Bryony Gordon: Why Headlines About Antidepressant Side Effects Worry Me
I felt a familiar sinking feeling reading recent headlines linking antidepressants to potentialโค side effects like weight gainโ and heart problems. This wasn’t about my own experience – I’ve only ever experienced โa โtemporary drop in libido โwhen starting antidepressants,โข which thankfully resolved – but about the impact such โขnews might โhave on thoseโค currently struggling with severe anxiety or illness. It could โคdeter โthemโ from seeking,โฃ or continuing, vital treatment.
Scientists at โคKing’s College โLondon and the University of Oxford have recently undertaken groundbreaking work, creating what is believed toโข be the first “league table”โ of antidepressant side effects. This research aims to highlight the variability between the approximately 30 antidepressant medications currently prescribed in theโฃ UK.โค The study revealed differences in potential effects, such as weight โgain of up to 2kg within weeksโค for some patients, and changes in blood pressure and heart rate.
Dr. Toby Pillinger,a co-author โofโ the โคstudy โfrom โKing’s College London,emphasized thatโค the intention isn’t to discourage antidepressant use. Instead, the goal is “to empower patients and clinicians โขto make informed choices and toโ encourage personalised care.”
Though, despite the fact that 8.89 million people in the UK are โcurrently prescribed antidepressants, a significant stigma surrounding these medications โขpersists. As a mental health advocate, โคI โฃregularly โhear fromโฃ individuals afraid to start treatment, or considering โstopping based onโ misinformation circulating online – often promotedโ by โคthose advocating expensive, unproven alternatives.
The lengthyโค and often alarmingโ patient information leaflets accompanying โantidepressants, โขdetailing a wideโ range of potential side effects including seizures andโ suicidal โคthoughts, don’t help to alleviate these fears. โThis latest news is unlikely to reassure โthose already battling anxiety.
But it’s crucial to โขrememberโ that people rarely turn to antidepressants unless thay’ve exhausted otherโ options and are facing immense distress. And the reality is, mental healthโฃ care in thisโฃ country hasn’t improved in recent years.
Throughout my own experience with antidepressants, no โขsuperior alternative for treating mental illness โขhas emerged.For many, these medications โฃprovide a crucialโ foundation, allowing themโ to โstabilize enough to access further support โฃ- whether through private therapy or community services.
We rarely discussโ the consequences of not taking antidepressants when suffering from mental illness. it’s vital to acknowledge the detrimental impact prolonged depression or anxietyโ can have on both โphysical healthโ and overall wellbeing,particularly when there’s no effective support system inโ place.
Ifโข these โฃheadlines have โcaused you concern about your โคmedication, pleaseโค consultโ your doctor beforeโ making any changes. And know this: โฃI would โฃmuch rather prioritize mental stability, even with some weight gain, than relive the intense suffering I experienced at 17.
