Will Antidepressants Show Up On A Drug Test?

350 million people in the world suffer from depression at some point in their life. Thankfully, antidepressants can help to deal with the symptoms of depression and are hugely popular. It makes sense then that so many people are asking: do antidepressants show up on a drug test?

While antidepressant meds aren’t included in drug screens, they may produce false positives for other drugs. In fact, drug tests produce false positives in 5-10% of cases. 

That’s why we’re here to walk you through the reasons for antidepressant false positives and how to avoid them. 

Worried about antidepressants showing up on your next urine drug test? Keep reading for everything you need to know to avoid disaster. 

Do Antidepressants Show Up on a Drug Test?

The short answer? No.

Antidepressants are not considered drugs of abuse. That’s why employers generally don’t usually test for these prescriptions drugs in a screening. 

However, antidepressants have been known to produce false positives. 

False positives occur when a substance is so chemically similar to a drug of abuse that the drug test comes back positive. These tests aren’t sensitive enough to tell the difference between a prescription and a similar target drug.

For instance, Wellbutrin, Prozac, the Trazadone drug class Desyrel, Serzone, and other tricyclic antidepressants trigger positive results for amphetamines. 

Zoloft is one type of antidepressant medication which treats depressive disorder (MDD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder and can produce a false-positive on a drug test.

5 Ways on How to Avoid a False Positive Drug Test 

Here are 5 ways that you can avoid a false positive drug test:

1. Talk to your doctor before you stop taking your prescription
2. Let the drug tester know about your antidepressant prescription including the type and dosage
3. If you think you received a false positive drug test, make sure a confirmatory test is performed
4. Understand your rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which says that you cannot be harassed or discriminated against in the workplace for your diagnosis
5. For those who are still worried about an employer finding out about your diagnosis, you can test your urine before you take the drug test

Testing yourself for antidepressant drugs is not a foolproof way to avoid a false positive. But finding a lab that will understand your worries about antidepressants and drug tests is. 

Are You Looking for Reliable Drug Testing?

So we’ve answered the question: do antidepressants show up on a drug test? And if you’re looking for safe and reliable drug testing, we’re here to help. 

Located in Nashville, ReliaLabTest wants to help you feel safe and protected when you take an employee drug screening test. Our certified and trained technicians offer you the highest quality standards for protecting your mental health status.

Get in touch with us today or stop by our Nashville location to discuss your drug screening options.

FAQs

Does Prozac show up on a drug test?

Prozac could possibly show up on a drug test and trigger a false positive. Prozac (fluoxetine) may show up on a drug test as a amphetamine, methamphetamine or LSD.

Does Lexapro (Escitalopram) show up on a drug test?

Lexapro (also known as Escitalopram) is the 3rd most common prescription medication used in the USA. It has a half-life of between 27-32 hours, and will take up to 150 hours to be completed removed from the human body.

For a drug with such a long half-life, many people who rely on this medication are concerned about whether it will trigger a false positive on a drug test.

Lexapro is typically NOT measured when submitting a urine sample because it’s not classed as a controlled substance, therefore Lexapro will not show up on a drug test.

Does Zoloft show up on drug tests?

Zoloft (Sertraline) is a very common antidepressant which can often show up as a benzodiazepine on 10-panel drug tests. There have been known instances in which antidepressants can cause a false positive for LSD on drug test panels too. 

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