MAOI antidepressants are used mostly to treat depression, panic attacks, eating disorders or agoraphobia. They are not addictive. They may begin to work almost immediately, or they may take as long as eight weeks to start working. You need to take them exactly as prescribed whether you feel very good, very bad or in between. The dose prescribed is very different from person to person.
Antidepressants are usually only a part of treatment.
Therapy, skills training and lifestyle are important too. There are no known long-term risks. You must carefully avoid certain foods and medicines while you are taking an MAOI antidepressant and for two weeks after stopping it. Past response in yourself or a close family member. Good and bad responses run in families.