Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDrug Screen TypesImpact of AntidepressantsFalse PositivesYour PrivacyPreparing for the TestFrequently Asked Questions

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Drug Screen Types

Impact of Antidepressants

False Positives

Your Privacy

Preparing for the Test

Frequently Asked Questions

Close

If are taking a prescription antidepressant medication likeProzac (fluoxetine), you might worry that it could show up on a drug test. This is especially a concern if you must take a pre-employment drug screen for a new job.

Because antidepressants are not considered “drugs of abuse,” they are not included in common urine drug screens. However, there may be cross-reactions that can produce false positive results for the substances these tests are designed to detect.

Never stop taking your antidepressant without talking to your doctor first. If you are concerned about false positives on drug screenings, inform the technician about any medications you are taking, including antidepressants, other prescription medications, or over-the-counter medications.

Keep reading to learn the actions you can take to ensure your drug test results are interpreted accurately, and your rights are protected.

Common Drug Screens

Antidepressants do not show up asantidepressantson standard drug tests. The lab would have to do specific additional tests to look for antidepressants.

If you are intreatment for depression, the good news is that antidepressants are not the drugs that an employer is looking for in an employment drug screen. The types of substances tested for on a typical employment drug screens include:

Sometimes, however, an antidepressant will trigger a false positive on a drug test, showing up on the test as an amphetamine or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).

Impact of Antidepressants on Drug Tests

False positive test results can sometimes occur if a prescription drug or its metabolite has a similar chemical structure to the target drug being tested for.

Someantidepressantscan inadvertently trigger a false positive for a controlled substance.To avoid this, advise the tester about any medications you may be taking so that confirmatory tests can be performed to weed out any false positives.

Certain antidepressant drugs are more prone to false-positive readings. For example:

Preventing False Positives

If you are concerned that your antidepressant might show up as a false positive for another drug in a drug test, your best course of action is to be proactive.

Inform the Technician

In addition to informing the technician about the antidepressant you’re taking, bring along the prescription bottle and ensure that the drug is notated on your record. It is better to declare this before the test rather than after.

Request a Second Test If Necessary

If your drug screen is positive and a second confirmation test has not been done, demand that it be performed immediately, ideally with the same sample. Moreover, get a copy of both results to confirm that a different technique was used.

Talk to Your Doctor About Other Medications

If possible, you may want to talk to your doctor about trying a different type ofselective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)that won’t produce a false positive. For instance:

Of course, if a specific medication is working well for your depression—and you and your doctor agree it’s best not to change courses—be sure to show any and all medications to the lab technician conducting your drug screening.

Protecting Your Privacy

Even if you are able to sort out any false positives from your drug screen, you may be concerned about the disclosure of your antidepressant drug use.

In most cases, any information you share with the tester won’t be included on the result. The employees at the lab and your present or future supervisor will likely have no direct contact with each other. All your employer will receive is a list of positive and negative results to the requested drug screens.

Workplace harassment and discriminationfor depression and other mental health conditions are prohibited under the Americans With Disabilities Act,but you may have valid concerns about your rights being upheld.

Although awareness about mental health conditions such as depression has grown over the years, it is still common for people with depression to worry about thestigma associated with a depression diagnosis.

It is understandable that you would want your depression diagnosis to be kept private, especially from a current or prospective employer. You may fear you could be discriminated against or singled out for your condition in the workplace, even with the legal protections in place.

First and most importantly, don’t stop taking your medications or reducing the dosage unless you are doing so under the guidance of your physician. This is true even if you are concerned about false positives.

Even short-term interruptions in medication can have serious consequences for the treatment of your condition, not least of which isantidepressant discontinuation syndrome (ADS).Discuss any concerns you have with your mental health provider so you can take the drug screen safely and without stress.

It is also important to remember that antidepressants aren’t the only drugs that can trigger a false positive drug screen. Others include:

Summary

Drug screens do not typically test for antidepressants, but some medications may trigger a false positive. Understanding this possibility is important and will allow you to take steps to minimize this risk.

The best approach is to bring your medications with you to inform the test administrator. If a false-positive does occur, the medication will already be noted in your record. Other options include requesting a second test or changing to a different medication that is less likely to trigger a false-positive result.

Most importantly, never stop taking your medication without talking to your doctor. Suddenly halting your medication may result in antidepressant withdrawal or the return of depression symptoms.

Frequently Asked QuestionsProzac (fluoxetine) could show up as an amphetamine or as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) on a drug test and produce a false positive for one of these illicit drugs.However, Prozac doesn’t show up as Prozac—or as an antidepressant—on a drug test because these tests normally don’t screen for antidepressant use.Lexapro (escitalopram) doesn’t show up on a drug test because drug tests normally don’t screen for antidepressant use. And, unlike other SSRIs, Lexapro does not produce a false positive for any other type of drug.Zoloft (sertraline) could show up as a false positive on a drug test as a benzodiazepine or LSD.However, Zoloft wouldn’t show up as Zoloft—or as an antidepressant—on a test, because people are usually not screened for antidepressant use during a standard drug test.

Prozac (fluoxetine) could show up as an amphetamine or as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) on a drug test and produce a false positive for one of these illicit drugs.However, Prozac doesn’t show up as Prozac—or as an antidepressant—on a drug test because these tests normally don’t screen for antidepressant use.

Lexapro (escitalopram) doesn’t show up on a drug test because drug tests normally don’t screen for antidepressant use. And, unlike other SSRIs, Lexapro does not produce a false positive for any other type of drug.

Zoloft (sertraline) could show up as a false positive on a drug test as a benzodiazepine or LSD.However, Zoloft wouldn’t show up as Zoloft—or as an antidepressant—on a test, because people are usually not screened for antidepressant use during a standard drug test.

How to Wean Off Your Antidepressants

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