Alternatives to anti-depressants

The media is increasingly taking the issue of the over-prescription of anti-depressants seriously. Article after article is being written about how the figures of anti-depressant prescription have doubled, tripled and even increased five-fold, depending on which statistics you believe, which time frame you examine, and how you interpret the data.

7 Steps for a Depression Free Life – Click Here! 

The bare most important fact is that anti-depressant prescription has soared, no matter which way you look at it. This is not necessarily bad as this kind of medication (typically Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors or SSRI’s or Serotonin-norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitors -SNRIs) can really save lives. The upturn in prescription could show one of two things: either over-prescription by poorly trained or under-resources medics, or an increase in the numbers of people suffering from anxiety, depression, bipolar and the other maladies which are often treated by anti-depressants. In truth, the true reason for the increase is probably a combination of the above.

There are of course alternatives. St John’s Wort is one popular herbal remedy that is used more than anti-depressants in Germany, according to some reports. Herbal remedy advocates shouldn’t coo too much about the widespread use of this product as it is available without prescription and therefore it is very difficult to study how it is used. Many people may be taking in when it is not really necessary, many more may not be using a therapeutic dose.

Interestingly, when I was researching this post I came across an article on the health section of BBC Online. A lady from Perth in Scotland is talking about how art therapy helped her get over depression. This interested me because I have seen an art therapist and believe that this kind of therapy can have a very profound effect. Whether it slows you down and helps you come into the present (where you are necessarily ok – see this section on mindfulness if you don’t believe me), or helps your unconscious express itself, increasingly people are starting to notice it. Just doing art can be therapeutic, but combining it with therapy with a trained an experienced art therapist is worth every penny if you suffer from anxiety or depression, or any other complex mental health problem that you don’t fully understand.

The key is to do something other than just take drugs! But remember, for some of us drugs are an important short to medium term strategy which can help us climb out of a rut and get ourselves back on our feet.

For more information on art therapy why not visit BAAT – the British Association of Art Therapists and see if there is a therapist in your area that you could meet for an introductory chat.