Episode 4: Speaking up about Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) with Zachary - Therapist

* DISCLAIMER: Please always seek your doctors medical advice; we do not intend for this information to be used as a substitute for your doctors medical opinion. The views expressed herein are not reflective of The Speak Up Podcast as a platform, or myself as host, however we recognise the importance of alternate treatment options and being forward thinking in the approach to healthcare. In this full episode 4; I talk to Zachary about his condition, Major Depressive Disorder, known as ‘treatment resistant depression’ in psychiatric circles. He comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience, as a trained therapist with some psychiatric nurse experience; he chronicles his own personal experience of having been sectioned in his younger years and struggling through school. He then used his lived experience to his advantage when he trained as a therapist; going on to get involved with various mental health focussed initiatives in his local area. Zac sits on the Board of Governors for his local NHS Trust in a Governance role. In the latter part of the episode Zac talks about taking part in a NHS clinic trial; having TMS - Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, in conjunction with Ketamine. He believes Ketamine is the way forward for his condition having tried various medications; Zac makes the case that it should be widely available on the NHS, having even less side effects than traditional anti-depressants currently been prescribed. He is passionate about wanting to open up a regional Ketamine clinical hub in his area for the treatment of MDD. Please note, the views herein are not necessarily the views of the podcast or myself, and therefore not reflective of The Speak Up Podcast, however, on the whole as host I do think Zac has some interesting points and we should be forward thinking about treatments offered on the NHS. Ketamine is not widely available publicly in the UK, although privately a nasal spray - ‘Esketamine’ - is available at a cost. Zac touches on the need to balance cost-effective treatments with what actually works, which would be more cost effective than having the same treatment over and over again. I hope you guys enjoy the journey as we talk to our guest about his unique experiences. KEYWORDS: TMS - Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Ketamine, Esketamine, NHS, Clinical Trials, Major Depressive Disorder, Antidepressants, Mirtazapine, Anti-Psychotics, Medications, Treatment Resistant Depression, MDD, Alternate treatments.