve, not a reason to quit. Here are the most common moves.
- Change when you take it. NIMH notes that changing when or how you take a medication, like at bedtime or with food, can help. A sleepy medication can move to night. One that keeps you up can move to morning.
- Adjust the dose. People who are sensitive to side effects sometimes do better starting low and going up slowly. Sometimes a smaller dose still works well.
- Try a different medication. NIMH says it can take several tries to find the medication that works best with the fewest side effects. Switching is normal, and your provider plans it so you’re never left without support.
- Keep a closer eye on things. For some medications, that means checking weight, blood pressure, or blood work at set times. Those checks catch changes early, while they’re easy to fix.
- Look at the whole picture. Other medications, vitamins, and supplements can add to side effects. Bring a full list to every visit.
What not to do on your own
Please don’t stop a medication suddenly, even if you feel fine or the side effect is really wearing on you. NIMH warns that stopping too soon may cause unpleasant or harmful effects. The same goes for skipping doses or changing how much you take.
What does help is keeping short notes. Write down what you feel, the day it started, and whether it’s getting better or worse. If you’re still in your first few weeks, our guide to the first 30 days on a new medication walks through what usually happens and when.
When to call right away
Most side effects can wait for your next visit or a call to the office. Some can’t.
- Thoughts of hurting yourself. Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, free and open 24/7.
- A sudden, severe reaction. NIMH describes a rare but serious one with agitation, hallucinations, muscle twitches, a high fever, and changes in blood pressure. It is more likely when certain medications or supplements are combined, which is one more reason to share your full list. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
- Muscle movements you can’t control. Call your provider soon, and don’t stop the medication on your own.
You can also report a serious side effect to the FDA yourself through MedWatch, online or by calling 1-800-332-1088.
How we handle side effects here
Side effects are a standing item at every medication management visit. We ask how you’re sleeping, eating, and feeling, and we ask directly about the awkward ones too, sexual side effects included. Then we decide together whether to wait, adjust, or switch. Nothing changes without your say. It’s one part of our wider psychiatry services, which start with a full evaluation so the plan fits you from the first day.
Your provider is Irine Achuamang, MSN, PMHNP-BC, a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner who is taking new patients.
Visit us in person at 3646 Long Beach Blvd # 205, in the Bixby Knolls part of Long Beach. It’s a short trip from Signal Hill, Lakewood, Carson, and Compton. You can browse all the areas we serve.
Or meet by video. Telehealth covers first evaluations and follow-up medication management for anyone in California, as long as you’re in the state at the time of the visit. Read more about telehealth psychiatry in California.
We work with many major insurance plans. We don’t accept Medi-Cal at this time. Without insurance, a 30-minute follow-up is $150, and sliding-scale options are available.
If a side effect is making it hard to stay on track, you don’t have to push through alone. Request an appointment, in person or by video, or send us a question first.
This article is for general education and is not medical advice or a substitute for care from your own provider. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free and available 24/7.