I'm Angela.

Back in 2014 I was told my anxiety was back and the doctors advised me to take antidepressants and I refused for months until I decided to give them a try.

I was prescribed 20mg citalopram. I took them for five days and on the fifth day I walked into my living room where my husband was sitting and told him goodbye and that I was jumping out the window. He grabbed me and sat me down and reminded me I had two young children who loved me sleeping in their beds. It was enough to bring me to my senses. He called my mum who advised him to call NHS 24. They told him to get rid of the medication as soon as possible and make an appointment for the GP.  I did so and was told "you didn’t give them enough of a chance”. I never took another tablet.

About two months later I went back to my GP surgery and saw a different doctor. I was then given a proper diagnosis, severe pms (PMDD is the psychological name) which is a hormonal issue. All that time I was made to feel like I was in denial and going mad. The doctor told me that antidepressants would not help my condition and that I should not have been given them at all.

Don’t get me wrong, these medications have helped a lot of people I know, but sadly I was not one of them.