Jenny started taking antidepressants when she was at university as she had been finding it difficult to cope. She took Seroxat (paroxetine) at first, but after a time it began to be less effective and she changed to venlafaxine which she took for around 6 years. During that time she developed severe chronic asthma which eventually led her to have to leave her job and return home to live with her parents who now care for her. Jenny has to take numerous medicines for her asthma, some of which are to counteract side effects that occur from the asthma medicines. She now takes sertraline and feels it keeps her on an even keel and able to cope more easily with the difficulties caused by having chronic asthma.

Emma has had depression since her late teens. Generally she describes having a reactive type of depression that has occurred in response to difficult life events. She feels that antidepressants have helped, but that it is important for people to learn to deal with their problems through talking therapy. She has found Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) useful in the past. Emma also takes medication for a neurological condition that was diagnosed a few years ago. Coping with the effects of this has exacerbated her depression at times.

Charlotte first experienced depression when she was 16. She didn't understand why she was feeling a persistent low mood. She had begun self-harming. She eventually saw a GP when she was 19, as a friend had suggested she should talk to a doctor about how she was feeling. Her GP diagnosed depression and prescribed an antidepressant but she experienced severe side effects and it did not appear to improve her mood. When her doctor changed her to venlafaxine it seemed to lift her mood almost immediately. Since then she has taken venlafaxine intermittently when she has had bouts of depression.

Simon has experienced repeated depressive bouts since he was a teenager. He tried several different antidepressants before he found one that worked best for him. He was initially a bit erratic about taking them, and felt ambivalent about whether or not they were useful, but more recently has begun to take them regularly. He feels that they keep his mood stable and help him cope more easily with life.

Gerry feels he has had a tendency towards depression since childhood, but had always managed his life well until an event that happened to him when he was 29 left him feeling anxious and depressed. He struggled for a few months but eventually realised that he needed to seek help. Since then he has taken sertraline and had Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). He feels that it's the combination of therapy and antidepressants that have enabled him to recover.

Max said he was in denial' about his depression until he was in his mid-20's when his mother insisted he went to see the GP as she had noticed things weren't right' . He was diagnosed with clinical depression and spent several weeks in hospital. He has taken antidepressants for around 10 years, but recently stopped them.

Sonia has experienced depression since she was 17. As a teenager she had problems with an eating disorder and began self -harming. She was admitted to hospital after having taken an overdose of paracetamol when she was in her 20's. Since that time she has had several admissions to hospital and has been referred to community mental health services at various times. She has tried numerous different antidepressants, but has found it difficult to find the right one for her. Some have lost their effectiveness after using them for a time, and sometimes she has experienced side effects that she has found intolerable.

Lou was first prescribed an antidepressant when she was in her 20's. She tried Seroxat (paroxetine) on two occasions but experienced unacceptable side effects, and few benefits. When she became depressed once more in her 30's she was reluctant to try antidepressants again, but sertraline proved to be a far more positive experience. She has had post- natal depression recently and felt confident to take sertraline again.

Greg has three episodes of depression where he has taken antidepressants. He didn't respond well to fluoxetine, but found citalopram was more effective at improving his mood, although he experienced side effects with both. He feels it can be difficult to know whether improvements in mood can be attributed to the drug itself and how much the passing of time and changing circumstances have played a part. He sees antidepressants as a useful crutch to help you get back on your feet, but doesn't feel they are a long-term solution.

Steve has experienced bouts of depression since his teens but didn't acknowledge it or seek help until recently. Over the past 10 years he has sometimes used alcohol and/or drugs to try to mask the problem, but has reached a point in his life when he would like to get things more under control. He was prescribed citalopram two months prior to the interview, and is on a waiting list for counselling.