We need to talk about antidepressants
UK researcher tackles stigma in mental health treatment.
In a candid and compelling new podcast episode from the Oxford Brookes Unscripted Series, a young researcher is taking on one of the most pervasive and under-discussed barriers to mental health treatment in the UK: public stigma around antidepressants.
Georgia-Mae Williams-Sims, a researcher in psychology, has been investigating how societal attitudes influence the acceptability and perceived need for antidepressant medication among adults with depression. Her study - focusing on individuals over the age of 18 - reveals a complex tapestry of cultural norms, media narratives and personal experiences that continue to distort public understanding of depression and its treatment.
“There’s still this idea that taking medication means you’ve failed to cope,” Georgia-Mae explains in the episode. “But that’s not how we think about treatment for physical illnesses. Why is mental health any different?
According to her research, the stigma is far from benign. It seeps into everyday conversations, affects patients’ willingness to seek care, and even influences how GPs frame treatment options. Georgia-Mae also explores how headlines about overprescribing or “happy pills” can obscure the nuance of clinical realities and silence those who benefit from medication.
The episode arrives at a moment of reckoning in the UK’s mental health discourse. NHS waiting lists for therapy continue to grow, and antidepressants are often the most accessible option - yet those who rely on them are still frequently judged or dismissed.
Alongside the personal reflections, the episode also examines policy implications, calling for a broader societal shift in how we discuss and support mental health. “We need more than awareness,” Georgia-Mae says. “We need acceptance and empathy.”
Listeners are left with an urgent call: to dismantle the stigma that still surrounds mental illness, to challenge reductive narratives, and to advocate for evidence-based, person-centred care.
The Oxford Brookes Unscripted Podcast Series continues to serve as a platform for bold academic voices bringing research into the public arena - where it can start to change minds and, more importantly, lives.