The Truth About Antidepressants And Side Effects
Have you been prescribed an antidepressant but are worried about the side effects? Is a member of your family taking medication for depression and you want to know more? Depression Alliance has launched a new booklet to help you understand more about antidepressant medicines. Called Depression & Antidepressants, the guide provides practical, impartial information about antidepressants currently available, and avoids the use of medical language and technical jargon.
Indeed, one in five of us will suffer from depression at some point during our lifetime and about one in 20 of us visit our GP because of it. While milder forms of depression may be treated by self-help or talking therapies such as counselling, people with moderate and severe depression often benefit from treatment with one of the 30 antidepressants now available in the UK.
Reviewed by antidepressant expert Stephen Bazire, Director of Pharmacy Services, Norfolk Mental Health Care Trust, the booklet provides answers to commonly asked patient questions such as: How well do antidepressants work? Are some antidepressants better than others? And don't antidepressants have unpleasant side effects? The guide reviews the use of different types of antidepressant - from older MAOIs and TCAs to commonly prescribed SSRIs and newer types of drugs such as NaSSAs.
Commenting on the new booklet, Jim Thompson, [former] Director, Depression Alliance, said:
"It's important that people seek help when they feel depressed because it is a treatable illness. People shouldn't feel ashamed or embarrassed. Antidepressants are one approach and it's important that people have as much information to hand about them as possible, in an easy-to-understand and balanced format."
For a free copy of this leaflet, do contact us on 020 7633 0557 or email information@depressionalliance.org).
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