Q and A: Marjorie Wallace

Published on Wednesday 17 December 2008 21:53

The chief executive of mental health charity Sane comments on the NHS Scotland report which reveals that one in ten Scots is now taking antidepressants.

Why are more Scots taking antidepressants?

There are a variety of reasons. Depression may be increasing, and it may be diagnosed more frequently than before. Also, at the moment there are long waits for counselling, leaving many GPs with little alternative but to prescribe medication.

Why is the increasing use of antidepressants a problem?

It can be a problem if antidepressants are used when the person could be helped by psychological therapies and never need to start on medication, which can have troubling side-effects, such as increased anxiety or agitation. There can also be a risk of rebound depression if medication is stopped suddenly.

What are the health risks of taking antidepressants?

No medication that is effective is free from side-effects, and those can vary from one individual to another. Also, side-effects may not be picked up early enough because antidepressants can take some weeks to work.

What are the alternatives to taking antidepressants?

The alternatives are psychological therapies – the most fashionable of which is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which is short-term and focuses on present difficulties and distorted thinking. There are a range of others, however, including mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and longer-term therapies, such as psychodynamic psychotherapy. Many studies also show that good diet, exercise and meaningful occupation can have beneficial effects.

Why are alternatives not being used?

There is a shortage of skilled psychologists and therapists, which means medication may be the only treatment available. More needs to be done to provide a range a treatment options.