Anti-depressant helped to change my life

I would like to comment on the flip-side of your special feature headlined our Prozac Nation (Irish Examiner, March 28).

I have been on the anti-depressant Seroxat for the last nine years.

With its help I have been able to marry, rear two children, run a home and, in the last two years, find and keep my first permanent job ever and so buy a holiday home abroad.

Before Seroxat I was prescribed the anti-depressant, Anafranil, which I took also successfully for eight years.

I agree that none of these drugs should be prescribed without much consideration by doctor and patient.

The patient should be aware they are not a wonder cure, take time to work and can have unpleasant side-effects.

In my case, however, I believe they changed my life.

Before them I was completely unable to function, I was dependent on my parents and, later, my husband.

I had none of the reasons for being depressed that you listed — I just had an illness called depression.

I had psychotherapy which, unfortunately, was of little help, but after seeing several psychiatrists and a lot of discussion with my GP, my condition was determined finally as a ‘chemical imbalance’.

If a patient is suffering from diabetes, are they not encouraged to take insulin? So what do you do in the case of a severely depressed patient?

Thank goodness, depression is now out in the open to a great extent, but doesn’t the headline ‘One-in-eight of us have taken anti-depressants’ make those of us with this awful illness think that taking our medication is something we should feel guilty about?

Evelyn Hughes

Ashdale

Newtownmountkennedy

Co Wicklow