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.
Bipolar Medication Guide: Mood Stabilizers, Antipsychotics, and Antidepressant Cautions
Bipolar disorder is treated with multiple medication classes, each with a different role. Here is what mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antidepressants actually do, and why antidepressants require extreme caution.
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.
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.
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.
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.