Published7 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Annabel Rackham and Elena BaileyBBC NewsReducing an antidepressant dose should be done in stages, with help from a medical professional, according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).It says this helps manage withdrawal symptoms that can occur from the drugs.NICE has published new information that sets out how mental health care can be improved in England and Wales. A committee of experts says community care services should work with patients to agree a treatment plan.This includes assessing whether it is right for them to come off their medication and over what time period withdrawal should take place.Another suggestion is that extra attention should be paid to adults from minority ethnic backgrounds who have depression.It comes after NHS Digital data from 2021 showed that 57% of people from mixed, Black, Black British, Asian or Asian British family backgrounds completed a course of treatment for depression compared with 64% of people from a white family background. The suggestion is that mental health services should be delivered in a way that is culturally appropriate and that language barriers are also removed. ‘My anti-depressant withdrawal was worse than depression’Doctors warn of antidepressant withdrawalAccording to the NHS, antidepressant prescriptions reached an all-time high in 2022, with 8.3 million people taking them in England. Statistics also show about one in six adults aged 16 or over in the UK experienced some form of depression in the summer of 2021, with the rate remaining higher than before the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns. ‘No one-size fits all approach’The recommendations are in addition to pre-existing ones on managing depression in adults, which were last updated in November 2021.NICE suggested then that people with mild depression should be offered behavioural therapy or group exercise before medication is discussed.Dr Paul Chrisp, who is in charge of NICE guidelines, said: “In many cases, people experience withdrawal symptoms, and the length of time it takes them to safely come off these drugs can vary, which is why our committee’s useful and useable statement for a staged withdrawal over time from these drugs is to be welcomed.If you are affected by any of the issues in this article you can find details of organisations that can help via the BBC Action Line.”But it should be stressed there is no one-size fits all approach to coming off antidepressants,” he added. In response to the proposals, Prof Allan Young from the Centre for Affective Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience said: “It makes complete sense that the guidelines for treating depression in adults – which were published in June last year- are followed. “Whether it can be delivered given the current state of the NHS is another question.”‘It was like a constant hangover times five’Image source, John JuniorJohn Junior, 34, started taking antidepressants in 2017 after being diagnosed with depression and generalised anxiety disorder.Gradually building up his dosage of sertraline, he says the drug “really did help” curb suicidal thoughts he had been having.However, he found the side effects unbearable.”I suffered from palpitations, which is a horrible side effect, and I was getting all sorts of headaches, migraines, more severe anxiety and stuff, even high blood pressure as well,” he told the BBC.”And then I’d be prescribed more medications to try and mask the other side effects I was experiencing.”It got to the point where I thought I was going to be fully dependent on antidepressants,” he says.During the coronavirus lockdown, he decided to come off the medication, but could not get through to his doctor.”The phone was always engaged – which made it really difficult.”I was experiencing more and more side effects and it just wasn’t working for me, my body reached its limit and I just knew I had to come off of them.”He says going “cold turkey” caused “sickness, headaches, raw anxiety, sweats and sleepless nights” and likened it to a “constant hangover times five”. John says he is coping well since coming off antidepressants and uses the gym and meditation to keep his mental health in check. He welcomes the new NICE guidance and says: “I think having an individual plan would be a great idea because it would give people that structure. And having that communication and reassurance from medical professionals would be great.” Stephen Buckley from the mental health charity Mind, says: “Medication helps some people, but it isn’t always right for others.”If you’re taking medication for your mental health, you might reach a point where you want to stop taking it. “We strongly suggest talking to your doctor or mental health team if you are thinking of withdrawing from your medication, you want to change medication, or you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms, so that you can be supported to come off or change your medication safely over time.” If you are affected by any of the issues in this article you can find details of organisations that can help via the BBC Action Line.More on this storyNearly half million more adults on antidepressants9 July 2022Doctors warn of antidepressant withdrawal30 May 2019NHS could give therapy before anti-depressants23 November 2021’My anti-depressant withdrawal was worse than depression’12 March 2020

Published24 minutes agoSharecloseShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Chloe HarvattYoung non-smokers are being advised not to take up vaping. Researchers looked at the evidence and say while vaping is far safer than cigarettes, the long-term effects of vapes are still unknown.Vaping causes less exposure to harmful toxins than smoking, say the experts, who were tasked by the government with looking at the issue. In recent years there’s been a rise in vaping, particularly in young people.A recent survey by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) found vaping in people aged 11-18 had doubled from 4% in 2020 to 8.6% in 2022. However, smoking figures for the same age-group had gone down slightly from 6.7% in 2020 to 6.0% in 2022.Overall, there are believed to be around six million smokers in England, and nearly four million vapers.The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience team were commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care to undertake the biggest review of its kind on vaping in England. The findings confirm: Cigarettes are dangerous because they contain toxicants, which are found in tobacco smoke and promote cancer, lung disease and cardiovascular diseaseVaping products, including disposable e-cigarettes and reusable kits still contain nicotine, which is advertised on packaging due to its addictive natureThere is no significant evidence that short-term and medium-term vaping causes health problems, but the long-term effects are unknownLead author of the study, Prof Ann McNeill, who specialises in tobacco addiction, said vaping is “very unlikely to be risk-free” as the continual inhaling of vape fluid into the lungs would have some effect.”We strongly discourage anyone who has never smoked from taking up vaping or smoking,” she said. Vaping – is it a risk-free option?Underage teens sold e-cigarettes and vape liquidHow safe are e-cigarettes?The researchers say more needs to be done to stop children from taking up vaping.Part of the study found that local authority trading standards efforts “have been scaled down, and compliance with regulations is not enough to prevent underage sales and access to illicit products”.Disposable single-use vaping products like elf and geek bars are more popular with young people, but did not form a major part of this study.The researchers added that “more frequent surveillance of single-use disposable vaping products” is now needed.The popularity of disposable vapes in young people has been linked to social media, with TikToks of people trying out new flavours of vapes or using them as a fashion accessory being blamed.The bars, which can often be bought in corner shops or off-licences, can cost around £5.Different flavours Chloe Harvatt is 23 and has been using disposable vapes for around a year.”I’m vaping a full bar every day, whereas before I would smoke around five or six cigarettes a day. “I can get through seven, maybe eight, disposables a week,” she told the BBC.Chloe says she’s “never had an addiction so bad” and doesn’t go more than an hour without vaping, and often falls asleep at night with a vape in her hand. “My vape is constantly in my mouth so I’m getting nicotine rushes and if I can’t find it I end up having a panic attack.” She says she always keeps several in the house and likes to try out all the different flavours: “The taste is brilliant compared to cigarettes.”Chloe says she worries about the longer-term effects of vaping: “The thing that scares me the most is that there isn’t enough research on the long-term effects they are going to have on us – I’m terrified”.More on this storyUnderage teens sold e-cigarettes and vape liquid14 FebruaryHow safe are e-cigarettes?26 June 2019Vaping – is it a risk-free option?24 June