There’s a Difference Between “Side Effects” and Signs You’re on the Wrong Medication
When you’re prescribed a new medication for depression, anxiety, or mood instability, you’re often told to expect some “side effects.” Maybe some nausea, some fatigue, or changes in appetite. You brace yourself. You wait it out. And maybe—hopefully—it helps.
But what if those “side effects” aren’t just annoyances to power through?
What if they’re your body’s way of saying:
This medication isn’t right for you?
Not All Side Effects Are Created Equal
At Colorado Mood Center, we take a different approach. We don’t believe you should have to suffer through intense discomfort just to “prove” a medication works. Many patients are told to wait weeks or months while they feel numb, jittery, restless, or worse. But here’s the truth:
Some side effects are red flags—clues that a medication is aggravating your underlying condition rather than helping it.
For example:
Feeling more anxious, activated, or sleepless on an SSRI?
Snapping at loved ones on a medication that’s supposed to lift your mood?
Having racing thoughts or impulsive urges you never had before?
These may not be “normal” side effects. These may be signs that your depression is not purely unipolar—and that you're experiencing a mixed state.
When “Antidepressants” Make You Worse
Many patients come to us after trying multiple antidepressants without relief. Some even feel worse—more irritable, more agitated, more trapped in their minds. This is especially common in people with mixed depression—a form of depression that includes energy surges, racing thoughts, or inner agitation alongside sadness or hopelessness.
As Koukopoulos and others have shown, mixed states tend to worsen with traditional antidepressantsActa Psychiatr Scand - …. Instead of calming the storm, these medications can add fuel to the fire.
In fact, about one-third of patients with depressive episodes may actually have mixed features that go unrecognizedA reappraisal of Koukop….
If we mistake mixed depression for classic (slowed-down, melancholic) depression, we risk giving treatments that intensify distress, agitation, or even suicidalityPsychopathology of Mixe….
Why We Listen Differently
At Colorado Mood Center, we don’t just ask if your medication is “tolerable.” We ask:
Does it actually help you feel more like yourself?
Does it reduce—not just suppress—your suffering?
Do the benefits clearly outweigh the changes you notice in your thinking, sleep, or energy?
And if the answer is no, we don’t tell you to wait it out. We reassess. Because in our experience, many so-called “side effects” are actually diagnostic breadcrumbs.
You Deserve to Feel Better—Not Just Numb
Some medications make people feel less depressed, but only because they dull everything. It’s like putting on sunglasses indoors: you can’t see the glare, but you can’t see the light either.
Our goal is different: we aim to treat the root of your mood instability—not just turn down the volume.
If your medication feels like it's blunting your personality, increasing your tension, or making you feel like a worse version of yourself, it’s time to ask:
Is this really a side effect… or is it a mismatch?
You’re Not Broken—Maybe the Medication Just Isn’t Right
If you’ve tried multiple medications and none have worked—or some have made you feel worse—it’s not because you’re “treatment-resistant.” It may be because your mood state has been misunderstood.
Let’s change that.
Colorado Mood Center
Expert psychiatric care for complex mood states, including mixed depression and bipolar spectrum conditions.
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📍 Boulder, CO | 💻 Telehealth available across Colorado
