Am I Sweating Or Is That My SSRI?
Antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers are all pharmacological treatment options prescribed by a Medical Doctor (MD) or Nurse Practitioner (NP) as standalone or adjunct treatments for symptoms of mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, ADHD, PTSD, Bi-Polar Disorder, and so on.
While there are many different types of antidepressant, they are broadly thought to work by increasing certain levels of natural chemicals in a person’s brain that would typically otherwise be lower as indicated by symptoms of depression/anxiety (CAMH on Antidepressants). Antipsychotics come as both typical, and atypical antipsychotics – both of these classes of antipsychotic work to restore the balance of natural chemicals in the brain in a different mechanism than antidepressants (CAMH on Antipsychotics). Mood stabilizers are thought to bring stability, or calm, to certain areas of the brain rather than experiencing overwhelm in those areas, or to prevent them from going into overwhelm/overstimulation in the first place (CAMH on Mood Stabilizers).
When you are prescribed a medication, you and your practitioner are making a decision that the benefit of taking the medication outweighs the risk of the side effects – psychopharmacological medications are no different. There are actually many reasons why you or someone you may know is taking one of these medications, and the risks and benefits will vary for each person between each medication choice.
Something important to flag here (particularly in the summer months) is that antidepressant (particularly SSRIs), antipsychotic, and mood stabilizing medications all often fall into the category of medications that have worsening possible side effects in the sun, and through heatwaves!
Check the side of your medication bottle, is there a little sticker on there that says something along the lines of “Avoid UV rays”? Some of these medications have the side effect of causing an increase in photosensitivity, which means that your skin and eyes have the risk of having a greater reaction to UV rays (that we get from the sun) when on that medication.
Other side effects that are at risk of being exacerbated beyond that of the average person when you combine the aforementioned medications with the sun and heatwaves include things like nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweating/temperature regulation, and dehydration.
Listen, I KNOW we tell you to go outside and get fresh air and be in the sun and that Vitamin D is good for your mental health – all of that is still true! But, it can also be a little bit more dangerous for those taking an antidepressant, antipsychotic, or mood stabilizing medication.
And so, we have to be a little bit more intentional, and a lot more preventative about the approach to spending time outdoors in the sun and heat in these cases.
WHAT CAN I DO?!:
Read your medication bottle!
Does your medication give a warning about heat/exposure to UV rays? This is a great first step to be aware of.
Speak with your MD/NP or Pharmacist.
Your medical providers, including your Pharmacists, are great sources of information to find out if your medication is one that you should be aware of when a heatwave strikes.
Keep hydrated – drink lots of water.
Drink water regularly instead of waiting until you’re panting and your mouth is pasty. Carry a water bottle with you to make sure you have a little water on hand when in doubt.
Prehydrate - drink water regularly, don’t wait for your body to send you signals that you’re thirsty because they may not even come.
Take breaks inside/in the shade.
We love the sun, but try not to make plans in the hottest and sunniest parts of the day. Also make sure you spend some time either indoors, or in the shade every once in a while to give yourself a break. Reduce the amount of time you think you should be able to be outside for; remember – you’re more sensitive to the sun.
Protect yourself from the sun.
Get a hat, sunglasses, and wear sunscreen (and make sure you reapply).
Wear looser fitting, light coloured clothing.
Sleep in the coolest place that you can find.
You will have a more quality sleep in a colder environment, and this will help to lower your overall body temperature.
If you start to experience fainting, dizziness, nausea, headache, etc. from heat exposure, consider it a red flag that something might not be okay, and it may be time to seek medical advice.
Let’s face it, we can’t all be in Air Conditioning all of the time, and some of us love the sun and the heat. An antidepressant, antipsychotic, or mood stabilizing medication doesn’t mean that you can’t still enjoy those things. What they do mean is that while enjoying your time in the sun it is extra important to keep some of the above tips in mind to ensure that you don’t regret that summer fun!
