The British Journal of Psychiatry (2008) 193: 327-331. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.107.043430
© 2008 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Psychiatric outcomes 10 years after treatment with antidepressants or anxiolytics

Ian Colman, PhD

Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

Tim J. Croudace, PhD

Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

Michael E. J. Wadsworth, PhD, FFPH and Diana Kuh, PhD

Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London Medical School, London, UK

Peter B. Jones, MD, PhD

Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

Correspondence: Ian Colman, Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 13-130D Clinical Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada. Email: ian.colman{at}ualberta.ca

Declaration of interest

None. Funding detailed in the Acknowledgements.

Background

Antidepressants and anxiolytics have demonstrated short-term efficacy; however, little is known about the long-term effectiveness of these drugs.

Aims

To investigate long-term psychiatric outcomes following antidepressant and/or anxiolytic use during an episode of mental disorder in mid-life.

Method

Members of the 1946 British birth cohort were assessed for symptoms of depression and anxiety at age 43. Among 157 with mental disorder, those using antidepressants and/or anxiolytics were compared with those not using medications on psychiatric outcomes at age 53.

Results

Use of antidepressants or anxiolytics was associated with a lower prevalence of mental disorder at age 53 (odds ratio (OR)=0.3, 95% CI 0.1–1.0) after adjustment for eight variables in a propensity-for-treatment analysis. Only 24% of those being treated with medications at age 43 were still using them at 53.

Conclusions

Use of antidepressants or anxiolytics during an episode of mental disorder may have long-term beneficial effects on mental health. This may be because of a demonstrated willingness to seek help rather than long-term maintenance therapy.


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