What to Do If Your Depression Meds Stop Working

From my experience, acting quickly is crucial when my antidepressants are no longer effective. Here are some steps I’ve learned to stay safe and find relief when my treatment starts to fail.

Last spring, the psychiatrist I’d been seeing for 5 years retired and I was forced to switch to a new one. Little did I know that when my medications stopped working, she would save my life.

Let me share some of the things I’ve learned to do when my medications stop working to get me feeling healthier and back on track.

Join the free Depression community!

Connect with thousands of members and find support through daily live chats, curated resources, and one-to-one messaging.

Sign up

Tell your psychiatrist immediately

With each relapse into a depressive episode, my psychiatrist has encouraged me to tell her the second I feel like my medications aren’t working anymore. For example, when I have trouble sleeping, we know that something isn’t right, and my medications may have stopped working again.

She never panics but calmly turns to her computer and reassures me that we can tinker with a dose or try something new.

I’ve learned that the sooner I tell my psychiatrist that I’m symptomatic, the sooner I can feel better.

So, if I’m not sleeping well or it’s starting to get harder to get stuff done, I message my doctor on the patient portal that’s affiliated with her practice.

Once she knows that I’m not doing well, she can see me for a telehealth appointment or squeeze me in for an in-person appointment.

Know what your warning signs are

In order to know when to contact your psychiatrist, you need to know your signals that your medication isn’t working like it usually does.

I mentioned some of mine above, but they may be different for you. Again, for me, sleep can be the strongest sign that my doctor needs to consider changing my psych meds. When my insomnia starts, I notice that I sleep a few hours less every night until I’m barely sleeping at all.

I’ve experienced episodes when I was struggling to sleep and didn’t call my doctor and it only got worse. If I don’t have my medications adjusted and start getting sleep again, I feel so much more depressed in the end.

When my medications stop working, I also lose my motivation to get things done. As things get even worse, I may feel paralyzed and scared that I’ll never feel better. I start to have trouble finding pleasure in things that I used to enjoy. Through the downswing, it feels harder to get out of bed.

Don’t panic

Depression can be downright scary, but there are many things you can do when you feel like your medications might have stopped working. For example, you can go back to a treatment that was helpful in the past.

My current psychiatrist also strongly believes that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a game-changer for me — a treatment that can almost immediately and dramatically save me from the worst depression has to offer.

Even with a few sessions of ECT, it’s obvious that I’m getting better. I also noticed that I can revisit certain medications more confidently after I have ECT. As much as I worry about the side effects (like memory loss), I know that it really does make me feel better.

If you haven’t tried ECT, it’s a safe and effective procedure that can help people with severe medication-resistant depression. It might seem drastic, but ECT has brought me out of many depressive episodes when my medications have stopped working and it would be dangerous to wait weeks and see what happens over time.

Go to the hospital if you need to

I can understand that you might want to avoid the hospital at all costs and that it might feel like you’re a “failure” if you do go. But when it comes down to it, your safety and well-being is the most important thing.

If you’re having thoughts about hurting yourself, please go to the nearest emergency room. Sometimes, the best place to experiment with new medication options is in the hospital.

My psychiatrist helped me see that going to the hospital is sometimes necessary in order to help me get stable. In my experience, hospitalizations are typically shorter (usually a few days to maybe a week).

You’ll also meet other people who are going through a similar experience. You’ll learn new skills to use when your medications stop working and you need a new line of defense from depressive symptoms. Hospital treatment is beneficial because you’ll have a team made of mental health professionals who can work together to help you get more stable.

It’s also helpful that staff members will be observing you around the clock to recognize improvements if you’re getting worse and new medication side effects earlier than if you’re at home working with your doctor outside the hospital.

Consider a higher level of care

If you feel worried about your safety and well-being while you wait for your new medication to work, you can also consider finding a partial hospital program (PHP) or an intensive outpatient program (IOP).

Like many groups you can find in hospitals, these programs will teach you some helpful coping skills that you can use when you’re waiting.

When you’re newly discharged from the hospital, it can be a relief to learn these useful tools and be around other people who are going through what you are. PHPs and IOPs have also given me a place to go to every day to provide structure.

Read this if you’re curious about what to expect from a PHP.

Do something fun!

Finally, you might find comfort in doing something that has absolutely nothing to do with depression, doctors, or medications. Taking your mind off the distressing symptoms you’re dealing with will help you in your recovery.

Sometimes, distraction can be the best medicine. Binge-watch a show on Netflix or Hulu, eat your favorite meal, or listen to music that makes you feel better.

The takeaway

There’s nothing scarier than noticing those familiar depressive symptoms are seeping in again. But as bad as it may seem now, when you work with your care team you’ll see that there are many options — even in the worst of it.

Depression can be a chronic condition, so it’s important to continue exploring and learning what works best for you.