To think that prescribing nothing but anti depressants to someone is a bit pointless

[reallytired]

Depression is a real illness and anti depressants save lives. However if the person does nothing with the emotional lift that anti depressants give them then their problems will never be solved.

Pyschological theraphies do not have to be expensive. www.livinglifetothefull.com is very good. Working through the modules is very effective.

I think its better than face to face councelling as the patient does not develop any kind of emotional dependence on a a theraphist. CBT teaches a patient to think more sensibly and that helps to prevent depression/ anxiety.

Why is it that man GPs are still reluncant to prescribe pychological theraphies. It has been known for years that drugs are rarely enough on their own.

My first bout of severe depression or breakdown I was treated with a old fashioned out dated drug by my long term gp.

After 3 weeks I was suicidal,my GP called the mental health unit and discussed my case with a psychiatrist on call.

I was then prescribed a newer medicine.I was 17.

I was given a MHN and monitored daily, with home visits.I also had a full interview with a psychiatrist and ended up in a day unit for 3 months.

Some area's of the uk have got it right.

I was lucky.

I spent years 17-30 on medication,occasional therapy and learning how to deal with with ME.

I've been off meds for nearly 5 years.

The system is not shit for all.

I have a male gp who asked me if I had anyone to talk to, I said no, he handed me a prescription for anti-depressants and said come back when they run out.

I haven't been back.

My problem was things that were happening in my life and for me talking to someone would be better than pills but I've never been given that option and I cannot afford to go on my own.

Thing is reallytired, everyone is different and for different reasons so you aren't entirely correct. Pills might have helped me in the short term but the things that made me depressed and anxious were still there but for some people they have depression etc without an external trigger, or what ever you prefer to call it.

Anti-depressants saved my life about ten years ago when I had depression triggered by the situation I found myself in. They lifted the cloud enough for me to start taking steps to deal with the issues that I had been mentally and emotionally withdrawing from. It was rather two steps forward, one step back for a while but it was the right approach for where I was at the time.

I've also had counselling (aka talk therapy) for a while when I was coming out of an abusive relationship - the one that triggered the depression in the first place - and that was fantastic. And I've had a course of CBT that I learned an awful lot from and it has changed the way I habitually deal with certain situations.

I think when dealing with these kinds of issues there really is no one size fits all, and what worked for one person one time won't necessarily work for them again at a different time in their life.

Anti depressants do help for moderate/ severe depression. I sucessfully took anti depressants 10 years ago. At the time I was attempting to strave myself to death and I needed a lift fast.

Yes, it can take time and effort to find the right drug.

I know that waiting lists for CBT are long, but my GP isn't even prepared to refer unless medication has failed. My GP will put a patient on tablets for the mildest of clinical depression.

I feel that GPs should discuss with patients other options that they can take alongside anti depressants. In our area GPs can prescribe books as well as medication for example.

It's be nice if people could be referred to a psychiatrist for a proper diagnosis before being prescribed anything but unfortunately that is not possible.

I spent years on and off of various antidepressants, had several rounds of counselling and CBT, all of which made me more unwell. I destroyed lots of things in my life, pushed away the people that loved me and ruined a relationship that was wonderful when things ere good, with a man that deserved much more. All of this could have been avoided with a proper diagnosis. We could have all been saved so much pain.

I was told it was depression, then bipolar and now have a proper diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (my kid's dad abused, tortured and tried to kill me 8 years ago and I have been living with this since), for which I am receiving treatment (EMDR therapy) which is actually working. For the first time in years I'm starting to feel like myself again and can cope with life properly. Shame it's too late to undo all of the damage done in my life by chucking pills at me and hoping for the best in the last few years.

about a month ago i had a breakdown, i suffered with PND a years ago when lo was born and it wasnt treated properly..

a month ago i found myself in the mental health unit at our hospital, telling doctors how i wanted to kill myself,

i was/am so angry about life and i have a very very short temper. I am not sure if my anti d's have helped me or not as i am still so up and down in my mood.

I do feel that going to talk to someone would help me, but as above the waiting lists are so long, and i will probably be back to square one again in no time,

I am taking lorazepam for my anxiety and that helps me come back down to earth when i feel i am loosing control, but when i am no longer aloud them and i have to go back to work i do not know any way of coping or dealing with my anxiety and anger because i have not been taught how to..

i really do feel there should be more counselling and more people available to help deal with the stresses and help to talk through how i am supposed to cope.

thanks for the link btw OP. i am going to have a look later

I think that a combination of antidepressants and talk therapy can be incredibly effective when treating depression with underlying problems. Using antidepressants alone in situations where the depression is caused by certain internal/external circumstances is tantamount to treating the symptoms and not the cause. Depression is often viewed as a sign that there is a dissonance between a patient's inner and outer lives. (Just to emphasise, I'm referring to depression that is not simply chemical in nature.)

There are many therapists in private practice who operate on sliding scales, so that you can pay according to your means; some even waive a fee altogether, although paying something even if only a token amount does instil a deeper commitment to attending therapy regularly.

If you're waiting endlessly for an NHS referral, I'd suggest visiting a site such as the BACP's or UKCP's and see if there are therapists that will offer a discounted rate.