Reacción a "A study compares the weight gain associated with different antidepressant medications"

The prescription of antidepressants continues to increase year after year, and nearly 10% of Spaniards are taking them. This study attempts to establish the differences in which antidepressants cause the greatest weight gain, but it reminds us that all of them do. That a medication causes weight gain is a crucial issue because weight gain deteriorates physical health and quality of life, can lead to treatment abandonment, and also decrease self-esteem, which is particularly important when we are talking about mental health. 

The importance of this research, beyond contributing to choosing the right antidepressant for those who need it, is that we can reconsider the harm caused by their prescription and limit it to those who will truly benefit from this treatment. Many common mental sufferings can be resolved with social and/or psychological interventions, without the need for antidepressants, although this is the most frequent and immediate response. Lastly, this study highlights the need to properly warn people who are going to take antidepressants about the adverse effects, such as weight gain in this case, and to reflect on the possibility of prescribing them through an informed consent document, as is usually done with surgical interventions and other treatments.