Strongest association found for SSRIs and venlafaxine. Summary: Taking certain antidepressants for depression is linked to a heightened risk of subsequent mania and bipolar disorder, new research reveals.

Do SSRIs make bipolar disorder worse?

Traditional antidepressants are considered “experimental” for treating bipolar depression in that none has been proven to be more effective than a placebo (sugar pill) in bipolar I disorder. If taken alone, some may actually worsen symptoms of bipolar or uncover a manic episode.

Can SSRIs trigger mania?

Antidepressants “have the propensity to destabilize mood, precipitating both hypomanic and manic episodes”—a phenomenon called antidepressant associated hypomania (AAH).