New NICE draft guidance encourages less use of SSRIs for mild to moderate depression

A significant change has been introduced recently to National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on mental health, whereby medication is no longer in the initial recommendations for the treatment of mild to moderate depression.

This is an important move and on a personal level, I am in agreement, since experiencing the iatrogenic harms of medications I did not need. I was prescribed quetiapine by a community psychiatrist after experiencing acute anxiety problems and I do wonder if I ever really needed something with such incredibly strong effects. I suffered from many side effects, including weight gain, problems with walking without tripping over, and eccentric behaviours to name a few. When my GP agreed I should taper off this gradually, my symptoms greatly improved.

My therapist was great but a more structured rehabilitation was required in my recovery from coming off this drug, as it in itself - and in its withdrawal - had come with many problems.