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• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 55-64 >> Interview 12 >> Describes a negative and frightening experience of an NHS hospital in the 1970s.

Helpful approaches include support from patients in hospital, counselling and medication (Lofepramine). She understands depression as a passing phase and feels she is well past the worst of it.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 55-64 >> Interview 24 >> She felt lucky to get long-term therapy on the NHS, since the lack of resources means that so many needy people miss out.

Helpful approaches have included medication, self-help books and tapes, and personal development courses. Received long term therapy on the NHS. Recently discovered she had dyslexia, explaining many of her difficulties.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 29 and under >> Interview 02 >> The NHS offers no sure path for getting a referral to a talking therapist, and it's easy to fall through the gaps, especially if your income is low.

Effective approaches include medication (currently Efexor 75 mg/day), hypnotherapy and counselling. Was finding it difficult to find therapy in the NHS.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 30-39 >> Interview 08 >> Describes her mother's shame about her hospitalisation. (Played by an actor)

With the ongoing care of her GP and ongoing counselling with a skilled practitioner, she has been in recovery since early 2003. Not currently on medication.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 55-64 >> Interview 28 >> Felt she had to present 'dramatically' in order to get into hospital.

Multiple severe bouts of depression/ 'euphoria', most recently in 95. Has been hospitalised and had Electroconvulsive Therapy. Most helpful approaches include the drug venlafaxine (75mg/day), music, poetry and spiritual healing.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 30-39 >> Interview 17 >> He felt he got better care at a London-based outpatients clinic compared with local services.

Current medication includes Seroxat, Zyperxa (olanzapine), Lamactil (lamatrigine). Is grappling with building friendships and what he wants to do in life. He has found one kinesiologist in particular to be very helpful.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 40-54 >> Interview 27 >> Believes there is an over emphasis on medication for sedation in the NHS hospital she went to.

Her main helpful approaches include hospitalisation, various therapies (including art therapy), Citalopram (40mg/day), reduction in work hours, Christian prayer and diary writing.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 55-64 >> Interview 28 >> Describes an experience of sexual misconduct by a member of staff at a hospital over 20 years ago.

Multiple severe bouts of depression/ 'euphoria', most recently in 95. Has been hospitalised and had Electroconvulsive Therapy. Most helpful approaches include the drug venlafaxine (75mg/day), music, poetry and spiritual healing.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 55-64 >> Interview 12 >> Describes the comfort felt when she realised in hospital that others felt similar to her.

Helpful approaches include support from patients in hospital, counselling and medication (Lofepramine). She understands depression as a passing phase and feels she is well past the worst of it.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 65+ >> Interview 14 >> Describes getting excellent care at an NHS hospital outpatient clinic.

Has responded well to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. He has the support of his wife and has built his confidence in a local sporting club. He recognises depression as a phase that passes.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 65+ >> Interview 13 >> Describes getting helpful treatment and partaking in beneficial activities in an NHS hospital.

Has only recent seen himself as getting better, being helped by therapy (eg. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Gestalt), a clairvoyant therapist/doctor, the learning of meditation techniques, and medication (Effexor 75mg, Lithium (400mg/day).

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 30-39 >> Interview 08 >> Explains that while some staff do care and you can feel safe in NHS hospitals, staff can appear disengaged. (Played by an actor)

With the ongoing care of her GP and ongoing counselling with a skilled practitioner, she has been in recovery since early 2003. Not currently on medication.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 65+ >> Interview 13 >> He feels that hospital staff need to be more engaging and nurturing of depressed patients who feel negative about themselves.

Has only recent seen himself as getting better, being helped by therapy (eg. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Gestalt), a clairvoyant therapist/doctor, the learning of meditation techniques, and medication (Effexor 75mg, Lithium (400mg/day).

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 30-39 >> Interview 11 >> Did not like the NHS hospital she went into when she could not get into a private hospital.

Hospitalised, but experienced poor service in the NHS. Helpful approaches included the contraceptive pill (acts as a mood stabiliser for her), good GP support, private hospitalisation, and HomeStart help in the home.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 30-39 >> Interview 08 >> Describes how she became institutionalised in an NHS hospital by the routines and safety, making it hard to readjust to the real world. (Played by an

With the ongoing care of her GP and ongoing counselling with a skilled practitioner, she has been in recovery since early 2003. Not currently on medication.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 65+ >> Interview 01 >> Describes a suicide attempt where he was not met by empathy by hospital staff.

Treatments have included ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy), hospitalisation, talking therapies, lithium and medication. He was on a preventative, low dose of Zoloft (sertraline 100mg/day) due to his wife's death.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 40-54 >> Interview 27 >> Says that while some nurses did care in her NHS hospital, there was more care that felt genuine and available in the private system.

Her main helpful approaches include hospitalisation, various therapies (including art therapy), Citalopram (40mg/day), reduction in work hours, Christian prayer and diary writing.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 29 and under >> Interview 18 >> Describes a suicide attempt where the surgeon was keen for her to tell at least one parent about the true reason she was in hospital.

Became depressed while looking after a friend with depression. Believes Seroxat contributed to her suicide attempt. With counselling and new medication (venlafaxine 150mg/day) she is getting better.

• Mental health >> Depression >> Age 40-54 >> Interview 27 >> Wrote a poem called 'Time' in hospital to express her experiences of working and living in a hectic world, which others have related to.

Her main helpful approaches include hospitalisation, various therapies (including art therapy), Citalopram (40mg/day), reduction in work hours, Christian prayer and diary writing.