Healthy living
Mind matters
What's the treatment for depression?
If, as a recent study suggests, the (SSRI) drugs don't work, what will? Lesley Dobson goes looking for answers
The news from a recent study at the University of Hull that antidepressants like Prozac don’t work effectively has caused widespread concern – as well as controversy. The researchers analysed data from clinical trials carried out on Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) in the USA and submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration. They concluded that taking these drugs did not make a great difference and that there was little point in prescribing them for most people with depression.
So where does that leave those of us who take SSRIs to treat depression? In the longer term, as Alison Cobb, policy officer at Mind, the mental health charity, explains, the study provides a further reason for doctors to prescribe fewer drugs and offer talking therapies instead.
"This research is a serious challenge to the predominance of drugs in treating depression. Antidepressants do help many people, but by no means all, and some people experience severe side effects with them.
"Nine out of 10 GPs say they've been forced to dish out drugs because they don't have proper access to 'talking treatments' such as cognitive behavioural therapy, which are recommended as the first-line treatment for mild to moderate depression by the government treatment advice body, NICE.
"The Government is making very welcome investment in new talking therapies services, but they won't be on-line for some time yet. We're asking GPs to consider prescribing alternative therapies. Exercise, for example, particularly 'green exercise' outdoors rather than in the gym, has been shown to be very effective in combating depression. Diet can also be an important factor."
So will this research affect your GP’s attitude when it comes to prescribing treatment for depression? It seems unlikely to make a difference immediately. The Royal College of General Practitioners says that GPs consider each patient carefully before prescribing antidepressants, and that anyone who is currently taking them should carry doing so. If you have concerns about your treatment, talk to your GP.
Professor Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners said: “The report from Hull University raises important questions but describes nothing we didn’t know already, namely that there is a big placebo effect and a large therapeutic effect, brought about by the role of the GP in the patient consultation.’
Recognising depression
According to the Department of Health, around 10-15 percent of the population aged 65 and over suffer from depression at any one time. If you’ve never experienced it, it’s hard to understand just how bad it feels. The symptoms can be physical as well as emotional and last a considerable time.
- Feeling desperately sad, unable to imagine feeling any happier
- Feeling hopeless, worthless
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Strange aches and pains
- Digestive problems such as indigestion and constipation
- Loss of appetite
- Trouble sleeping
To find out more about possible treatments, click here
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Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.