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It's not the doctor's fault that recession breeds depression
Dr Christian Jessen24.06.09
The powers that be, or in this case the powers that want to be - the Lib Dems - have reported that we docs are prescribing too many antidepressants.
Their new report claims an increase of 2.1 million prescriptions for the drugs in 2008.
Apparently we need to tackle this issue and reduce our prescribing. But are they really all completely unnecessary prescriptions, or are there simply more depressed people around? Or is there an absence of other treatment options?
It is, of course, tragic if a patient commits suicide, especially one who was in the surgery the week before making clear his unhappiness. Mrs Creak with her achy hip can safely wait a few months to see an orthopaedic surgeon, Mr Gloom with his black mood and suicidal ideas cannot.
Consequently, doctors feel some sort of positive intervention is better than nothing and in the 10 minutes allotted for most appointments there is really time only to write out a prescription. Most GPs simply do not have any other option. Access to therapists, psychiatrists and counsellors is limited and waiting lists are long.
But are antidepressants such a bad thing and why are we setting targets to reduce the amount being prescribed? These drugs are an evidence-based treatment appropriate to the malady in question. They allow patients who previously would have been disabled by their mental health condition to return to a normal life and give them the confidence to tackle their once insurmountable problems.
No, the real question we should be addressing is why there are so many depressed people. The recession is doubtlessly affecting the mental health of the nation. Popping pills won't alleviate a failing business or redundancy but at least they help the patient to better ride out the storm.
But Norman Lamb, the Lib Dems' health spokesman says: "The increase in the number of people being prescribed antidepressants is deeply disturbing." Yes Mr Lamb, it is. It implies the nation is not coping rather than that GPs are handing out too many happy pills.
We do need more alternative therapies to help counter the increasing reliance on antidepressants but they are just not available. The Government has already committed millions to plug gaps in mental health provision and has promised to train thousands more therapists and specialist nurses. But that is for the future - they are not here now.
I think an effective solution would be to recommend financial and debt management advisers to those crumbling under the strain of their economic woes. They could dispense wisdom, good advice and reassurance - and, hopefully, they would have longer than 10 minutes to do it in.
Reader views (4)
I had a serious life stressor, my GP gave me Prozac, to which I suffered a terrible adverse reaction. It ruined my life and I never recovered. Be very careful of some antidepressants. They help only a third of patients, and have a huge capacity to harm.
- Andy Parks, London, UK
THEY WILL BE LEGALISING SUICIDE SHORTLY TO CUT THE BILL DOWN FOR ANTI DEPRESSENTS, AND TO CUT THE DOLE QUE NUMBERS AND TAKE THE EDGE OF THE PENSIONS DEFICIT,LOL IT CAN ONLY HAPPEN IN THE UK .THEY EVEN WANT TO STOP YOUR MEDICATION,I THINK SOME OF THESE PEOPLE SHOULD LOOKED AT BY A PROPER DOCTOR MAKING IDOTIC STATEMENTS LIKE THAT ANYONE SUFFERING TRUE DEPRESSION WOULD GO OVER THE EDGE WITH SOME OF THESE MINDLESS THOUGHLESS COMMENTS,
- James Fennessey, london
I am one of the patients being spoken about. With a messy divorce, having to move house, a load of job stress and throw in some winter blues I just hit a wall. I was very angry, anxious, distracted and emotional to the extent that I couldn't function at work. I went to my GP who was excellent. Diagnosed anxiety and depression,offered me counselling and medication and signed me off work for 4 weeks.
That was in February. After a break from work and with enough time to let the pills kick in I turned it around. Gave up drinking alcohol, started eating better and getting more exercise plus speaking more to my boss about the levels of work being set out for me. I plan to take the meds for another couple of months as my GP told me to prepare to take them for six months so that I didn't stop taking them on the first day that I felt my mood lift (lots of people do this and it's often a false dawn).
Now I'm back at work, in a nice flat, much less angry and anxious and am very grateful for my GP and the medication she prescribed. It worked for me so please don't just say that there are too many prescribed. Teach GPs to judge each case on their own merits. Perhaps the increase in prescriptions is due to more GPs recognising symptoms, more patients seeking help and more effective medications.
- Chas, London UK
In highlighting this extraordinary rise in the prescribing of antidepressants I am not criticizing GPs. I have campaigned consistently for more availability of cognitive behaviour therapy and for reduced waiting times - mental health scandalously does not benefit from the waiting time targets that apply elsewhere in the health service. I realise that GPs often have no alternative and I also accept that antidepressants have an important role to play for many people. However I very strongly defend the importance of raising this issue and attempting to initiate a debate about how those with mental health problems get treated by the NHS.
Norman Lamb Liberal Democrat Health Spokesman
- Norman Lamb, Westminster, UK
