Side effects of antidepressant

Dear Dr. Chan,

I am writing to see if my daughter could be a match for your therapy instead of taking an antidepressant. I am here for two days while she is going to the university here. Hope to talk to you soon.

Her school counselor says she has mild depression yet when she is sent to see a psychiatrist she is diagnosed for severe depression and is given some antidepressant twice daily. It is getting her with fatigue and wanting to be alone. She is alone in a dorm for three weeks without going out to eat and classes. I am quite worried. Could you do something or should she just come back home?

Regards and thanks

Reply from Dr. Chan Man Lui, a psychiatrist

Dear Madam,

Thank you for your inquiries. As there are many antidepressants medications available nowadays, which doesn’t have the side effects of fatigue. Besides, the dosage can be adjusted so that the side effect could be minimized.

Furthermore, there are even non medication treatment available, e.g. repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and psychotherapy which could stand alone or as an adjunctive therapy.

BR
Dr Chan