Depression medicines are not ‘happy pills’ or ‘a quick fix’ people who use antidepressants have said in a series of frank, heartfelt video interviews. The videos form part of a piece of research by Oxford University and the University of Nottingham that has been made into an information resource for the public, published on Healthtalkonline.org.

Some of the interviewees explained that finding the right medication could be like ‘waving a magic wand’ but others struggled with unpleasant side effects, such as anxiety, loss of sex-drive, headaches and feeling ‘detached’. It took some people several years to find a medicine that worked for them, and this could mean simply being able to ‘manage’ their depression, along with other strategies such as therapy. Some said they had never found one that was effective….[download pdf for more]

Please contact jo@healthtalkonline.org with any press enquiries.