--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're taking an antidepressant, it's…" description: "\"If you're taking an antidepressant, it's working, and you're not experiencing side effects, go on taking it. But if it's not working, or not working we..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/irving-kirsch-18763_about_if-you-re-taking-an-antidepressant-it-s_1658544.png" --- # If you're taking an antidepressant, it's working, and… ![“If you're taking an antidepressant, it's working, and you're not experiencing side effects, go on taking it. But if it's not working, or not working well enough, or if you have side effects you don't like, talk to your doctor about an alternative approach.” quote by Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/irving-kirsch-18763_about_if-you-re-taking-an-antidepressant-it-s_1658544.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/irving-kirsch-18763_about_if-you-re-taking-an-antidepressant-it-s_1658544.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e29/irving-kirsch-18763_about_if-you-re-taking-an-antidepressant-it-s_1658544.png) > “If you're taking an antidepressant, it's working, and you're not experiencing side effects, go on taking it. But if it's not working, or not working well enough, or if you have side effects you don't like, talk to your doctor about an alternative approach.” [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Continue medication if effective and tolerable; otherwise consult a doctor for alternatives. **In simple terms:** Take meds if they work, else seek help. Key Takeaway Adjust treatment as needed. Themes health medication self‑care Mood practical supportive Type advice informative When to use this quote - depression treatment - side‑effect management - doctor visit - patient advocacy Key Concepts pharmacology mental health Questions to Reflect On - What side effects concern you? - How do you evaluate medication effectiveness? A Different Perspective Changing meds may cause anxiety or uncertainty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctor/) [Medication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medication/) [Side effects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/side-effects/) [Well enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well-enough/) ## Related quotes > [I feel no shame in admitting that I take an antidepressant every day. That enables me to be a productive public servant who's risen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/i-feel-no-shame-in-admitting-that-i-take-an-antidepressant-every-day/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [Sadness is simply something to be treated with antidepressant meds and otherwise need not be spoken of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-moody/sadness-is-simply-something-to-be-treated-with-antidepressant-meds/) [Rick Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-moody/) > [In my view, prescribing antidepressant drugs is too often a quick and easy substitute for developing treatment plans that address the totality of health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-weil/in-my-view-prescribing-antidepressant-drugs-is-too-often-a-quick-and/) [Andrew Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-weil/) > [Running long and hard is an ideal antidepressant, since it's hard to run and feel sorry for yourself at the same time. Also, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monte-davis/running-long-and-hard-is-an-ideal-antidepressant-since-it-s-hard-to/) Monte Davis > [“Chocolate is a natural antidepressant”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-anderson/chocolate-is-a-natural-antidepressant/) [Adam Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-anderson/) > [Smiling babies should actually be categorized by the pharmaceutical industry as a powerful antidepressant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/smiling-babies-should-actually-be-categorized-by-the-pharmaceutical/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) > [Laughter= Life's FREE antidepressant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/laughter-life-s-free-antidepressant/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [The Iron is the best antidepressant I have ever found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/the-iron-is-the-best-antidepressant-i-have-ever-found/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [The prescribers very often overstate, oversell, and the detail people are only too happy to tell them to do that. This idea that there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-c-hayes/the-prescribers-very-often-overstate-oversell-and-the-detail-people/) [Steven C. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-c-hayes/) > [We know well enough that if we repeal this law and give nothing for it, the people of this country will regard it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-parks-bland/we-know-well-enough-that-if-we-repeal-this-law-and-give-nothing-for/) [Richard Parks Bland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-parks-bland/) > [When I was younger, I did not have the strength to jump well enough, but over the years I have gained that, worked on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-ammann/when-i-was-younger-i-did-not-have-the-strength-to-jump-well-enough/) Simon Ammann > [With the sax, I learned technique well enough so that it feels like part of my body, and I just express myself. That's where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-g/with-the-sax-i-learned-technique-well-enough-so-that-it-feels-like/) [Kenny G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-g/) > [When we were trying to get the money for Driving Miss Daisy, everyone kept saying no one could direct it well enough to entertain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-beresford/when-we-were-trying-to-get-the-money-for-driving-miss-daisy-everyone/) [Bruce Beresford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-beresford/) > [When she was in United States, we maintained contact, we talked to each other on the phone, almost every night. And there was one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdullah-ahmad-badawi/when-she-was-in-united-states-we-maintained-contact-we-talked-to-each/) [Abdullah Ahmad Badawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdullah-ahmad-badawi/) > [I had amazing intellectual privilege as a kid. My mom taught me to read when I was two or three. When I was five,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-abani/i-had-amazing-intellectual-privilege-as-a-kid-my-mom-taught-me-to/) [Chris Abani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-abani/) ## More by Irving Kirsch > [Depression is not caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, and it is not cured by medication. Depression may not even be an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/depression-is-not-caused-by-a-chemical-imbalance-in-the-brain-and-it/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [To someone who is not currently on anti-depressants, I would suggest trying other treatments first - for example, psychotherapy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/to-someone-who-is-not-currently-on-anti-depressants-i-would-suggest/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [“Many of the benefits of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) can be obtained without going into therapy. There are a number of self-help books, CDs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/many-of-the-benefits-of-cbt-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-can-be/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [Nocebos often cause a physical effect, but it's not a physically produced effect. What's the cause? In many cases, it's an unanswered question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/nocebos-often-cause-a-physical-effect-but-it-s-not-a-physically/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [“The results of decades of neurotransmitter-depletion studies point to one inescapable conclusion: low levels or serotonin, norepinephrine or dopamine do not cause depression. here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/the-results-of-decades-of-neurotransmitter-depletion-studies-point-to/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [Perhaps 10 percent of patients who are prescribed antidepressants are really benefiting from the drugs' active ingredients.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/perhaps-10-percent-of-patients-who-are-prescribed-antidepressants-are/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [Patients who trust their doctors and have a psychological expectation of getting better could trigger a reaction in their body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/patients-who-trust-their-doctors-and-have-a-psychological-expectation/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [Anything that instills a sense of hope will at least temporarily help treat depression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/anything-that-instills-a-sense-of-hope-will-at-least-temporarily-help/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [“Our analyses of the FDA data showed relatively little difference between the effects of antidepressants and the effects of placebos. Indeed, the effects were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/our-analyses-of-the-fda-data-showed-relatively-little-difference/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [Perhaps anti-depressants should be best reserved for the very extreme cases and, more importantly, for those who do not respond to alternative forms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/perhaps-anti-depressants-should-be-best-reserved-for-the-very-extreme/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [If doctors just spent more time with their patients so they felt more reassured, that might help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/if-doctors-just-spent-more-time-with-their-patients-so-they-felt-more/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [There seems little reason to prescribe anti-depressant medication to any but the most severely depressed patients.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/there-seems-little-reason-to-prescribe-anti-depressant-medication-to/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [“When people recover from depression via psychotherapy, their attributions about recovery are likely to be different than those of people who have been treated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/when-people-recover-from-depression-via-psychotherapy-their/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [One problem I have with drug companies is that they don't make all their data public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/one-problem-i-have-with-drug-companies-is-that-they-don-t-make-all/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [There seem to be many causes of depression. One cause is profound loss, grief. Economic hardship we know is linked to depression. We don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/there-seem-to-be-many-causes-of-depression-one-cause-is-profound-loss/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) [Explore all 34 Irving Kirsch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. 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