Olivia was prescribed antidepressants as treatment for a condition called Trichotillomania but the main problem with this condition are issues of self-image and self-esteem which she feels cannot be properly addressed using medication. She has also taken antidepressants for an episode of reactive depression following a relationship breakdown and felt that they helped to alleviate her anxiety and distress. She no longer takes antidepressants, but uses a natural supplement that she believes helps to improve serotonin levels in the brain.

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.

Janet was first diagnosed with depression after the birth of her first child when she was in her 20's and has experienced low mood and bouts of severe depression almost continuously. Over the years she has tried a number of different antidepressant medicines and later in her life she was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder and now takes mood stabilising medication, and antipsychotics as well as antidepressant medication.

Michael has always felt depressed even when he was young. His depression has been very reactive to his work life. Over the years he has tried a number of antidepressants and resided himself to the fact that he would always feel this way. After a severe depressive episode he started taking paroxetine and other medication to help with anxiety and paranoia, as well as having talking therapy. He has taken up a number of activities over the last few years and feels a sense of purpose for the first time in his life. He explains that he still has his ups and downs and alters his antidepressants accordingly. He is not sure about the extent to which taking antidepressants has helped him, but is afraid of the consequences if he stops taking them.

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.

Peter first experienced depression when he was a teenager but he did not seek help from a GP until he was at university. He was initially prescribed fluoxetine which wasn't entirely effective. After trying this for a while he self-referred to see a family friend who is a psychiatrist who recommended a change to venlafaxine, which he finds works well to alleviate depressive symptoms.

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.

Lucy first experienced depression as a young teenager but was not prescribed antidepressant medication until she was older. She continued to feel depressed intermittently but muddled through' for a while. During her first year at university things began to feel intolerable and she sought help from the GP. She was prescribed Prozac (fluoxetine) initially but didn't find it effective. She now takes mirtazapine, which she says works well.

Dina first experienced symptoms of clinical depression as a postgraduate student in 1991 and was prescribed an antidepressant. She took the antidepressant medication for about a year. For a number of years Dina felt relatively well but in 2008 she experienced a severe depressive episode and felt suicidal. She was eventually admitted to hospital under a section' because of concerns about risks to her safety. In hospital she took a combination of antidepressants and antipsychotics but her depression persisted. More recently she was she was prescribed lithium, a mood stabiliser. She noticed a dramatic change in her moods, her motivation and her ability to cope with life.

John first experienced depression when he was in his late thirties. He had been feeling overwhelmed about his job and persistently on edge. He couldn't understand what was wrong with him. Eventually he made an appointment with his GP who prescribed Valium (diazepam). He took this for some years, but eventually became concerned about relying on it and decided to stop taking it. He attended a support group to help him, and after that only took diazepam occasionally. He was offered psychotherapy but found it unhelpful. In the last 5 years his current GP prescribed fluoxetine, which he takes daily.