NHS treats depression before dosing under new guidelines | Depression

Millions of people with mild depression England Following the new NHS guidelines for the first time in more than 10 years, treatment, exercise, attention, or meditation should be provided prior to antidepressants.

Under draft guidance, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) recommends that medical professionals provide patients with a “menu of treatment options” before medication is considered.

Currently, patients with mild depression are offered high-intensity psychological interventions such as antidepressants or cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Shakeup has formed some of the first new recommendations for identifying, treating and managing depression in adults since 2009.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (ONS), about one in six adults (17%) experienced some form of depression this summer. When 10% of adults experience a pandemic, the rate is higher than before the pandemic. According to ONS, young adults and females are likely to be affected.

According to a 2019 review, 17% (7.3 million) of the UK’s adult population were prescribed antidepressants in 2017-18.

Dr. Paul Crisp, Director of the Guidelines Center in Nice, said: People with depression need the recommendations of these evidence-based guidelines. NHS, Without delay. “

Under change, people with “mild depression”, including people with mild depression, need to participate in conversations with doctors about what is most suitable for them, but Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) May be offered as a first-line treatment. CBT “focuses on how thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, emotions, and behaviors interact and teaches coping skills to handle things in life differently.”

This may be followed by suggestions for seven other treatments, including individual CBT, self-help, group exercise, or group mindfulness or meditation, before drug therapy is discussed as an option.

According to Nice, group exercises typically include three 60-minute sessions a week for 10 weeks. Alternatively, the patient can opt for group mindfulness or meditation. Nice usually consists of two hours of sessions eight times a week, with a focus on “focusing on the present and observing and sitting on thoughts, emotions, sensations, and breathing techniques.”

The guidelines add: “Do not regularly provide antidepressants as a first-line treatment for mild depression unless it is a person’s preference.”

Those who opt for first-line treatment for “more severe depression” should have access to a similar range of psychological interventions, along with antidepressant drug options.

When considering treatment options, Nice said it should also be encouraged to discuss what may be the cause of depression and the experiences of patients with depression and previous episodes of treatment. ..

Nav Kapur, a professor of psychiatry and artificial health at the University of Manchester and chair of the Guidelines Committee, said: .. In particular, he emphasized the role of patient choice. Practitioners provide evidence-based treatment options to people, suggesting that they need to understand that not all treatments are suitable for everyone. “

Guidance encourages doctors to discuss mental health waiting lists with patients. It also contains new recommendations for those who quit antidepressants.

Anyone considering taking or discontinuing antidepressants should consult with a medical professional about their benefits and risks, Nice said. Doctors may take weeks or months to successfully complete withdrawal, usually need to gradually reduce the dose over time, and most people stop antidepressants normally. I need to explain that.

More than 20 million antidepressants were prescribed between October and December 2020, according to NHS Business Services Authority figures. This is a 6% increase compared to the same three months in 2019.

“There have been significant advances in science and medicine over the last 12 years,” said former lawyer Catherine Luang, a general member of the Guidelines Committee who acted as a caregiver for two families with depression. “This guideline emphasizes the choices of more patients and takes into account what is really important to them and their caregivers.”