Lily Allen sings about the widespread use of recreational drugs as anti-depressants: 

“Why can't we all all just be honest
Admit to ourselves that everyone's on it
From grown politicians to young adolescents
Prescribing themselves antidepressants”

But seemingly she was right about the nations need for mood improvers. Figures from the NHS Prescription Services released this week show that medical prescriptions for the most commonly prescribed anti-depressants - (SSRIs), have risen by 43%, to nearly 23 million a year.  It is believed that this is due to a combination of increased new demand, as well as repeat prescriptions as patients stay on the drugs for longer.

Anti-depressants have been around since the 1950’s and SSRI have been the first line treatment for depression, amongst other conditions since the 1990’s. They work by increasing the levels of serotonin available in the brain, the assumption being that depression results from reduced levels of serotonin.

But, it is important to note that this is more assumption than scientific fact, and studies have shown that placebos can be as affective as SSRIs in reducing mild to moderate depression. For me, this just serves to explain why different people have different experiences of anti-depressants, and I know that many many people find their lives immeasurably improved by them.

Some of the fears around being prescribed anti-depressants are that they will remove the ability to feel, and that emotions will somehow become unavailable. Often however people find that the drugs take the edge of the black feelings and allow them to function effectively. Sometimes they are seen as a short term solution to a difficult time, for others they are a long term solution to life.

What is encouraging is that alongside these increased prescriptions is a corresponding four fold rise in referrals to talking therapies. Whatever your reason for taking anti-depressants, I believe it should be in conjunction with counselling. I certainly think it is encouraging that as a nation we appear to be turning to our GPs for help, rather than self medicating, Lilly Allen style.