What?
An international research group have published a meta-analysis (a large study combining the results of multiple other studies) of 13,722 patients with major depressive disorder, which is often simply called depression in the UK.
When treating depression, medication with talking therapies, or talking therapies alone, were approximately 15% more effective than medication alone.
Why?
Depression is the most common long-term disease in the world. Moderate depression affects up to 20% of the population, and severe depression affects 10%. According to the government, 17% of adults in the UK were taking SSRIs (the most common group of anti-depressants) in 2017-18.
We increasingly talk about mental health, and you may have seen celebrities and public figures like Prince William telling their own stories. It used to be a taboo subject, but now this is changing.
The treatment of depression is usually in the form of medication such as SSRIs, talking therapies such as counselling or psychotherapy, or both. This study shows that a combination of treatments is better than any single treatment type. Put simply, taking anti-depressants alone is often not enough alone to help people improve their mental health.
How (will this affect you)?
The study does not add more treatment options for depression, however it does spread awareness that tackling depression often takes more than just a pill. This will therefore filter through to the GP level, and will hopefully improve treatment outcomes by encouraging co-prescription of medications and talking therapies.
January can be a lonely month. After close contact with family and friends over Christmas and the New Year, it is back to real life for most of us. It is normal for this loneliness or return to routine to make us feel sad. This contributes to what some call the ‘January blues’.
However, if you experience the symptoms of depression for more than two weeks, it’s time to speak to someone. The classic symptoms are low self-esteem, low mood or loss of enjoyment in normal activities. Please see the link for other, lesser known symptoms you might be experiencing too.
If you think you have depression, please make an appointment with your GP. For most patients, it is not necessary to be referred to a psychiatrist . If your GP recommends anti-depressants, ask to be referred for counselling too.
There is an NHS counselling service called IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) which is available to everyone. You may end up getting better quicker – and staying well – if you have combined treatment.
To read the full study led by Furukawa et al, click here.
If you or a loved one is being affected by thoughts of self-harm, suicide or just need someone to talk to, call Samaritans for free 24/7 on 116 123.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger from harm or suicide, always call 999, and someone will be with you as quickly as possible.
As always best wishes from MyHSN for a happy and healthy new year!
This year we will give you even more great tips to help you get the healthcare you deserve.
