The paradoxical role of antidepressant medication - returning to normal functioning while losing the sense of being normal
Abstract
Background: The development of healthcare services which address patients' perspectives of treatment and illness has been advocated. However, little is known about patients' beliefs and experiences of taking antidepressant medication. Aims: The current study aimed to identify factors of importance to patients beginning courses of antidepressant medication, in order to inform the development of partnerships between patients and healthcare professionals. Method: Patients beginning courses of antidepressant medication were recruited from general practice surgeries. Semi-structured interviews were performed. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim and coded. Results: Antidepressant medication was found to have a paradoxical role in affecting the return to normal life and functioning. Medication enabled respondents to return to normality by reducing symptoms associated with the condition. However, it also had a stigma attached which reduced interviewees' sense of being normal. Respondents reported mechanisms of dealing with stigma, the majority of which reconciled taking antidepressant medication with previous self identity. Conclusion: Knowledge of mechanisms used to deal with stigma may aid healthcare professionals in building partnerships with patients with a diagnosis of depression. Declaration of interest: None.
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Small scale qualitative research has often highlighted negative experiences or noted considerable ambivalence amongst some antidepressant users.
“Small scale qualitative research has often highlighted negative experiences [11–14] or noted considerable ambivalence amongst some antidepressant users [15, 16].”
From ‘In my life antidepressants have been…’: a qualitative analysis of users’ diverse experiences with antidepressants (2016) · cites this paper as [15]
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- Authors
- GARFIELD, S., SMITH, F., & FRANCIS, S.-A.
- Affiliations
- University of London (GB)
- Venue
- Journal of Mental Health
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2003-01
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 521-535
- ISSN
- 0963-8237 (ISSN-L)
- 1360-0567
- OpenAlex
- W2118600565
- Cited by
- 40
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Mental Health (publishedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Family Practice › Medication Adherence and Compliance
- Keywords
- antidepressants, depression, stigma, patient experience, self-identity, coping strategies, patient-professional partnership, patient perspectives, general practice
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