system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How do we distinguish that drugs such as SSRIs have side effects of suicide, when the person taking them is potentially already contemplating suicide?
gpt
Well the actual Anti-depressant effects take anywhere between 2-6 weeks to really kick in, with 4 weeks usually being the norm. Thing is, the meds also increase energy and motivation to an extent, but that effect starts earlier. So if the depressed person was suicidal, the extra oomph they get from the meds in that first 2-4 week period just might be enough to "motivate" them into actually attempting a suicide.