I tried to take my life 20 times in six years

STEPHANIE Craig was first put on antidepressants when she was only 14.

During her childhood she was sexually and physically abused and from the age of 12 she began to look for help.

She was battling depression and anxiety while trying to cope with flashbacks and panic attacks because of the abuse she had suffered. In her words, she was looking for the ‘magic pill’ to take away her suffering.

She went to her GP and asked if she was too young to get anti-depressants. To her surprise she was given a prescription and thought her mental health would improve.

However, she soon found the pills were not the answer and the trauma from her childhood remained unaddressed.

Her moods would still swing wildly, and she attempted to take her life a total of 20 times over six years. The 22-year-old – who now studies social care – eventually realised what she really needed was someone to talk to about her emotional issues.

She said: ‘When I am older and write a book, it will be called “One Question”.

‘And it is one question that changed my life. It is “Am I too young to be taking antidepressants when I am 14?”. To me they were this magic pill to stop me hurting.

‘I just wanted something to make it all better. But I didn’t know anything back then like I do now.’ While taking the tablets, she noticed she became erratic and psychotic at times, while her appetite varied depending on her mood.

Ms Craig believes girls, in particular, are given anti-depressants far too easily when what they really need is access to professionals trained in treating trauma.

Now the Glasgow Caledonian University student campaigns to raise awareness about mental health and the dangers of taking anti-depressants when a teenager.

Ms Craig said. ‘I was put on anti-depressants at 14 and they chopped and changed them as well. I had all these drugs going through my system. I had PTSD, depression and anxiety to contend with as well.

‘It was an awful time. I wasn’t given therapy about my abuse. It was really hard.

‘I am one of the lucky ones who is now able to talk about it. When I was younger, I just needed someone like me. Someone who would talk about it. The basis of my life now is trying to stop people going through what I went through. I don’t want anyone to be failed the way I was failed.’