Alberta Child Health Benefit (click here to apply)
Funded by the Alberta government
For low-income families
Covers prescription drugs and essential over-the-counter products, among other services
Can take weeks to months to receive approval
Antidepressants can take a long time to work. It is common to see little to no benefit within the first few weeks of taking antidepressants. They can take up to 3 months to be fully effective.
If you are still concerned your medication is not working, please talk to your doctor or pharmacist before making any changes to your medication! Your local pharmacy is just a phone call away.
You may experience some side effects while taking antidepressants. A list of common side effects can be found here.
Certain side effects of antidepressants such as stomach upset or trouble sleeping will usually go away in a week or two.
If you have any concerns, please talk to your doctor or pharmacist before making any changes to your medication! They can give you tips on how to manage some of the side effects.
Click here to go to the MyHealthAlberta site and type in the name of your medication to learn more about its uses, potential side effects, and storage.
Alternatively, Mayo Clinic has a page containing general information about antidepressants.
If you have any questions that are not sufficiently addressed above, please talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Click here to visit the MyHealthAlberta website for more information on supporting your teen with depression.
Access 24/7 - 780-424-2424
Single access point for urgent and non-urgent mental health and addiction services in Edmonton
Kids Help Phone (Youth counselling line) - 1-800-668-6868
Phone, text or online chat
https://kidshelpphone.ca/our-e-mental-health-services
Mental Health Help Line - 877-303-2642
MoreGoodDays
E-mental health program, supportive text messages
Text “MoreGoodDays” to 393939
For Immediate Help
Crisis and distress lines:
https://www.edmonton.ca/programs_services/for_communities/i-need-to-talk