Read the Medication Guide that comes with you or your family member’s antidepressant medicine.
This Medication Guide is only about the risk of suicidal thoughts and actions with antidepressant
medicines. Talk to your, or your family member’s, healthcare provider about:
• all risks and benefits of treatment with antidepressant medicines
• all treatment choices for depression or other serious mental illness
What is the most important information I should know about antidepressant medicines,
depression and other serious mental illnesses, and suicidal thoughts or actions?
1. Antidepressant medicines may increase suicidal thoughts or actions in some children,
teenagers, and young adults when the medicine is first started.
2. Depression and other serious mental illnesses are the most important causes of suicidal
thoughts and actions. Some people may have a particularly high risk of having suicidal
thoughts or actions. These include people who have (or have a family history of) bipolar illness
(also called manic-depressive illness) or suicidal thoughts or actions.
3. How can I watch for and try to prevent suicidal thoughts and actions in myself or a family
member?
• Pay close attention to any changes, especially sudden changes, in mood, behaviors, thoughts, or
feelings. This is very important when an antidepressant medicine is first started or when the
dose is changed.
• Call the healthcare provider right away to report new or sudden changes in mood, behavior,
thoughts, or feelings.
• Keep all follow-up visits with the healthcare provider as scheduled. Call the healthcare
provider between visits as needed, especially if you have concerns about symptoms.
Call a healthcare provider right away if you or your family member has any of the following
symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you:
• thoughts about suicide or dying
• attempts to commit suicide
• new or worse depression
• new or worse anxiety
• feeling very agitated or restless
• panic attacks
• trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• new or worse irritability
• acting aggressive, being angry, or violent
• acting on dangerous impulses
• an extreme increase in activity and talking
(mania)
• other unusual changes in behavior or mood
What else do I need to know about antidepressant medicines?
• Never stop an antidepressant medicine without first talking to a healthcare
provider. Stopping an antidepressant medicine suddenly can cause other symptoms.
• Antidepressants are medicines used to treat depression and other illnesses. It is
important to discuss all the risks of treating depression and also the risks of not
treating it. Patients and their families or other caregivers should discuss all treatment
choices with the healthcare provider, not just the use of antidepressants.
• Antidepressant medicines have other side effects. Talk to the healthcare provider
about the side effects of the medicine prescribed for you or your family member.
• Antidepressant medicines can interact with other medicines. Know all of the
medicines that you or your family member takes. Keep a list of all medicines to show
the healthcare provider. Do not start new medicines without first checking with your
healthcare provider.
• Not all antidepressant medicines prescribed for children are FDA approved for
use in children. Talk to your child’s healthcare provider for more information.
This Medication Guide has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for
all antidepressants.

LOL Jan