According to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), dose reduction of antidepressants should be done in stages. The committee suggests that community care services should work in coherence with the patients to design the mode and duration of the treatment plan. “Sometimes, antidepressant withdrawal symptoms are worse than the depression itself and the length of time it takes them to completely overcome the drugs varies among individuals”, says Dr Paul Chrisp who is in charge of the NICE guidelines. NHS data shows that antidepressant prescriptions peaked in 2022, with around eight million people taking them in England alone. One in every six adults aged 16 or above experienced some form of depression in 2021, mostly owing to COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns.
Related Posts
Japan Initiates Controversial Fukushima Water Release amidst Backlash
Japan has initiated the release of treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean, sparking backlash from China and concerns from local fishermen. This marks a significant step in decommissioning the site 12 years after a major nuclear accident. Japan maintains the water is harmless after treatment, a stance supported by the […]
Reverberations from Earthquakes Reveal New Details about Earth’s Inner Core
A new study published in Nature Communications has used the reverberations from earthquakes to reveal new details about the structure of the Earth’s inner core. For decades, there has been evidence to suggest that the inner core is made up of distinct layers, but their properties have remained mysterious. To better understand the inner core’s […]
First Human Trial of Base Editing for Cholesterol Control Raises Hope and Safety Concerns
Scientists at Verve Therapeutics in Boston conducted the inaugural human trial of base editing, using the treatment VERVE-101 to deactivate the PCSK9 gene in the liver. The gene regulates ‘bad’ cholesterol, and the one-time injection resulted in a significant LDL reduction of up to 55%. This milestone suggests a potential transformative approach to treat coronary […]