1 in 6 on antidepressants in some areas

[Thunderandlightningisfrightening]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13623233/One-SIX-people-England-antidepressants-data-shows-quarter-population-country-drug.html

Can't say I'm surprised. I know so many people on them. About 70 to 80 percent of my colleagues are on them.

I’m not in poverty. But I’m stuck renting a shoebox with no means to be able to buy in the near future, probably ever. I work 3 different jobs to be able to afford this basic existence. Better government control and actual affordable housing would help me, not ‘practical help’.

I have been referred for talking therapy that I am getting on the NHS. It is nice to have someone to talk to about my issues. But it does not change my life.

I am sorry, I meant practical help in the sense of things that would actually help your living situation (and sorry you are struggling at the moment).
No GP can do anything about it.. all they will do is throw pills at you so you feel feel you have some element of control over it.. when you don't. It is just masking the issue.

@XenoBitch but what can someone do? Lots of the things that need improving in peoples lives are society wide issues.

The problem is that there is no "help". I have deep rooted trauma.

I tried going down the NHS "therapy" route. I was told "you have good insight and awareness of your issues so there's nothing we can do to help you"!!

Logically, I can actually see what they're saying. They can only help people identify their issues, they can't "fix" them. There is no money to give me the intensive therapy I probably need. And there's no guarantee it would work anyway.

Anti depressants have calmed me down and given me the will to live. Prior to finding the right medication for me, I had a very in depth suicide plan all ready to go when I felt the time was right. I don't think that way any more.

So I really don't care what other people think about it. They saved my life and I'll take them to my dying day because I never ever want to go back to where I was.

Not pills.

@XenoBitch I understand what you are saying. But if you take pills away, what do you offer instead?

Actual help with what people are struggling with. But yes, that wont happen either. It is shite all round.

I agree making practical changes would be better.

There are exactly half a dozen very serious reasons why I have depression. Medication is the only thing that can treat this depression.

So I am on antidepressants - I ended up on the my SN child had a breakdown - so absolutely ended up on them to cope .. I have been on them for over a year now as my life is never calm enough for me to cope with emotions

What practical change can you make for trauma?

What can you do for someone who is living in poverty? The people who work but can't make ends meet? They can't all just go and get "better" jobs.

The people who live in substandard accommodation. There's a housing crisis. Where are they going to move to.

People who have to deal with chronic physical pain or disabilities.

We would need to form some kind of utopia to address the numerous reasons people take anti depressants. Even then, you couldn't cover all eventualities.

So do we just let people suffer? I don't know anyone who has ever been on anti depressants and chosen to stay on them if they did no good. There's literally no point.

It's great for the people who don't need them. Good for you. Don't try and take them away from the people who do.

@DancingLions I have already made those points in this thread. I said it needs societal changes. Lots of decent quality low priced housing, a good NHS with quick treatment, higher minimum pay, good public services. If this country was in a better state there would be less depression.

I'm on anti depressants.

For me they are being used off-label as they are known to have a moderating effect on chronic pain.

I don't take them for depression. I take them for chronic pain.

Sounds interesting.
I've only ever known 3 people take AD.
It didn't seem to help the first 2 - that really was their situation.
Therapy may have helped but was the thing Twenty / thirty years ago.
The third person I didn't know pre AD.
They are doing therapy which is working well - though still early days.
I always thought AD was supposed to be short term for most.

Some one up thread said you can't cure depression
That's not true .... it been 9 years now.
Just saying.

This - pills pathologising individuals response to wider societal structural failure.

Very easy for GPs to give out go away pills.

We should chuck the pills - just have a large gin instead.......😂

Anti depressants are prescribed by the NHS off label to treat anxiety. They're also used for OCD, PTSD and phobias.

I suffer with chronic dizziness and SSRI uptake inhibitors (a type of anti depressant) are supposed to be effective that's bollocks IME

They cause "withdrawal syndrome" meaning the physical and mental symptoms when people taper or reduce the dose are so brutal that people can not come off them. Not something that GPs tell you when they first suggest them. So some of the people on those statistics would probably love to come off them but can't.

The latest I heard was that perimenopause NHS guidelines have changed and now antidepressants are considered a valid treatment for peri symptoms <eye roll>

I can tell when someone is on antidepressants now, and I notice it more and more

Yes!

20 years ago my DH was told by his GP that is 1:3 in our area.

I think I have that. My dad has been on seroxat his whole life. I still prefer the practices of self-compassion, pilates, walking, a lot of self-dialogue, keeping busy, asking myself "what will make me happy" and tuning into my inner child's response before my ego voice tells me what I should do.
The other day, I asked myself, what would make me happy now, and the answer "a clean bathroom" popped into my head before any other more unattainable outcomes came into my head, so I did that. I don't always have the energy to clean/tidy but because it felt like a meaningful message, I did it, and it helped. My whole life seemed better.

I could slip into depression if I weren't really vigilant.

Can you elaborate please?
We're more aware of mental health now so it makes sense that more people are on antidepressants. I'd struggled along for several years and doctors were reluctant to prescribe them but my symptoms grew worse post-partum. I'm glad I was able to access them, they've really helped my chronic low mood and stress.

I’m not surprised about this - I work in a place which has a surprisingly open atmosphere when it comes to mental health / depression and half of the staff freely say they are taking anti depressants. I find myself quite fortunate that I’m not in need of them.

I have been depressed in the past, especially PND which was horrific, so there is no shame in taking them. After all, if you have high blood pressure, you take the pills, you have an infection, you take the pills.

it would be better if there were funds available to fix the root causes of depression in some people - ie grinding poverty, no prospects etc. I am hopeful that things will improve in those areas.