Mental Health Meds Can Make It Hard to Cope with Hot Weather

Published July 4th, 2024

4 min read

 

Certain medications make it harder for the body to regulate its temperature.

 

Written by Simon Spichak

 

Are you feeling the heat? Some people taking mental health medications might be more prone to dehydration or overheating. They can also make it harder for your body to cool down. Here’s everything you need to know about how mental health meds might affect your heat tolerance.

What medications make you vulnerable to overheating?

Many mental health medications that treat conditions including anxiety, ADHD, depression, OCD, and schizophrenia affect heat sensitivity. These include:

  • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

    • Citalopram (brand name: Celexa)

    • Escitalopram (brand name: Cipralex)

    • Fluoxetine (brand name: Prozac)

    • Fluvoxamine (brand name: Luvox)

    • Paroxetine (brand name: Paxil)

    • Sertraline (brand name: Zoloft)

  • Tricyclic antidepressants (SSRIs)

    • Amitriptyline (brand name: Elavil) 

    • Desipramine (brand name: Norpramin)

    • Doxepin (brand name: Sinequan)

    • Imipramine (brand name: Tofranil)

  • Antipsychotics

    • Abilify (brand name: Aripiprazole)

    • Clozaril (brand name: Clozapine)

    • Latuda (brand name: Lurasidone)

    • Risperdal (brand name: Risperidone) 

    • Seroquel (brand name: Quetiapine)

  • Amphetamines

    • Methylphenidate (brand name: Ritalin)

    • Dextroamphetamine (brand name: Adderall) 

Signs that you’re overheating

If you’re experiencing these symptoms, you might be experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke:

  • Sweating heavily.

  • Feeling faint, dizzy, or exhausted.

  • Weak, rapid pulse.

  • Feeling dizzy after you stand up.

  • Nausea or headache.

If you start feeling these symptoms, you should find a cool place to rest and rehydrate with water or sports drinks. 

Why do mental health medications make you more vulnerable?

While medications like antidepressants or antipsychotics can help treat debilitating mental health symptoms, they come with some unwanted side effects. 

These medications impair the body’s ability to perceive and respond to increased temperatures. Antipsychotics and amphetamines directly increase the body’s base temperature.

Researchers have also discovered that people with certain mental health conditions like schizophrenia already have trouble regulating their body temperature. 

As heatwaves become more frequent due to climate change, researchers are working to understand why these medications might make you more vulnerable.  

How to prevent overheating

If you’re out and about in the hot weather, here are some tips to keep you safe.

  • Stay hydrated.

  • Wear light, loose clothes.

  • Seek air-conditioned spaces or shade when possible.

  • Wear a hat and use sunscreen.

  • Rethink outside plans if it looks extra hot or humid outside.

How Resolvve can help

In addition to providing affordable therapy, we also share mental health information, tips, and tricks on our blogs and Instagram page. 

Please note that this post is written for educational purposes; it is not therapy. If you need to talk to a professional, please book a consultation with a psychotherapist through Resolvve.

Mental HealthSimon Spichakno-image