Poor old Sarah Vine

Depression is not being down or fed up. Of course a doctor is highly skilled at assessing for depression. He/she can use a number of standardised tests, ask the relevant questions and observe the persons demeanor.

May I ask what leads you to the assumption that " invariably" the patient leaves with a prescription. As for " swallowing these things" does this apply to other illnesses or is it just people with depression who have to ignore all that modern pharmacy can offer?

As a sometimes reader of the Daily Mail I find it quite amusing the amount of people who vilify the paper, yet must read it, otherwise how would they know what's in there

I read it online if something catches my eye. More of a scan than a read.

Money is no protection from mental illness
That is so true, Anniebach

I do feel for you and what you went through, gillybob.

However, I do think that William and Harry went through both the trauma of their mother's sudden death which was exacerbated by the fact that the world's media was focussed on them and their family. The Queen tried to protect them by taking them to Balmoral but the PM at the time, Blair, tried to claim the moral high ground by saying that their mother was 'The People's Princess' - ie, that their beloved mother was in fact public property and that they had a duty to perform in front of the cameras and to display their grief to the world.
Poor boys. That would have been enough to have sent any child into a state of depression - they may have had all the money, help and support available but this would not take away from the fact that their every move was there for greedy public consumption.

I doubt the royals will be going through a 9 month wait for CAHMS and thereafter practically no support.

I wonder, though, if the Royals may think that fresh air, exercise and a 'stiff upper lip' is the answer?

Unless anyone has suffered the trauma of the sudden loss of a parent at such a young age, I doubt we will know how we would feel.
All in the glare of the world's press too.
Poor boys

The issue Sarah Vine was raising has been in the press this week as a result of recent research by Psychiatry. It was believed that the new antidepressants were not addictive and that coming off them wouldn't have the same difficulties associated with the older types.
The latest research suggests that for some people, significant difficulties are associated with coming off their meds. Many report a recurrence of the symptoms that led to the prescription for anti depressants. My immediate thought is to question whether the depression has been masked, there fore the patient helped and to ask about the costs vbenefits of long term usage.
MH problems like anxiety and depression can stop people working,stop people functioning in their personal lives. Most of us avoid medication where we can but some health problems mean long term medication use is essential. For me, this means significant disease modifiers to stop RheumatoidArthritis dominating my life so negatively.

The points made by other posters about the dreadful impact of this governments austerity programme on the health service, with mental health right at the bottom of the pile.

Callistemon , what caused the distress that week were idiots surrounding Kensington Palace and Buck House sobbing and wailing and playing into the hands of the press,
they were in a panic because Charles Spencer had said the press had killed her , hence the headlines, ‘your people need you ma’am’, hysteria had set in with the sobbing, flower bearing idiots and they agreed with the press.

I read the book by Lord Mountbatten's grandson about the bombing that killed his twin. Interestingly he found the Queen one of the most helpful people when he stayed with her. I can understand her being reluctant to bring William and Harry down to London, it must have been a complete nightmare for them.

Memories of that week make me angry , I certainly didn’t need her, her grandchildren and family did.