Re: Upped to 20mg no effect after 3 weeks
Originally Posted by
hubble
I would have expected to see *something* (even tiny) by now.
It typically takes 4-12 weeks for ADs to kick-in from when a therapeutic dose is first taken (10mg+ for escitalopram) with most beginning to see a positive effect at around 5-7 weeks.
Antidepressants have no direct effect on anxiety, or depression in the way say aspirin has on a headache. They work by stimulating the growth of new brain cells (neurogenesis) to replace cells killed, or prevented from growing by high brain stress hormone levels. The therapeutic response is produced by these new cells and the stronger interconnections they forge, not the meds directly, and they take time to bud, grow and mature. For a more detailed explanations see: Depression and the Birth and Death of Brain Cells (PDF) and How antidepressant drugs act.
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The opinions expressed above are based on my observations and, where applicable, interpretation of cited data and are general in nature. Consult your physician before acting on anything stated.