Healthcare systems across the world face enormous pressure.
Doctors often have limited consultation time.
A patient may arrive distressed, exhausted, and desperate for relief.
Medication can appear to offer an immediate solution.
Additionally, antidepressants are no longer prescribed solely for major depressive disorder.
Research and prescribing data show they are frequently used for:
This wider use means many people receive antidepressants even when they may not be experiencing severe clinical depression.
That does not necessarily mean the prescription is inappropriate.
However, it does highlight the need for careful assessment before medication becomes the default response.
Imagine your home develops a leak.
You could place a bucket underneath the dripping water.
The bucket helps.
It prevents flooding.
But it does not repair the roof.
Medication can sometimes function similarly.
It may reduce symptoms.
It may stabilise mood.
It may create enough breathing room for recovery.
But therapy helps identify and repair the source of distress.
A psychologist works to understand:
Rather than simply reducing symptoms, therapy helps build long-term psychological resilience.
Depression is often a signal.
It tells us something important is happening in our lives.
Perhaps:
Therapy helps uncover these patterns.
Without understanding the cause, symptoms may repeatedly return.
Medication works while you take it.
Therapy teaches skills that remain long after treatment ends.
These include:
These tools continue helping long after sessions finish.
Research consistently shows that psychological therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can reduce the likelihood of future depressive episodes by teaching people how to recognise and manage early warning signs.
Rather than waiting for symptoms to return, individuals learn how to respond proactively.
One of the most powerful aspects of therapy is that it returns a sense of control.
Depression often creates feelings of helplessness.
Therapy helps people recognise:
“I can influence how I feel.”
That belief alone can be transformative.
Antidepressants can be beneficial and are often appropriate in moderate to severe depression.
However, every treatment carries potential risks.
Some common side effects include:
Many people tolerate medication well.
Others find side effects challenging.
One of the most commonly reported concerns involves sexual functioning.
This may include:
These effects can significantly impact quality of life and relationships.
Some individuals also describe emotional blunting.
Rather than feeling intensely sad, they report feeling emotionally muted overall.
They may say:
“The lows aren’t as low anymore, but the highs aren’t as high either.”
This experience does not occur for everyone, but it is important that patients understand the possibility before starting treatment. (Cyprus Mail)
Another important consideration is duration.
Studies suggest that many people remain on antidepressants for years. (BMJ Open)
For some, this is entirely appropriate.
For others, medication may continue simply because nobody has reviewed whether it is still needed.
Long-term treatment decisions should always involve ongoing evaluation rather than automatic continuation.
Psychologists frequently help clients explore:
Importantly, psychologists do not advise clients to stop medication independently.
Any medication changes should always be managed by a qualified prescribing doctor.
A discussion about therapy should never become a discussion against medication.
There are situations where antidepressants are extremely valuable.
These may include:
In these circumstances, medication can provide essential support.
The goal is not therapy versus medication.
The goal is providing the right intervention at the right time.
For many people, the most effective treatment is actually a combination of both.
One common misconception is that psychologists oppose antidepressants.
In reality, psychologists frequently work collaboratively with psychiatrists and other healthcare professionals.
When medication is being used, therapy helps patients:
Think of medication as reducing the volume of distress.
Therapy then teaches you how to navigate life more effectively.
Together, they can be a powerful combination.
Across Cyprus and internationally, many people are beginning to ask a deeper question.
Not:
“How do I stop feeling depressed?”
But:
“Why am I feeling this way in the first place?”
This shift is important.
People increasingly recognise that emotional suffering often has meaning.
Sometimes depression develops after years of:
Medication may reduce the pain.
Therapy helps decode the message.
Unfortunately, some people still view therapy as a last resort.
They wait until symptoms become overwhelming before reaching out.
Yet therapy is often most effective when sought early.
Seeking support does not mean you are weak.
It does not mean you have failed.
It means you are taking your mental health seriously.
We would not hesitate to seek help for ongoing physical pain.
Emotional pain deserves the same respect.
Perhaps the most important message is this:
Recovery is not simply about removing symptoms.
It is about rebuilding a life worth living.
It is about:
Medication may sometimes play a role in that journey.
But lasting recovery usually requires more than symptom management.
It requires understanding.
Growth.
Insight.
And change.
These are the areas where psychological therapy excels.
Depression is real. It can be debilitating, frightening, and profoundly isolating.
Nobody should be made to feel guilty for taking antidepressants when they are needed.
But equally, emotional pain deserves more than a prescription alone.
The rapid increase in antidepressant use in Cyprus highlights the importance of asking whether enough attention is being given to the psychological roots of distress. (Cyprus Mail)
For many people experiencing mild to moderate depression, therapy may be the most valuable first step. International treatment guidelines continue to support psychological interventions before medication in less severe cases. (Springer)
Because while medication may help you feel better…
Therapy helps you understand why you stopped feeling well in the first place.
And sometimes, that understanding becomes the foundation for lasting recovery.
References:
Cyprus Mail. (2024, August 25). Antidepressant usage doubles in five years. https://cyprus-mail.com/2024/08/25/antidepressant-usage-doubles-in-five-years
National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health. (2010). Depression: The treatment and management of depression in adults (Updated edition). British Psychological Society & Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Priest, R. G., Vize, C., Roberts, A., Roberts, M., & Tylee, A. (1996). Lay people’s attitudes to treatment of depression: Results of opinion poll for Defeat Depression Campaign just before its launch. BMJ, 313(7061), 858–859. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.313.7061.858
Read, J., Cartwright, C., & Gibson, K. (2014). How many of 1,829 antidepressant users report withdrawal effects or addiction? International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 23(5), 409–417. https://doi.org/10.1111/inm.12088
Verhaak, P. F. M., van Dijk, C. E., Nuijen, J., Verheij, R. A., & Schellevis, F. G. (2019). Mental health care as delivered by Dutch general practitioners between 2004 and 2008. BMC Family Practice, 15, Article 35. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2296-15-35
Wiles, N., Thomas, L., Abel, A., Ridgway, N., Turner, N., Campbell, J., Garland, A., Hollinghurst, S., Jerrom, B., Kessler, D., Kuyken, W., Morrison, J., Turner, K., Williams, C., Peters, T., & Lewis, G. (2016). Cognitive behavioural therapy as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy for primary care–based patients with treatment-resistant depression: Results of the CoBalT randomised controlled trial. The Lancet, 381(9864), 375–384. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61552-9
Zhu, Y., Edwards, D., Mant, J., Payne, R. A., & Kiddle, S. (2019). Characteristics, service use and mortality of clusters of multimorbid patients in England: A population-based study. BMJ Open, 9(2), e024051. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024051
Myria Ectoridou
22.06.2026
