Trazodone (Desyrel)

What the word means

Trazodone is the drug. Desyrel is the old brand name, which almost nobody uses anymore.

It was built as an antidepressant, and it works as one, but at the doses used for depression it’s sedating enough that most people can’t tolerate it. What happened next is one of the more interesting stories in psychiatry: it found a second career at much lower doses as a sleep medication. That use is off-label, and it’s extremely common.

The reason it’s so widely used for sleep is simple. It isn’t a controlled substance, it isn’t habit-forming, and it doesn’t carry the physical dependence risk that benzodiazepines and Z-drugs do.

Where to read the full guide

Shrinktionary tells you what the word means and where it came from.

Read the full trazodone guide at PsychiatryRx, which covers dosing for sleep, side effects, and how it compares with other options.

Related terms you’ll see next

• Insomnia
• Off-label
• Z-drug
• Mirtazapine

When to seek professional care

Tell your prescriber about heavy next-day grogginess or dizziness on standing, both of which are common enough to be worth adjusting for. Men should seek emergency care for a painful erection lasting more than a few hours, which is a rare but serious reaction to this drug. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, get help right away by calling 911, or call or text 988 in the US to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Trazodone (Desyrel):</strong> Trazodone is an older antidepressant now used most often at low doses as a sleep aid. It isn't habit-forming, which is why it's a common alternative to sleeping pills.</p>
  <p>&mdash; <a href="https://shrinktionary.com/terms/trazodone/">Shrinktionary</a>, a plain-English mental health dictionary, medically reviewed by a board certified psychiatrist.</p>
</blockquote>