Medications

Antidepressant medications are useful for people who need further treatment because their symptoms improve only slightly or not at all with bright-light therapy. Most of these people are treated with antidepressant medication. To read more about antidepressants, see Understanding Antidepressant Medications

• The medications used most frequently are the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs (for example, Prozac and Zoloft).



• These agents may take 2-4 weeks to improve symptoms.



• Unwanted side effects depend on which medication is used. Your health care provider can tell you about side effects.



• Do not stop your medication abruptly. Stop or change dose only after consulting your health care provider.