Objective To investigate the effects of the antidepressant mirtazapine on the microbial resistome in complex intestinal environments. Methods We employed read mapping and metagenomic assembly to analyze the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and their bacterial hosts based on metagenomic sequencing data of fecal and cecal content samples. Results A total of 29 classes of ARGs, comprising 610 subtypes, were identified. Bacitracin-, tetracycline-, and vancomycin-class ARGs were the predominant types. Chronic restrain stress (CRS) increased the total abundance of ARGs, significantly elevating the abundance of high-risk ARGs belonging to aminoglycoside, MLS (macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin), and tetracycline classes (e.g., tetM, tetO, and tet40). Oral administration of mirtazapine exhibited initial microbiota-dependent effects on the resistome. It increased the total abundance of ARGs in healthy rats but decreased that in depressed rats. In addition, mirtazapine significantly enhanced the abundance of vancomycin-, aminoglycoside-, and mupirocin-class ARGs in healthy rats, as well as the tetracycline resistance gene tetP and multidrug resistance gene ompR in depressed rats. Bacillota, Bacteroidota, and Pseudomonadota were the dominant phyla of gut microbiota and served as the primary bacterial hosts of ARGs. Bacillota, as the main host phylum for aminoglycoside and MLS-class ARGs, showed increased abundance after CRS treatment, which was a key factor driving the significant enrichment of these two ARG classes. Furthermore, CRS increased the proportion of pathogenic bacteria such as vancomycin-resistant enterococci. Lactobacillus and Blautia were identified as potential hosts of tetP and ompR, respectively. The significant increases in the abundance of Lactobacillus and Blautia in the intestines of depressed rats after oral mirtazapine administration were critical factors for the marked enrichment of tetP and ompR. Conclusion CRS increases gut microbiota resistance risks by elevating the abundance of high-risk ARGs and pathogenic bacteria carrying ARGs. The effects of oral mirtazapine on the gut resistome are dependent on the initial microbiota composition. This study provides insights into the relationship between non-antibiotic drugs and gut microbiota resistance, offering important implications for the prevention and control of antibiotic resistance transmission.