What Should I Know Before Starting a Psychiatric Medication?  

Starting a psychiatric medication can bring up a lot of questions. How will it make me feel? How long will it take to work? What side effects should I expect? Will I have to take it forever?

These questions are completely reasonable. Psychiatric medications can be an important part of treatment for conditions such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and other mental health conditions, but medication is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Understanding what to expect before you begin can help you feel more informed and involved in your treatment.

Here are some things to know before starting a psychiatric medication.

1. Understand Why You Are Taking It 

Before starting a medication, it is important to understand which symptoms or conditions it is intended to treat.

• Consider asking your provider: 
• What symptoms is this medication expected to improve? 
• Why was this medication selected for me? 
• What would improvement look like? 
• Are there other treatment options available? 
• Will medication be used by itself or together with therapy? 

Psychiatric medications are often one part of a larger treatment plan. Depending on the individual, treatment may include psychotherapy, behavioral strategies, lifestyle changes, family support, and other services in addition to medication. Knowing the goal of treatment also gives you and your treatment team something to measure over time.

2. Know That Improvement May Take Time 

One of the most important things to understand is that many psychiatric medications do not work immediately.

For example, antidepressants commonly take several weeks to produce their full benefit. Changes in sleep, appetite, energy, or concentration may occur first before noticeable improvements in mood. Other medications may begin working more quickly, depending on what they are being used to treat.

Because every person responds differently, finding the right medication and dose can sometimes require adjustments along the way. Not experiencing an immediate improvement does not necessarily mean that a medication will not work. Ask your provider when you should reasonably expect to notice a change and when your treatment should be reassessed.

3. Ask About Side Effects Before They Happen

Every medication can cause side effects, but this does not mean that you will experience every possible side effect listed on the medication information sheet. Some effects may be mild and improve as your body adjusts, while others may require a change in dose, timing, or medication.

Before starting treatment, ask about the most common side effects and whether there are ways to prevent or manage them.

Keeping track of how you feel after starting medication can be helpful. Consider noting changes in mood, sleep, appetite, energy, concentration, and physical symptoms so that you can discuss them during follow-up appointments. The FDA recommends knowing which side effects to watch for, how to potentially minimize them, and when to report them.

4. Share Everything Else You Are Taking

Your psychiatric provider and pharmacist should know more than just your prescription medications. Be sure to share any prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, herbal products, or dietary supplements. It is also important to discuss alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, caffeine, and other substances with your treatment team.

These substances may affect your symptoms, sleep, medication response, or risk of side effects. Providing your treatment team with a complete list of medications and supplements allows them to check for potential interactions and make safer treatment decisions.

5. Ask Whether You Will Need Monitoring

Some psychiatric medications require ongoing monitoring to make sure treatment remains safe and effective. Depending on the medication, monitoring may include checking: 

• Blood pressure or heart rate 
• Weight 
• Blood glucose 
• Cholesterol 
• Medication blood levels 
• Kidney or liver function 
• Thyroid function
• Movement-related symptoms 
• Mood and behavioral changes 

For example, people taking certain antipsychotic medications may have their weight, glucose, and cholesterol monitored, while individuals taking lithium typically require blood levels along with kidney and thyroid monitoring. Ask your provider whether you will need laboratory tests or other monitoring and how often they should be done. 

6. Talk With Your Prescriber Before Stopping a Psychiatric Medication

Feeling better does not necessarily mean it is time to stop your medication. Some psychiatric medications can cause uncomfortable or potentially harmful symptoms when they are stopped abruptly. Others may need to be gradually reduced so that your body has time to adjust.

If you want to stop medication because of side effects, lack of improvement, or simply because you no longer want to take it, talk with your treatment team first. They can help determine whether the medication should be continued, adjusted, switched, or gradually tapered.

7. Pay Attention to Changes in Your Mental Health 

Your treatment team needs to know about meaningful changes in your mood, thoughts, behavior, or functioning after a medication is started or adjusted. This is especially important during the first several weeks of treatment and after dose changes.

Contact your treatment team if you notice significant worsening of symptoms or concerning changes after starting medication. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide or believe you may be in immediate danger, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. In a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

Final Note

Taking psychiatric medication does not mean giving up control over your treatment. You should feel comfortable asking why a medication was recommended, discussing concerns, reporting side effects, and talking about what matters most to you. Your priorities matter. For one person, avoiding daytime tiredness may be especially important because of school or work. Someone else may be concerned about weight changes, sexual side effects, sleep, appetite, or taking medication every day.  

Sharing these priorities can help your treatment team select and adjust medications in ways that better fit your life. Medication management works best when decisions are made collaboratively. 

At the Brandt Behavioral Health Center and Retreat, medication management is part of a collaborative approach to mental health care. Patients are encouraged to ask questions and work with their treatment team to understand their medications better, manage potential side effects, and develop a treatment plan tailored to their individual needs.