Anti-Depressants

Introduction

The good news:

• Anti-depressants have been proven to help with depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, bulimia, post-traumatic stress and chronic pain
• Anti-depressants are a lot more effective if they are used alongside 'talking therapies' like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
• They are proven to be a lot more effective for adults than young people
• They’re not addictive

The bad news:

• Young people can get side-effects from them so it's best that you talk to your therapist or doctor about receiving 'talking therapy' first
• Anti-depressants don’t solve your problems, they help you feel better so you can think straight helping you to tackle your problems and improve your happiness.
• A lot of doctors will prescribe anti-depressants without asking you to see a counsellor or therapist but this should not be the case so do make sure you tell them you want to see someone and get more help.
• You may have to take them for quite a long time, depending on your situation

Ask your GP about 'talking therapies' to compliment taking anti-depressants to help you get better quicker

What are they?

They are drugs used to combat depression, anxiety and many other conditions. There are roughly 30 different anti-depressants available and finding the right one to suit you and your body may need a bit of trial and error.

They are given to adults and young people but they are proven to be more effective in treating adults than young people. Young people are normally prescribed an anti-depressant called Fluoxetine (also known as Prozac) because it has the least side effects. Fluoxetine belongs to a group of antidepressants called SSRIs, if you are taking another group of antidepressant (tricyclics, MAOIs or SNRI) then make sure you talk to your doctor or therapist about the side-effects. If you’re taking MAOI’s you need to discuss your diet as well.

How do they work?

Simply put, they raise the levels of natural chemicals in your brain such as serotonin (happy chemical) and noradrenaline (relaxing chemical) to improve how you feel. You may have to take anti-depressants for a while for this change to take place.

What do they involve?

Normally taking one table a day preferably with your breakfast. Also, once they start to take effect and have a positive outcome it's important to make other changes in your life to help you feel happy for longer (see our Self Help section)

How Effective Are Anti-Depressants?

This depends on the person. For some people they are very effective and help them get on their feet and start enjoying their lives. However, as with any drug they don’t work for everybody and some people can't cope with the side effects. Some people find 'talking therapies' a lot more effective and vice versa, but doing the two together is the most effective.

Between 50-75% of adults (over 18) that take anti-depressants improve, unfortunately they’re not as effective in young people. They are really only taken to help people with severe problems or for people who haven’t responded to talking therapies well. So, ask your GP or therapist about 'talking therapies' too.

What Are The Side-Effects?

You may not experience any side effects at all but it is important to know what they may be if you do. The most common side-effects of fluoxetine are:

• Overactivity
• Tiredness
• Not being able to sleep
• Feeling sick
• Diarrhoea
• Headaches
• Lack of appetite

Also some people under 25 can experience suicidal thoughts.

If you do have suicidal thoughts or are harming yourself then please tell your doctor or a trusted adult whether or not you are taking anti-depressants.

Things You Need To Know

• Don’t stop taking them instantly
• If you’re experiencing depression then you need to give each anti-depressant 6 to 8 weeks slowly increasing doses before deciding that particular drug did not work
• To try and put the side-effects in perspective it’s important to think about why you are taking the drugs and whether the difficulties you get from your mental health problems are worse.

Tips on Taking Anti-Depressants

• Take them at roughly the same time every day.  Breakfast time is best for most people.
• If you have any other illnesses or any other tablets or drugs (including oral contraceptives – the pill) let your doctor know before you start taking the anti-depressants.
• If you miss a dose don’t worry, everyone forgets their tablets sometimes. If you remember within 3 or 4 hours just take the tablet. If longer than that wait until the next dose is due then take this.
• If you think you have side-effects ask your doctor about whatever it is that’s bothering you.
• If you do drink alcohol you will find you get drunk much more easily, it's usually best not to!
• If you are getting drowsy it is best not to drive or use complex or heavy machinery

If you are or might be pregnant make sure that your doctor knows this before you start taking the anti-depressants