Andrew

Age at interview: 50

Age at diagnosis: 49

Brief Outline:

Andrew had been feeling out of sorts for a couple of years losing interest in things he used to enjoy and finding life increasingly difficult, before he saw the doctor who diagnosed depression and recommended taking citalopram alongside having a course of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). It took about six weeks to begin to take effect, but he found that the medication helped him enormously and he now finds life enjoyable again. He is still taking citalopram and has no plans to stop at the present time, although he says when he is ready he will talk to his GP about how long to continue taking it for.

Background:

Andrew is married and has two young children. He works in communications at a university undertaking health research.

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‘I really valued feeling cared for and that someone took an interest me more than anything else’

Because I had a good experience with the doctors; I think that they levelled with me. They......being told I was depressed, you know, clearly being told that was the case and all these other things that were going through my mind were a symptom and not a cause felt good to me. I think the doctors spent time with me I never felt rushed at all and we talked about me and my emotions and how I felt and I really valued that. I really valued feeling cared for and someone took an interest in me more than anything else. And I think I may not have taken the tablets if I’d come out of there thinking ‘Oh it’s just another patient to be given drugs to shut up,’ or whatever.
 
The doctor who prescribed the treatment said think about it, you’re not under pressure but from where he was sitting he thought it would be a good idea, but he didn’t want me to do it unless I thought that it would help me. And yes I just felt looked after, I felt that they took an interest in me and I felt if it all went pear shaped they would be there to help me out.
 
You felt well supported.
 
And if it went well - fantastic. So I had a really good experience from the general practice I should say.