Good to talk, but pills do work

THERE was a big hoo-ha last week about an extra line of guidance in the recommendations for treating depression.

Official advice for doctors now makes it clear we should offer non-drug treatments, such as talking therapy, meditation and exercise, before offering antidepressants, due to the risk of side effects and withdrawal symptoms.

This is not new. Every doctor

I know aims to do this anyway. In cases where we don’t, it’s not because we can’t be bothered to offer other treatments, it’s because no other treatments are available. Demand for psychological therapy is at an all-time high and there isn’t enough to go round – a quarter of patients are waiting more than three months for a first therapy appointment, according to the most recent NHS figures.

Antidepressants can often help patients cope with a time of crisis while they wait for a spot to come up.

I was, however, pleased to see an important stipulation in the new guidance – doctors have to honour patients’ choices, including a preference for medication over therapy.

This is the case for many. Although not perfect, we must not discount the benefit of antidepressants. In many cases, they are lifesaving.