In 2019, in the midst of what I can only describe as a mental breakdown, I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression, signed off work, and prescribed sertraline, an antidepressant. Because of my desperate mental state, I didn't ask my GP about possible side effects. Instead I headed straight to the pharmacy to pick up my new "happy pills" and started taking them the following day.
They definitely worked. Some of my anxiety symptoms slipped away, such as my panic attacks, low moods and low energy. But I wasn't prepared for one of the biggest side effects: weight gain.
In my early twenties I'm now 31- I struggled with disordered eating. By 2019, I'd finally got myself to a stage where I was happy with my body and enjoyed the fruits of a balanced diet. I weight-trained. I enjoyed the gym. I no longer felt the need to restrict what I ate. But sertraline completely changed that.
Within six months of starting to take it, I'd gained weight.
Clothes didn't fit quite as well, despite no changes having been made to my diet, lifestyle, or exercise regime. Now, after three years on sertraline, I'm two stone heavier than I used to be. It's been a huge setback.
Antidepressants can be life-changing. For many people, they can be life-saving. And the possibility of gaining weight as a result of taking vital medication shouldn't be off-putting, or ever a deciding factor in asking a doctor for help and guidance.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 05, 2022-Ausgabe von The Independent.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der December 05, 2022-Ausgabe von The Independent.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Why Lawson got Red Bull seat over unlucky Tsunoda
Surely Yuki Tsunoda believed this would be his time for the highly coveted promotion.
Sad tale of an entertainer turned middling curiosity
Jack Grealish has sacrificed flair for silverware at City but as he returns home to Villa Park, he'll wonder if it was worth it
Spurs survive 'self-inflicted' collapse to reach cup semis
As Son Heung-min wheeled away and the Tottenham fans in the South Stand bounced their way into the Carabao Cup semifinals, it was fitting in this bonkers, breathless tie that the winning goal against Manchester United would come straight from a corner kick.
A rocky road ahead but we are not quite in stagflation
Should “stagflation” be our word of the day? It’s the term used by the parents of proto-central bankers to scare them into eating their broccoli. It applies when you have slow or no economic growth, high inflation and high interest rates.
Australia's coal expansion a 'death sentence' for islands
Australia’s decision to expand four coal mines has been slammed by island nations as a death sentence” and a betrayal of global climate commitments.
Healthcare killing suspect receives fan mail and cash
Luigi Mangione, the suspect at the centre of the UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting, has received more than 100 pieces of mail just over a week after he was taken into custody, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections confirmed to The Independent.
Russia is 'ready to negotiate and compromise', Putin says
A rare 13th-century Bible will return to its ancestral home in Salisbury Cathedral more than 700 years after it was written, thanks to the help of The Independent.
Mum relives horror of her teenage son's fatal stabbing
The grieving mother of a teenage boy has described the harrowing moment her son died in her arms after a brutal knife attack near their home in Bristol.
Independent helps raise £90,000 to return medieval Bible to Salisbury Cathedral
A rare 13th-century Bible will return to its ancestral home in Salisbury Cathedral more than 700 years after it was written, thanks to the help of The Independent.
Avanti managers turn down £250 offer for working day off as new year strike looms
Train managers at Avanti West Coast have turned down an offer worth £250 for working on a day off – or £300 at weekends.
