Why Do Anti-Depressants Get Such a Bad Rap?

Ignorance and stigma continue to risk lives

I’ve never been one to shy away from robust discussion. I like to believe that I’m open to any argument that is grounded in fact and respectfully delivered and when it comes to mental health, usually I back anything that promotes awareness.

That changed a few weeks ago when a segment on a peak-time show about the negative side effects of anti-depressant withdrawal ignored the potentially dangerous ramifications. In my view, sensationalising the side effects of potentially lifesaving drugs when they are only experienced by a small proportion of users is a dangerous game.

The message couldn’t have come at a worse time

I’m not saying that the risks and potential side effects of medications should be concealed, but during a cost of living and mental health crisis — when for some, anti-depressants are the only solution in the short term — I question the responsibility and wisdom of potentially alienating the very people whose lives might be saved by them.

All medications carry risks

Furthermore, I would suggest that few users start on anti-depressants without due diligence. Most read through those long lists of warnings in tiny print and weigh up whether the pros outweigh the cons, just like people with serious physical illnesses. Anyone who has experienced the paralysing symptoms of mental illness such as anxiety, depression, OCD, social anxiety, bipolar disorder or even suicidal ideation understands that without treatment, the stakes could be much higher.

Anti-depressants save lives

So why do anti-depressants still get such a bad rap? In my opinion, there are three main reasons:

1. Fear — Although we have a loose understanding of how they work — see WebMD’s explanation here — no one truly understands what causes many mental health conditions or how exactly anti-depressants treat them — not even the doctors who prescribe them. Which is, I agree, kind of scary. But what we do know is that for the majority of people who persist with them — and it takes a good six weeks for many users to show any improvement in their symptoms — they help them lead more normal lives.
2. Stigma — Some people continue to view the use of anti-depressants as a sign of weakness. They shame people for taking them with an old-fashioned “buck up” attitude that disparages the value of this important progress in medicine. They ignore the fact that before the invention of SSRIs, people with mental health issues were often ostracised, locked up or took their own lives.
3. Ignorance — “A common myth is that medication is a ‘quick fix’ for mental health issues,” writes Patient Info. Well-meaning friends continue to ask me if I’ve tried exercising, eating more healthily or writing a gratitude journal instead — the implication being that I’ve chosen the easier way out. But for some people, lifestyle tweaks only go so far, in the same way, that they may not be enough to change high blood pressure or cholesterol.

Another point to consider is that for some people, anti-depressants are initially prescribed as a stop-gap — while they wait for other treatments such as therapy or to support them through a difficult period.

Compared with the terrible lows, the minimal side effects of anti-depressants are worth it to me

Yes, there can be side effects. I don’t like the dulling down of the “highs” in my life, the weight gain or the impact they have on my libido, but when I compare them with the anxiety and the terrible “lows” I am prone to, they are worth it. And let’s not forget that most of these medications are not new or untested. They have been around since the late 1980s, and for the majority of users, there are few major negative long-term side effects.

I take several medications — many of them preventative — and if I’m honest, I don’t fully understand how they work. But then, the majority of us don’t understand how our phones work either and yet we choose to ignore those early warnings about a link to brain cancer.

Ignorance risks lives

As a writer in the mental health space, I have always been very transparent about my use of anti-depressants. I admit that over the past ten years, I have experimented with brand, strength and dosage and have even weaned myself off them (with the support of my GP) a couple of times without any adverse side effects — perhaps, because of my low dosage. But I haven’t come off them for any length of time because I choose not to.

Naysayers may interpret that as an admission that I CANNOT come off them, and I would agree with that assumption in part. But my decision to keep taking them has nothing to do with any fears about withdrawal. It is based on my diagnosis of generalised anxiety disorder and the improvement in the quality of life that they afford me. Albeit I cope reasonably well without them, as soon as I am faced with a crisis — and with a son with mental health issues, they are sadly more frequent than normal — I spiral into an angry swamp witch who struggles to get out of bed.

Therapy and self-care also play a large part in my multi-modal treatment plan, but as my doctor says, “Some people just need a bit more help”. I share that view, not only because of my lived experience but because I have educated myself about what I am taking and I have also witnessed the positive experiences of several friends and family members.

“Some people just need a bit more help“

Maybe, Big Pharma IS making a killing out of people like me who depend on their products. But the quality of my life improves when my brain functions better, so I am grateful for their availability.

Others, who have been indoctrinated by the stigma, perhaps, unsupported emotionally, or who haven’t had my privilege, have been denied access to a treatment that could change the quality of their lives, maybe even save them.

What is your experience of anti-depressants?