I am sorry but who says these anti depressants don't work. I have taken these tablets for nearly a year now and I feel so much better on them, and I have only "mild depression". Does this mean my doctor is going to withdraw my prescription? The only downside I would say about taking the medication is that I struggle to fall to sleep but other than that, it is the best thing I have ever taken.

How not to be depressed......look at the weather!

"UK study into whether physical activity aids depression finds no additional benefit - Press release issued 6 June 2012

Current clinical guidance recommends physical activity to alleviate the symptoms of depression. However, new research published today [6 June] in the BMJ, suggests that adding a physical activity intervention to usual care did not reduce symptoms of depression more than usual care alone, even though it increased levels of physical activity."

http://bristol.ac.uk/news/2012/8529.html

I am sure the family doctors' professional association knows what is talking about, but as a person who has suffered clinical depression for long periods of my adult life, I would add a caution. It is difficult to diagnose the level of depression, especially with men as they tend to hide the illness more than women - it can be a taboo in the workplace, for example. If you look on the BBC World News website under 'Health' you will find that a recent survey has been carried out which concludes that exercise, unfortunately, does little to help severe depressives. Note that many depressed people commit suicide and ruin the lives of family and friends.

Another reason I'm glad not to live in the NL anymore. Depression is highly misunderstood and disrespected there, and is merely seen as laziness. This sickens me. While I agree that overmedicating is indeed an issue, the "advice" they give here must be horribly hurtful for anyone struggling with this debilitating illness. And it is an ILLNESS, not an emotion.

That is complete nonsense, Stupid. I suffered from depression for years and I never was mistreated or disrespected by any doctor. In fact Dutch doctors give anti-depressants for too easily.

I have to disagree Stupid. I find there is more support here for people with depression than back home in Canada, which has become enamoured with the American obsession with "thinking positive" and that illness = laziness.

You even see it here in this forum, with the snide remarks from North American expats about people with burnout. I haven't met a Dutch person yet who thinks that way; in fact, I see more people seeking help here and understanding for those who seek help.

Of course, the government and insurance companies would love to change that...

Not much changed. GPs often refused to prescribe anti-depressants and sent people to psychologists (not to psychiatrists of course!!!) where again you have to wait more than 4 weeks to get an appointment and have to call them and tell you cannot wait anymore, and then you manage to get one, which consists of useless discussions of 45min...

"Pills do not help" SSRIs are used to ‘treat’ depression, not to ‘cure’ it, the same as insulin does not cure diabetes, it treats it.
How many of the people from the family doctors professional association, have a degree in psychology or psychiatry, to give a *qualified* opinion for any guidlines on mental health? To my knowledge, the only positive results with web-therapy has been for children, that do not suffer from clinical depression.
As 10% of the population will meet the criteria for depressive disorder, and SSRIs are also used for anxiety disorders (the two most common mental health disorders), only 5% of the population taking medication sounds quite low.

We often expect too much from our doctors, there is so much to medicine. About 10 years ago my wife died and I saw my doctor a week later and told him. As I was doing so he wrote a prescription for an anti-depressant and gave it to me. I said to him that grieving is not a mental illness unless I have severe suicidal ideas or the grieving goes on more than 30 days, I would rather not take them. Sadly, he then decided to stop prescribing the mild painrelievers that I use to treat severe back pain - which made matters worse for me: grieving plus pain...

People that suffer from depression do NOT want to go jogging or do anything, that's the whole point!! They gradually lose interest in nearly everything, I used some weed a few years ago when i felt depressed, it worked fine, but shhh, don't tell anyone!

I am surprised to see 80% of antidepressants are prescribed by family doctors and not psychiatrists. I would have thought psychiatric care would be a vital part of any depression treatment regime.

This leaves me extremely despondant. I know a good number of people who don't have a depressive illness that leaves them entirely unable to function, but who still get a benefit from antidepressants. What now for them - do they have their meds taken away and told "oh it rights itself. Go to the gym"? Do these people have any idea what a devestating response that can be for depressed patients, and that it can swing them into an even deeper depression?

And what about doctors who don't take their patients seriously, i.e. a good percentage of Dutch doctors? "Oh your depression isn't THAT bad, you don't need treatment". This is backwards and sickening.

In my opinion depression is a very serious and often deadly illness. It seems to be more and more prevalent as we choose for a faster harder society and world (these are choices being made by us, nothing happens automatically).
I also think anti-depressants are very very dangerous and far too widely and easily prescribed. Same for the ADHD drugs - dangerous stuff in my opinion.

What do you all propose as the solution? Millions are prescribed these pills, they cant keep doling them out like candy.

I'm not at all surprised, considering the stance of doctors here on other issues and illnesses.

@ Max
Sounds like you need to find yourself a new doctor. One who actually listens to you.

@Bill - link any actual scientific study that shows antidepressants are very very dangerous. Not new age nonsense or scientology propoganda.

The majority of antidepressants are very safe drugs for long term use, particularly the ones that are widely prescribed (the SSRIs, Prozac, Seroxat etc). They can come with unpleasant side effects but rarely dangerous ones. I don't think that's part of the issue here at all.

Having suffered from some degree of depression most of my life, I must say there is a place for the SSRIs and other types of antidepressants. The trick is to realize they are not everyone, that they shouldn't be used casually and forever. I frequently stop for intervals and only resume taking them when my attitude becomes unbearable to myself and others.

Jogging? Really? And this after a recent study published in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) shows that exercise does nothing to help depression. Perhaps the Nederlands Huisartsen Genootschap should read more medical journals.

Why the Conclusion of the Exercise-Depression Study is FLAWED: http://bit.ly/LdbMO0 also read http://mariawolters.wordpress.com/2012/06/09/exercise-and-depression-a-tale-of-misreporting-and-a-ray-of-hope/

All medications can be dangerous and that is why the benefit/risk ratio is always considered by the physician prescribing and the patient. Anyone who has suffered a lifetime of depression surely appreciates medications such as SSRI's. Recent US studies have also shown that their effectiveness diminishes over time (as do other drugs) but I can personally state that these have worked for me (for over 15 years) enabling me to reach the top of my career field and I have enjoyed that success along with my family.

@Loosey. What benefit-risk ratio. I once thought I had a mental problem and visited my huisarts. Within ten minutes he prescribed an atypical, 2nd generation, antipsychotic. I refused. Less than one year later my "mental problem" was solved, by leaving Nederland for a more rationally organised society and its city that contains its most highly trained population. No more "issues."