Emma
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.
When Emma was a teenager she was reading a magazine article that described the symptoms of depression and she realised that she had depression. She went to the GP and was prescribed an antidepressant. As other members of her family have also experienced depression she was not surprised to be given medication, and had no qualms about taking it. She said that starting to take an antidepressant gave her a feeling of hope, and that it felt like a positive step . Initially she experienced some side effects, most notably insomnia. Emma finds it difficult to remember that time now, as seven years ago she was diagnosed with a neurological condition that affects her memory. Over the years she has had a number of depressive episodes and has tried several different antidepressants. Most of these have worked to improve her mood for a time, but after a while have become less effective. When this has happened her GP has either changed the dose, or tried her on a different antidepressant. Although Emma feels that antidepressants help to an extent, she still experiences depression whilst taking them, and thinks it’s important that as well as taking medication, that people should be offered therapy. At one time Emma had Cognitive Behaviour therapy (CBT) which she found useful to help her to think about situations in a different way. However having experienced some very difficult life events over recent times she has had found it frustrating to have had to wait a long time for an appointment to see a therapist, and feels let down, because she feels she needs to talk to someone outside of her social or family circle. Emma currently takes citalopram.