• Question: Do you believe that anti-depressants work efficiently?

    Asked by 355drud48 to Anne, Florence, Mark, Neil, Sinead on 17 Nov 2015.
    • Photo: Sinead Balgobin

      Sinead Balgobin answered on 17 Nov 2015:

      I believe anti-depressants are one option for treating depression. Scientists still struggle to understand exactly how the brain works as it is very complex- mental illnesses are thought to be caused by the biochemistry of the brain being off, and anti-depressants CAN work to fix this. But they should be used responsibly- therapy is often the best treatment, and although anti-depressants can help people through really though times, like all drugs they also have side effects.

    • Photo: Mark Collins

      Mark Collins answered on 17 Nov 2015:

      Hi, although I am a scientist and I believe in what I do, I do feel that drugs should be a very very last option when treating depression and only used when the life of the patient or those around them are threatened as we know so little about the brain and adding more hormones and chemicals into the area where we do not understand is incredibly dangerous. I would prefer a more communal treatment where the patient is encouraged and helped to find happiness through support and counselling without having to resort to drugs. And as the side-effects are so severe with anti-depressants I feel they should be the last of last resorts.

    • Photo: Florence McCarthy

      Florence McCarthy answered on 18 Nov 2015:

      Many of the newer ones are excellent for treating depression but quite often this only happens for a limited period of time. In most cases of depression there is an underlying cause which need to be addressed – the real key is to find the cause and remedy that.

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