February 20th 2025.
There is a new approach being explored for treating depression and other mental health issues - comedy. A tech company has recently secured funding for a program that sends people to stand-up shows or comedy workshops instead of prescribing antidepressants. This initiative, called Craic Health, aims to help those who feel lonely, isolated, and vulnerable by getting them involved in their community. The hope is that "comedy on prescription" could not only improve people's well-being but also reduce NHS costs.
Dr. Simon Opher, an MP for Stroud, is one of the supporters of this scheme. He has been vocal about the "pandemic of over-prescription" and believes that making people laugh could potentially avoid the need for medication. Dr. Opher has been involved in pioneering social prescriptions in Gloucestershire, including using the arts, and sees an opportunity to further explore the benefits of incorporating comedy events.
According to NHS figures, in the year 2023/24, 8.7 million people in England were prescribed antidepressants, which is a 2.1% increase from the previous year. Guidelines state that antidepressants should not be the first line of treatment for less severe cases of depression, unless it is the patient's preference. Dr. Opher explains that this is often due to the lack of alternative treatments available. For instance, patients may have to wait four to six months for psychological treatment, which is not feasible for GPs. In such cases, prescribing medication may seem like the only option.
However, Dr. Opher has been working on social prescribing for the past 25 years, which aims to provide non-medical treatments for various health issues. He has used different approaches, such as poetry, visual arts, gardening, and even drama, to help people get better. But this is the first time that comedy is being explored as a form of treatment, and Dr. Opher finds this particularly exciting. He compares comedy to music in terms of its ability to create a shared experience and evoke reactions from people.
The founder of Craic Health, Lu Jackson, will be speaking in parliament next month to discuss the ongoing trials of "comedy on prescription" in the Westminster area of London. She emphasizes the numerous health benefits associated with comedy, including reducing cortisol levels, producing dopamine, releasing serotonin, endorphins, and good neuropeptides. Even attending just one comedy workshop or show can have a positive effect for up to 24 hours, making it a potentially better alternative to prescribing antidepressants.
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