Without taking these drugs, I couldn’t get through the day

Michele cornely-lewis, 49, is an exams invigilator. she lives with her husband and daughter, 14, in Broxbourne, herts, she says: NEARLY 20 years ago my father died suddenly and I was plunged into deep grief and was suicidal. For six months I struggled on, but needed professional help.

When I saw my GP I sobbed for what seemed like an hour. He agreed I was severely depressed. He signed me off work for two weeks, started me on 20 mg fluoxetine and suggested I do more exercise and eat healthily.

Within two weeks it felt like the fog I’d been wading through was lifting. I believe it was the antidepressants that enabled me to cope.

Years later I weaned myself off them as I didn’t think it was healthy to be on antidepressants for life. And for a while I felt better. But then my daughter was born with a heart condition. She nearly died several times and I lost my hair with the stress. I felt myself going into a dark hole and was calling in sick.

I knew what was happening and went to my GP, who prescribed the same antidepressant. But this time he said that I shouldn’t put pressure on myself to come off them again. I could take them for life — so that’s what I do.

I don’t have any desire to stop, despite the story about their effectiveness. The fact they work for me is what’s important. I have no side-effects and will take them for as long as I need.