Would an antidepressant be helpful?
Your GP will decide with you whether you need an antidepressant. Looking at your problems and symptoms will let them work out what might be helpful for you. There is no simple rule: what works for one person might not work for another.
It can be hard to decide whether to take an antidepressant or not. Here are some general tips.
An antidepressant may not be advised if:
- You have had your problems for a short time, e.g. months rather than years, and
- Your symptoms are mild to moderate. By this we mean:
- You are still able to do the things you normally would, like work and look after yourself and your family
- You feel you can just about cope with your symptoms
- You’re not having any thoughts about harming yourself
- You score within the mild to moderate range on questionnaires that measure depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7)
When this is the case, we know that:
- Your symptoms of depression may just pass with time
- Other ways of helping yourself work better. These can include exercise, reading about the problem and looking at ways to beat it, and talking to someone. See our Self-Help Section for more.
- Antidepressants are not as helpful
An antidepressant may be advised if any one of these is the case:
- You have had these problems for a long time
- You feel so flat or anxious that you have found it hard to do anything to help yourself
- You have tried other ways to help yourself but they haven’t worked
- You have noticed lots of physical symptoms like poor sleep, no energy, poor appetite, poor concentration or feeling tense
- You score within the severe range on questionnaires that measure depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7)
- You are finding it difficult to get to work, to look after your family or to do the things you normally would
- You have been thinking about wanting to take your own life or harm yourself
- You have had depression before which has come back
This is only rough guidance. Your GP will be the best person to advise you.
How Might An Antidepressant Help Me?
It may give you a helping hand to fight low mood or anxiety. It can also help with some of the physical symptoms. But an antidepressant is unlikely to solve all your problems. You may need to look at other ways to feel better.
Are Antidepressants Just A Crutch?
What is a crutch? It is something that helps keep you on your feet until you can walk again on your own. If you had a broken leg, you would use your crutch. Try to see antidepressants as a means to an end. Antidepressants can be very helpful and support you to cope better with life when you are depressed or anxious.
Once you are feeling a bit better, you can look at other things that might be helpful.
