News & Research
The Siggy Blog
Expert articles on medications, conditions, and the future of mental healthcare, from the team building it.
Adjusting Your Lexapro Dose: What Patterns Your Doctor Looks For
Lexapro dose adjustments are not arbitrary. Here are the specific clinical patterns, timing windows, and response signals that guide every decision from 10 mg to 20 mg and back.
Antidepressants and Pregnancy: What the Updated Evidence Actually Says
An FDA panel in July 2025 raised alarm about SSRIs in pregnancy. Here is what the current clinical evidence says, what the real risks are, and why untreated depression may pose a greater threat than the medication.
How Long Until Anxiety Medication Starts Working? A Realistic Timeline
Most anxiety medications take weeks, not days. Here is what the clinical evidence says about each medication type, what to expect week by week, and what it means if symptoms worsen before they improve.
Is Lexapro an Antidepressant? The Quick Answer Plus What Patients Should Know
Yes, Lexapro is an antidepressant. It is also FDA-approved for anxiety. Here is what escitalopram actually does, why prescribers reach for it, what the side effects are, and how it compares to similar medications.
SSRI Medications Compared: A Side-by-Side Look at the Major Options
All six major SSRIs work through the same mechanism but differ significantly in half-life, drug interactions, side effect profiles, and discontinuation risk. Here is a clinical comparison.
Sexual Side Effects of SSRIs: Why They Happen and What Patients Can Do
Sexual dysfunction affects up to 80% of people on SSRIs, but most never mention it to their prescriber. Here is why it happens, which medications cause more problems, and five evidence-based strategies that actually work.
Strattera (Atomoxetine): The Non-Stimulant ADHD Option Explained
Atomoxetine was the first non-stimulant ADHD medication approved by the FDA. Here is how it works, who it helps most, what the evidence shows, and what patients need to know about the timeline.
Trazodone for Sleep: A Patient's Plain-English Guide to Low-Dose Use
Trazodone is one of the most prescribed sleep aids in the United States despite having no FDA approval for insomnia. Here is how low doses work, who they help, and what to watch for.
The Patient's Guide to Adjusting Antidepressant Dose Without Losing Continuity
A prescriber needs the full clinical picture to adjust your dose well. Here is how antidepressant titration works and what makes dose changes safer and more accurate.
Antidepressant Not Working After 8 Weeks: A Doctor-Reviewed Decision Path
Eight weeks on an antidepressant with no response is a clinical signal, not a dead end. Here is the doctor-reviewed decision path for what happens next.
Choosing Non-Stimulant Online ADHD Treatment That Stays With You Long-Term
Non-stimulant ADHD medications work differently than stimulants, take longer to reach full effect, and require specific monitoring. Here is what choosing them for the long term actually looks like.
How to Know If Your Antidepressant Is Working When Your Mood Still Feels Off
Mood is often the last symptom to improve on an antidepressant. Here is what to actually watch for in the first 8 weeks and what early response really looks like.
Hydroxyzine for Anxiety: How It Works, Side Effects, and When Doctors Choose It
Hydroxyzine is FDA-approved for anxiety and not addictive. Here is how it works, what side effects to expect, and the clinical situations where doctors reach for it first.
Prozac for Patients Who Forget Doses: Why Its Long Half-Life Matters
Fluoxetine has the longest half-life of any SSRI. A single missed dose rarely disrupts treatment the way it does with paroxetine or venlafaxine. Here is the pharmacology and what it means for real-world adherence.
Wellbutrin vs SSRIs: When Doctors Choose Bupropion First
Bupropion and SSRIs are both first-line antidepressants, but they work differently and suit different patients. Here is the clinical decision that makes a prescriber reach for one over the other.
The 7 Things to Tell Your Psychiatrist About Your Medication That Most Patients Skip
Most patients leave their psychiatrist without sharing 7 critical pieces of information that change prescribing decisions. Here is what to say and why it matters.
Why So Many Patients Stop Anxiety Medication Because of Side Effects (and the Alternative)
Side effects cause about 1 in 12 people to stop anxiety medication early. Here is what the research shows about why it happens and what actually changes outcomes.
Antidepressant Not Working? 3 Patterns to Check Before You Switch
Before switching antidepressants, three clinical patterns explain most cases of apparent treatment failure. Here is how to check each one before making any changes.
Antidepressant Prescribing Online: What Patterns Your Care Team Is Tracking
When you start an antidepressant online, your care team watches for far more than side effects. Here are the clinical patterns that drive good prescribing decisions over time.
Beta Blockers vs SSRIs for Anxiety: When to Use Each
Beta blockers work in 30 minutes. SSRIs take weeks. They treat different aspects of anxiety. Here is the clinical framework for when each is the right choice.
How a Daily Medication Check-In Cuts Dose-Adjustment Time From Months to Hours
Dose adjustments for antidepressants typically happen months after the signal first appears. Here is what daily check-ins change about that timeline.
Doctor Explains Antidepressants: What the First 8 Weeks Should Feel Like
Side effects before benefits. Energy before mood. A week-by-week guide to the first eight weeks on an antidepressant, from someone who prescribes them.
Guanfacine for ADHD: The Non-Stimulant That Helps With Sleep and Focus
Guanfacine (Intuniv) treats ADHD through a different mechanism than stimulants. Here's how it works, who it helps, and what to track once you start it.
Hydroxyzine for Sleep and Anxiety: Tracking Sedation, Tolerance, and Effectiveness
Hydroxyzine works for short-term sleep and anxiety. Here is how it works, when tolerance becomes a concern, and what your prescriber should be monitoring closely.
Lexapro Dosage: How Doctors Decide on 5mg, 10mg, or 20mg
Your Lexapro dose wasn't random. Here's the clinical reasoning behind 5mg, 10mg, and 20mg, and what factors lead prescribers to adjust it.
Non-Stimulant ADHD Medication: A Patient's Guide to Strattera, Wellbutrin, and Qelbree
Three non-stimulant ADHD medications explained: how Strattera, Wellbutrin, and Qelbree work, who they are for, and what to track once you start one.
Psychiatrist Answers: Why Your Antidepressant Stops Working Over Time
Your antidepressant worked for months. Now it does not. A psychiatrist explains the clinical phenomenon behind antidepressant tolerance and what happens next.
Side Effect Tracker: The 5 Categories Patients Most Often Forget to Log
Most patients track physical side effects. The five categories that actually drive treatment decisions are the ones nobody asks about.
Trazodone Side Effects: The Daytime Effects Patients Don't Realize Are Reportable
Morning grogginess, dizziness when standing, and cognitive fog from trazodone are rarely reported. Here's what qualifies as a reportable side effect and why it changes your treatment.
Zoloft Side Effects in the First 2 Weeks vs Long-Term: Knowing the Difference
Nausea and insomnia from Zoloft often resolve. Sexual side effects usually do not. Here's how to tell which side effects will pass and which need clinical attention.
Mental Health Medication Management: Why Continuity Is the Missing Piece
Half of people on psychiatric medication stop within a year. Not because the medication failed, but because no one stayed with them after they started. Here is what continuity in medication management actually requires.
The Mental Health Medication Management Cycle Most Patients Don't Realize They're In
Start. Feel different. Stop. Relapse. Restart. About 60% of people on antidepressants stop within three months, and most go through this more than once. Here is why it happens and how to break it.
Psychiatric Medication Management Online for Treatment-Resistant Patients
If you have tried two antidepressants without lasting relief, you may not have a treatment-resistant brain. You may have an under-evaluated treatment history. Here is what that difference means.
Abilify Side Effects: What Patients Should Track Monthly
Most people on Abilify see their prescriber quarterly. Akathisia, compulsive behaviors, and early metabolic shifts show up in weeks. Here is what to track and when to report it.
Anxiety Medication Management: How a Daily Check-In Changes the Conversation
Most people stop anxiety medication within six months, not because it fails, but because no one is checking in. Here is how daily monitoring changes that.