{"id":17571,"date":"2025-06-26T23:38:28","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T23:38:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/17571\/"},"modified":"2025-06-26T23:38:28","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T23:38:28","slug":"ssris-heat-intolerance-surviving-summer-on-antidepressants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/17571\/","title":{"rendered":"SSRIs & Heat Intolerance: Surviving Summer On Antidepressants"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m sweaty. Not just right now but always in the summer<\/a>. When everyone else is kicking off Hot Girl Season with tequila shots, booty shorts, and cute lil park picnics, I\u2019m spiraling into dread \u2014 with a side of panic. Because I am a sweaty girl<\/a> on SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors<\/a>, AKA antidepressants, AKA my happy girlie pills).<\/p>\n

And I\u2019m not alone. My FYP<\/a> is basically a group therapy session for the Sweaty SSRI Club<\/a>. The comments? Full of people just now realizing this is why they\u2019re melting on a five-minute walk. I\u2019m lucky \u2014 my STEM major roommate connected the dots and reminded me to hydrate before I passed out in a Zara dressing room. But now I\u2019m here to be your metaphorical STEM roomie. Your SSRI spirit guide.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re gonna break down why SSRIs make you feel like Elphaba in the final act<\/a> and what to do about it. But more importantly, we\u2019re gonna tackle the shame. Because truly, the mortification I feel from my Lexapro-induced swamp sweat is next-level. The butt prints left on public benches. The boob sweat soaking through my favorite sundress. The literal beige foundation streaks cascading down my neck like a waterfall.<\/p>\n

So let me say this loud and sweaty for the people in the back: You\u2019re not gross! You\u2019re just on medication.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why do SSRIs make you so damn hot?!<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sexy because of my fine ass, but I\u2019m hot because Lexapro is boiling me from the inside out. Betches spoke to Dr Nikita Kanani, MBE, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at Aneira Health<\/a>, for the medical tea.<\/p>\n

\u201cSSRIs can interfere with the body\u2019s ability to regulate temperature,\u201d Dr Kanani explains. \u201cThey affect serotonin levels, which play a role in sweating, a key mechanism we use to cool down. This means that in hot weather, people on SSRIs may be more prone to overheating, dehydration, and heat exhaustion, especially if they are also anxious or physically active.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n@purelylydia<\/a> It\u2019s actually gross. The sertraline sweats are real \ud83d\ude2d #ssri<\/a> #medication<\/a> #sertraline<\/a> #anxiety<\/a> #ocd<\/a> #summer<\/a> #heatwave<\/a> \u266c original sound \u2013 \u029a\u012d\u025e<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You either stop sweating completely or \u2014 if you\u2019re this lucky girlie \u2014 you sweat enough to water a community garden. Many antidepressants mess with your hypothalamus, AKA the part of your brain that handles temperature regulation. It scrambles the signal, and suddenly, you\u2019re a shrimp on the barbie.<\/p>\n

Studies have shown<\/a> that people taking SSRIs can have their body temperature rise above 106\u00b0F (41\u00b0C). That is not okay!!! You\u2019re easily at risk for heat exhaustion or heat stroke when you\u2019re on these kinds of meds.<\/p>\n

Which antidepressants cause heat intolerance?<\/p>\n

Short answer: too many.<\/p>\n

Longer answer: Sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram, and fluoxetine (Prozac) can all affect your body\u2019s ability to regulate temperature and make you heat-sensitive.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just SSRIs, either. Tricyclic antidepressants (like amitriptyline), SNRIs, amphetamines (like Ritalin), and antipsychotics (like Thorazine) can all mess with your internal thermostat. Love that for us.<\/p>\n

How to survive summer on SSRIs<\/p>\n

\"\"Image Credit: Columbia Pictures<\/p>\n

I begged Dr. Kanani for advice on how to survive the summer without melting into a puddle of mental illness. Because between climate change and my decade-long depression arc, this problem isn\u2019t going anywhere. (Mom, I\u2019m fine. Don\u2019t call my therapist.)<\/p>\n

Here are the top tips from the expert:<\/p>\n