Young Women’s Selfhood on Antidepressants: ‘Not Fully Myself’
Article
Wills, C., Cartwright, C., Gibson, K. and Read, J. 2019. Young Women’s Selfhood on Antidepressants: ‘Not Fully Myself’. Qualitative Health Research. 30 (2), pp. 268-278. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732319877175
Authors | Wills, C., Cartwright, C., Gibson, K. and Read, J. |
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Abstract | The impact of antidepressants on selfhood is well recognized but little is known about what this means for young women who take antidepressants during a key period for identity development. We analyzed interviews with 16 young women to explore the way that antidepressant use might shape selfhood. Thematic analysis was used to identify a range of potential self-related themes in the participants’ narratives including a ‘diagnosed self’, ‘an ill self’, ‘a normal self’, ‘a stigmatized self’, ‘an uncertain self’ and a ‘powerless self’. Themes highlighted the complex influence of antidepressants on young women’s selfhood. Antidepressants offered legitimacy for distress and the opportunity to have a more ‘normal’ self, but also left the young women challenged by some of the negative associations with antidepressant use and uncertainty about their identity. Prescribers should be mindful of the impact of antidepressants on young women’s developing selfhood. |
Journal | Qualitative Health Research |
Journal citation | 30 (2), pp. 268-278 |
ISSN | 1049-7323 |
Year | 2019 |
Publisher | SAGE Publications |
Accepted author manuscript | License File Access Level Anyone |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732319877175 |
Web address (URL) | https://doi.org/10.1177/1049732319877175 |
Publication dates | |
Online | 04 Oct 2019 |
Publication process dates | |
Accepted | 18 Aug 2019 |
Deposited | 19 Aug 2019 |
Copyright holder | © 2019 The Authors. |
Copyright information | As accepted for publication in Qualitative Health Research: Wills, C., Gibson, K., Cartwright, C., & Read, J. Young Women’s Selfhood on Antidepressants: ‘Not Fully Myself’, Qualitative Health Research 30 (2) pp. 268-278. DOI: 10.1177/1049732319877175. |
https://repository.uel.ac.uk/item/86y5x
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Accepted author manuscript
final submitted qhr.pdf | ||
License: All rights reserved | ||
File access level: Anyone |
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