Exploring the Digital Landscape of Antidepressant Use: Demographic Insights, Emotional Analysis, and Topic Modeling (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Antidepressant medications are widely used to manage depression and anxiety disorders. Given that these medications have been around for many years, their side effects are well documented. Apart from common side effects, there are new emerging data reporting unexpected side effects or stress related challenges that clinicians should be aware of. OBJECTIVE The goal of this study to analyze the demographic profiles, symptomatology, and platform-specific differences in online discussions about antidepressant side effects. Exploring the antidepressant side effects in different gender and age, then the clinical with detailed information to improve the documentation and management of drug side effects. METHODS We collected dataset from Ask a patient and Reddit platform. A mixed methods approach including quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis. Which we leverage Natural Language Processing method to examine the demographic and symptoms comments, and exploring the language linguistic patterns on word, topic, and theme of posts. RESULTS The analysis highlighted significant gender-based differences in antidepressant side effects. Females reported more gastrointestinal, neurological, sleep, general physical, and emotional symptoms, while males reported more sexual health issues. Users frequently discussed withdrawal symptoms and challenges with switching medications, revealing anxiety about the withdrawal process. Unique symptoms such as toe infections, visual changes, and pulsatile tinnitus were also noted. The strong correlation between fear and neurological, gastrointestinal, and sleep-related symptoms suggests these physical symptoms significantly contribute to emotional distress. CONCLUSIONS These findings underscore the necessity for gender-sensitive healthcare approaches and highlight new concerns that are not typically covered in standard drug descriptions. Addressing these issues directly in consultations can improve patient outcomes by fostering better adherence to medication regimens and enhancing overall treatment satisfaction. Future research should focus on understanding the unique challenges faced by specific demographics, particularly women in reproductive age who use birth control, to provide more effective and personalized care.