I’m led to believe that the use of antidepressants is fairly common these days, and that more and more people are relying on them to help overcome depression. So why does nobody talk about them?
I often hear people boasting of their visits to counsellors, as though representing a glamorous, almost celebrity lifestyle, but they never seem to acknowledge the growing popularity of more controversial methods of dealing with depression, such as prescribed drugs.
It may be that people feel that non-substance methods are more favourable ways of dealing with depression, such as therapy, or changing lifestyle habits to incorporate more exercise and healthy eating, and I wouldn’t disagree that these should be the first steps in fighting depression.
But it has to be recognised that some circumstances require people to use medical treatment to deal with their situations. Yet with so few people discussing these matters, how much do people really understand about antidepressants?
For this Blog, I referred to a Glamour magazine article titled: "What every woman should know about antidepressants." Firstly, the article describes the increased popularity of anti-depressant drugs among British women, before beginning to explain how they’re effective in some cases, but ineffective, and potentially dangerous in others.
A short "quiz" is provided for readers to discover if they may benefit from using antidepressants, and a guide to the different types of pills is also provided.
Initially, the article appears to support the drugs, including various "My pill" stories from women who have had successful experiences after starting their drug therapy, but there are certain warnings too.
I know two people who have turned to antidepressants over the last few years, and have noticed significant improvements for both of them during their treatments. The only problem occurred when one of them believed themselves better and decided to stop taking their medication. It was too soon for this because their treatment wasn’t complete, and they consequently became depressed again.
Side affects of using antidepressants include weight gain, relationship problems and headaches. And drinking alcohol whilst using antidepressants is unadvised.
Alternative methods of dealing with depression are also covered, as discussed earlier in this Blog, such as counselling, regular exercise, introducing more omega-3 into the diet, or trying a "sunshine herb" known as St John’s wort.
There are noticeably varied responses relating to antidepressants in Internet Blogs, with titles ranging from "Life is pleasure with antidepressants", to "All antidepressants to carry suicide warnings".
The dispute over antidepressants is only likely to widen further as their benefits, and negative side affects, are more openly discussed in the media. But unless the "taboo" surrounding this type of treatment disappears soon, it’s probable that many people who could be benefiting from the drugs, or even those who perhaps shouldn’t be using them but are, will remain uneducated about the basic facts and consequently unable to find the treatment suitable for them.
For these reasons, it goes without saying that people should seek medical advice before considering using antidepressants, but they should also remember that ultimately, this treatment could help improve their life, and so should not be afraid to atleast ask about their options as a first step.
http://supermanix.blogspot.com/2008/02/life-is-pleasure-with-antidepressants.html
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/rss/news/article/782682/antidepressants-carry-suicide-warnings/
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I never thought that I had a particularly strong opinion on the use of antidepressants until I read your blog. I was actually quite surprised when I realised that my first reaction to the subject matter was disapproval!
I do know several people on antidepressants - including my mother, who's used them intermittently over the past 5 or 6 years. Yet I don't really discuss the matter with her often and I'm not sure why this is. Perhaps because it makes me uncomfortable.
There seems to have been an upsurge in use of antidepressants, but for all the wrong reasons. Like you said, not many people seem to be aware of the side effects and the inevitable reliance on them once you've started taking them. My mum can never just stop her prescription, she has to "wean" herself off them like a child. It's this dependency that makes me suspicious of them, though I understand that some seriously depressed people have no other choice.
Having studied various theoretical explanations for depression in Psychology, I do believe that drugs are a short-term relief of symptoms rather than a long-term cure. Why not get to the root of the problem and change your thought processes instead of using drugs to mask the symptoms?
But education about their effects, both negative and positive, can't be a bad thing. It definitely should be talked about more!
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