 [ Symptoms ] how should doctors dose antidepressants [ Disease ] you can also advocate for yourself once you know this 1 start at a dose lower than that usually advocated by the fda do this for a few days to get your body and brain used to [the drug] in order to hopefully lower your side effect risks 2 increase and take the lowest fda dose for four to six weeks 3 if you are not better increase to the middle dose for four to six weeks 4 if you are not better increase to the highest fda dose for four to six weeks if you and your doctor accomplish this then you have had a full trial of the antidepressant if the full trial has failed ask your doctor for another similar trial ideally of an antidepressant [that] works on a different set of neurotransmitters do not stay on the same low dosed antidepressant for several months if it is not helping