Be Good to Your Mind

Being busy can help you stay focused on the positive things in life—and balance is the key. Doing just one thing all day long can be exhausting and can lead to burn-out. Be sure to make some room in your day for play—even if you are hard at work, you deserve to have fun. Try designating some time in your day for yourself. Call it "me time." Having time for yourself in addition to the time spent with others can make you feel better. Make sure you're balancing the time spent doing physical activities with time spent resting. Your body needs to recuperate and feel refreshed to take on a new day.

Include something fun each day
You can boost your mood by doing something special each day. Knowing that you'll be doing crossword puzzles, sketching, gardening, painting, or reading your favorite book will give you something fun to look forward to every day.

Create simple "traditions" in life
Rituals help us connect with ourselves and the people around us. Having morning coffee or afternoon tea with a friend can be a fun tradition—for example, you know that every Sunday at 11:30 AM, you and your friend will meet for brunch and catch up. Reading books and telling stories at bedtime with your family can also be comforting and fun. Why not take a walk with your neighbor? You can chat and form a new friendship along the way.

Defer big decisions
Depression can make it more difficult to make decisions. Some experts suggest putting off all major decisions until depression has begun to substantially improve.

Try to avoid stress
When you have depression, even routine responsibilities such as paying bills can feel like a burden. Be mindful of taking on too many commitments. Getting well takes time—take it easy on yourself in the meantime.

Interrupt negative thinking
When you start to have a negative thought, try distracting yourself with a positive action. This can be anything—making a cup of tea, turning on the radio, or calling a friend.

As you work on developing new, healthy habits, keep your healthcare professional up-to-date on your progress.

Important Safety Information About Cymbalta

Antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. Suicide is a known risk of depression and some other psychiatric disorders. Call your doctor right away if you have new or worsening depression symptoms, unusual changes in behavior, or thoughts of suicide. Be especially observant within the first few months of treatment or after a change in dose. Approved only for adults 18 and over.

What should I talk about with my healthcare provider?

Patients on antidepressants and their families or caregivers should watch for new or worsening depression symptoms, unusual changes in behavior, thoughts of suicide, anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, difficulty sleeping, irritability, hostility, aggressiveness, impulsivity, restlessness, or extreme hyperactivity. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have thoughts of suicide or if any of these symptoms are severe or occur suddenly. Be especially observant within the first few months of antidepressant treatment or whenever there is a change in dose.

Who should NOT take Cymbalta?

You should not take Cymbalta if:

You have recently taken a type of antidepressant called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI)
You have uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma (increased eye pressure)
You are taking Mellaril^® (thioridazine)

What other important information should I discuss with my healthcare provider?

Before starting Cymbalta, talk with your healthcare provider:

about all of your medical conditions, including kidney or liver problems, glaucoma, diabetes, seizures, or if you have bipolar disorder. Cymbalta may worsen a type of glaucoma or the control of blood sugar in some patients with diabetes
about your alcohol use
if you are taking nonprescription or prescription medicines, including those for migraine, to address a possible life-threatening condition
if you are taking NSAID pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners. Use with Cymbalta may increase bleeding risk
if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant during therapy, or are breastfeeding an infant

While taking Cymbalta, talk with your healthcare provider:

if you have itching, right upper belly pain, dark urine, yellow skin/eyes, or unexplained flu-like symptoms, which may be signs of liver problems. Severe liver problems, sometimes fatal, have been reported
if you have high fever, confusion, and stiff muscles to address a possible life-threatening condition
before stopping Cymbalta or changing your dose
if you experience dizziness or fainting upon standing, especially when first starting Cymbalta or when increasing the dose
about your blood pressure. Cymbalta can increase your blood pressure. Your healthcare provider should check your blood pressure prior to and while taking Cymbalta
if you experience headache, weakness, confusion, problems concentrating, memory problems, or feel unsteady while taking Cymbalta which may be signs of low sodium levels
if you develop problems with urine flow

If you have any questions, talk to your healthcare provider before taking Cymbalta.

What are the possible side effects of Cymbalta?

The most common side effect of Cymbalta was nausea. Other common side effects included dry mouth, sleepiness, constipation, decreased appetite, and, increased sweating. This is not a complete list of side effects.

Other safety information about Cymbalta:

Cymbalta may cause sleepiness and dizziness. Until you know how Cymbalta affects you, you should not drive a car or operate hazardous machinery.

Please read additional Safety Information and Boxed Warning for a complete list.