An NHS GP has shared what she wished more people knew about antidepressants, a common medicine prescribed to treat conditions such as clinical depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Dr Shireen shared an informative video about antidepressants on her TikTok page – @Doctorshireen.
She discusses how long your GP might ask you to use them and urges people to return to their doctor if they don’t feel any benefit. The health expert explained: “I’m an NHS GP, and there are some things about antidepressants that I wish everybody knew.
“Now, a lot of people complain that their GP just throws tablets at them and doesn’t give them any guidance or information. The first thing I want you to know is that antidepressants aren’t for everybody.
“Some people respond really well to them, some people don’t find them effective, and that is okay. There are other ways we can treat mood disorders, not just with antidepressants, so it’s always worth going back to your GP if the antidepressants haven’t worked.”
Dr Shireen continued: “The second thing is antidepressants need time to work. You need to be on them for a minimum of six months. There are some patients I know who have been on them for years on the same dose, and they’re really stable, but if you’re not going to give them the full six months to work, you can’t say for sure that they haven’t worked for you.
“The other thing that’s so important is that people’s mood often gets worse before it gets better in the first two to four weeks of starting antidepressants. This is why when we give antidepressants, we always ask you to come back or call back or to have some form of a review within two weeks of starting them, but obviously, if you do feel worse before those two weeks are even up, just stop them and speak to your GP.”
She concluded: “I have seen hundreds of patients over the years on antidepressants, and antidepressants have really helped them. As I said, they’re not for everybody; it’s worth having a discussion with your GP to see if they’ll help you.”
Advice about antidepressants and other treatments for depression can be found on the NHS website. The NHS says: “Antidepressants usually need to be taken for 1 or 2 weeks (without missing a dose) before the benefit starts to be felt. It’s important not to stop taking them if you get some mild side effects early on, as these effects usually wear off quickly.
“If you take an antidepressant for 4 weeks without feeling any benefit, speak to your GP or mental health specialist. They may recommend increasing your dose or trying a different medicine. A course of treatment usually lasts for at least 6 months after you start to feel better. Some people with recurrent depression may be advised to take them indefinitely.”
It’s important to speak to your GP if you’re not feeling well. Mind offers advice for people seeking help for a mental health problem.
Help in a crisis
If you’re having thoughts about suicide, are harming yourself or have considered self-harm, it’s important to tell someone. These organisations give immediate support:
Your local 24/7 NHS crisis line: at nhs.uk/urgentmentalhealth or visit 111.nhs.uk
Under 35? Visit papyrus-uk.org, call 0800 068 4141 (lines are open 24 hours every day of the year), text 88247 or email [email protected].
If you do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe, call 999.