‘I DON’T PRESCRIBE ANTIDEPRESSANTS ON THEIR OWN’

NHS GP Dr Chintal Patel says: ‘Like all medications, antidepressants have negatives and positives.

I see patients who feel an improvement on them, be it short- or long-term. However, I don’t give antidepressants as the only option, or as a first-line treatment for depression or anxiety, it’s usually in combination with talking therapies.

In the UK, there is a drive to listen to the patient holistically and offer other treatments to improve your mood, including social prescribing, art and gardening therapies, exercise, nutrition advice, cognitive behavioural therapy, and group therapy, all of which have proven benefits.

It’s worth noting it takes up to three weeks for antidepressants to reach therapeutic levels in the body, and people respond differently to different types. If you’re suffering depression, anxiety, or feeling side effects of antidepressants, please speak to your GP.’