Questions to Ask Before You Start a Psychiatric Medication
Short answer
Before you start a psychiatric medication, ask what it is for, what other options exist (including therapy), which side effects are common and which are serious, what it can interact with, what the label says about pregnancy and breastfeeding, and how you and your prescriber will judge whether it helps. Ask for the FDA Medication Guide if your medicine has one. Do not stop a medicine suddenly without talking to your prescriber first.
In crisis or thinking about suicide? Call or text 988 now (in New York City it reaches NYC 988). If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
This guide is not enough if
- You are thinking about suicide or harming yourself, or you are in danger now. Call or text 988, or call 911.
- You have symptoms of a serious reaction, such as high fever, confusion, stiff muscles or a seizure. Get medical help right away.
- You want to change or stop a medicine you already take. That decision belongs in a conversation with your prescriber.
- You need a dose, or advice about one specific drug for you. This guide gives general questions, not individual medical advice.
Why this conversation matters
You may be sitting with a new prescription after a first visit, or a prescriber may have said a medicine could help. Either way, you are allowed to ask questions before the first dose. A good prescriber expects them, and the answers shape whether the plan fits your life.
Some of these questions are serious enough that the FDA builds them into the label. The agency requires a Medication Guide for certain prescription drugs, for example when patient labeling could help prevent serious adverse reactions or when serious risks could affect a patient's decision to use or keep using a drug. If your medicine has one, it is written for you, not for the prescriber.
If you have not had your first visit yet, what to expect in your first psychiatry appointment walks through the evaluation itself. This guide picks up where that leaves off: the moment a medicine is on the table. If you are looking for a prescriber, see medication management.
Questions about the medicine and the other options
Start with the basics. They sound simple, but many people leave a visit without clear answers to them.
- What is this medicine for, in my case? Ask which symptoms it is meant to help and what change you might notice first.
- How is it thought to work? FDA labels often say a drug's mechanism is unclear or unknown. Your prescriber can still explain the general idea and the drug class. See antidepressant classes compared for one example.
- What else could we try? NIMH says psychotherapy can be used as an alternative to or alongside medication. Ask whether therapy alone, medication alone or both makes sense for you, and why.
- What happens if I wait or decide not to take it? A clear answer helps you weigh the risk of treatment against the risk of untreated symptoms.
- Is this a generic, and does that matter? Most of the time it does not, but brand vs generic psychiatric medication explains when to mention a change.
| Question | Why it matters | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| What is it for, and what else could we try? | NIMH says therapy can be an alternative to or used alongside medication. | Your visit summary; the Indications section of the label |
| Which side effects are common, and which mean I should call? | Many common side effects fade, but some need a call right away. | The Medication Guide, if there is one; the label's Highlights |
| Does it have a boxed warning? | It flags the most serious known risks, such as suicidal thoughts in young people on antidepressants. | The box at the start of the label; the Medication Guide |
| Can I take it with my other medicines, supplements and alcohol? | Supplements can change how a medicine is absorbed, broken down or cleared. | The label's Drug Interactions section; your pharmacist |
| What does the label say about pregnancy and breastfeeding? | Labels now describe known risks in writing instead of a letter grade. | Label sections 8.1 (Pregnancy) and 8.2 (Lactation) |
| How and when will we judge whether it helps? | Antidepressants usually take 4 to 8 weeks to work, per NIMH. | Your treatment plan and follow-up schedule |
| How would I stop it safely? | Stopping some medicines quickly can cause withdrawal-like symptoms. | The label's Warnings section; your prescriber |
Side effects, warnings and the Medication Guide
NIMH says common side effects of SSRIs and other antidepressants include upset stomach, headache or sexual problems, and that they are generally mild and tend to go away with time. That pattern does not hold for every drug, so ask which side effects are likely for yours, which usually fade, and which mean you should call.
Ask whether the medicine has a boxed warning, the FDA's most prominent warning. Antidepressant labels carry one about suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens and young adults in short-term studies. The sertraline (Zoloft) Medication Guide, for example, tells people to call their health care provider right away about new or worse depression, anxiety, agitation or thoughts of suicide. What a boxed warning means explains how to read these warnings without panic.
Some medicines also need blood work before or during treatment. Which blood tests psychiatric medications need covers that by drug, so ask your prescriber which apply to you.
Interactions: other medicines, supplements and alcohol
Interactions are the part people most often skip. The FDA says certain dietary supplements can change the absorption, metabolism or excretion of a medication, and it lists depression medicines among those made less effective by St. John's wort. NCCIH adds that St. John's wort can interact in dangerous, sometimes life-threatening ways with a variety of medicines.
Bring a full list: prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, herbs, teas and powders. The sertraline Medication Guide asks patients to tell their provider about all of these. Mind Body Seven asks new patients to bring a list of prescription and over-the-counter medications to the first visit for the same reason. Supplements that interact with psychiatric medication lists the main ones.
Ask about alcohol and other substances directly, and answer honestly. Labels differ: the sertraline Medication Guide, for instance, says not to drink alcohol while taking it. Your prescriber and pharmacist can tell you what your own label says.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and plans to conceive
If you are pregnant, could become pregnant or are breastfeeding, say so before you start. Since June 30, 2015, the FDA's Pregnancy and Lactation Labeling Rule has replaced the old letter categories (A, B, C, D and X) with written Pregnancy, Lactation, and Females and Males of Reproductive Potential sections. The Pregnancy section can include a pregnancy exposure registry when one exists.
Those sections describe what is known and what is not. They do not make the decision for you. The sertraline Medication Guide, for example, asks people to talk with their provider about the benefits and risks of taking it during pregnancy. If you find out you are pregnant while taking a medicine, call your prescriber before changing anything. Psychiatric medication during pregnancy goes into more detail.
How you will judge whether it helps, and how it would end
Agree on what success looks like before you start. NIMH says antidepressants usually take 4 to 8 weeks to work, and MedlinePlus notes that some people need to try two or more medicines before finding one that works. Ask when your first follow-up is and what you should track until then.
Ask how you would stop the medicine if it does not help or if side effects are too much. NIMH says people should not stop a prescribed medication without help from a health care provider, and that a provider can lower the dose slowly and safely. The sertraline label lists symptoms that can follow stopping, particularly abrupt stopping, such as dizziness, irritability, anxiety and electric-shock sensations.
When a question list is not the right next step
If you are thinking about suicide or harming yourself, do not wait for a medication visit. Call or text 988, or call 911 if you are in immediate danger, and see crisis and hotline resources for more. If you have already started a medicine and notice fever, a racing heartbeat, muscle stiffness or confusion, the sertraline Medication Guide lists these among possible signs of serotonin syndrome and says to call your provider right away, or 911 in an emergency.
If you are not sure you want medication at all, that is a reasonable place to be. An evaluation or therapy may be the better first step, and a good prescriber will talk it through without pressure. At Mind Body Seven, prescribers and therapists collaborate on shared patients, and medication management is available by secure video for patients throughout New York State. You can book a visit or read about psychiatric medication management in Brooklyn and online.
Frequently asked questions
What is an FDA Medication Guide and how do I get one?
A Medication Guide is patient labeling that is part of the FDA-approved label for certain prescription drugs. For those drugs, FDA rules say it is to be given to you when the medicine is dispensed, and you can ask for it in electronic form. If you did not get one, ask the pharmacist. You can also read full drug labels on DailyMed, the National Library of Medicine's label database.
Can I say no to a psychiatric medication?
Yes. Starting a medicine is a shared decision, and you can ask for time to think, ask about other options or decline. It helps to ask what the risks of waiting are for your situation, so you are weighing both sides. NIMH notes that psychotherapy can be used as an alternative to or alongside medication. If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 while you decide.
What if I find out I am pregnant while taking a psychiatric medicine?
Call your prescriber soon, and do not stop the medicine on your own. Labels written under the FDA's Pregnancy and Lactation Labeling Rule describe what is known about risks in pregnancy, and some point to a pregnancy exposure registry. Your prescriber and your obstetric clinician can weigh the risks of the medicine against the risks of untreated symptoms with you.
Should I tell my prescriber about alcohol or cannabis use?
Yes, and as accurately as you can. Substances can change how a medicine works or how you feel on it, and some labels give direct advice. The sertraline Medication Guide, for example, says not to drink alcohol while taking it. Prescribers ask so they can choose and adjust treatment safely, not to judge you. Your pharmacist can also tell you what your own label says.
Next: take the next step
When you are ready, read more about how Mind Body Seven can help, in Brooklyn or by telehealth across New York State, or request a consultation and an Intake Coordinator will follow up.
Sources
- FDA: Medication Guides
- FDA: Pregnancy and Lactation Labeling Resources
- NIMH: Mental Health Medications
- NIMH: Psychotherapies
- DailyMed: Zoloft (sertraline) label and Medication Guide
- FDA: Mixing Medications and Dietary Supplements Can Endanger Your Health
- MedlinePlus: Antidepressants
- Mind Body Seven: FAQs
Reviewed by Dr. Beata Lewis, MD, Founder and Clinical Director, board-certified in adult psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and integrative medicine on November 8, 2026. Facts checked against the sources above on November 8, 2026. This guide is general education, not medical advice, a diagnosis or a treatment plan, and reading it does not make you a patient of Mind Body Seven. For advice about your situation, talk with a licensed clinician.