They’re mainly prescribed to treat depression, particularly persistent or severe cases, and are often used in combination with a talking therapy such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

SSRIs are usually the first choice medicine for depression because they generally have fewer side effects than most other types of antidepressant. However, it is important to consider the possibility of experiencing side effects from your medication.

Friend of The Jordan Legacy, Debi Roberts, works at the intersection of safer prescribing, suicide prevention and systems change. She highlights that medications that save lives for most people can, for a small but significant minority, precipitate overwhelming distress or suicidal thinking, particularly during initiation or dose changes. When this happens, it is often unrecognised, misattributed, or inadequately prepared for, leaving patients unsafe and clinicians carrying moral injury.

Jordanhad just begun taking a new prescription of the SSRI Fluoxetine when, on December 4th 2019 and just a matter of days before meeting again with his doctor to review his progress, he took his own life.

Debi has developed the Prescription Safe Plan (PSP), a simple, collaborative safety-planning resource designed to support patients starting, stopping or adjusting certain prescribed medications. The PSP supports informed conversations at the point of prescribing and beyond, helping patients prepare for potential side effects, recognise early warning signs and know what to do if concerns arise.

Aligned with guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the PSP strengthens shared responsibility between patient, prescriber and support network, supporting safer access to medication through preparation and open communication.