# Medication is not the first recommendation for mild depression.

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- Last updated: 2026-09-23
- Page title: Medication is not the first recommendation for mild depression. | Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alişan Burak Yaşar

> Medication is not the first recommendation for mild depression. England's NICE guideline (2022) does not recommend antidepressants as a first-line option f

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# Medication is not the first recommendation for mild depression.

September 23, 2026Recent Articles

Medication is not the first recommendation for mild depression.

England's NICE guideline (2022) does not recommend antidepressants as a first-line option for mild depression—unless the patient specifically wants them, but not routinely. Instead, one of the options at the top of the list is regular physical activity: half an hour three days a week, ideally 150 minutes of brisk walking per week.

There is even a paper in the literature asking: is a psychiatrist who does not recommend regular exercise falling short in their medical practice?

What is discussed here applies to mild cases. Moderate and severe depression are a different matter; they require treatment.

A clip from the video "Why Does Life Feel Meaningless?" on my channel.

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