According to figures obtained by the Guardian , more than 4 million people in England are long-term users of antidepressants, and more than 7.3 million people were prescribed antidepressants in 2017 to 2018. While it shouldn’t really matter how the pills affect your appearance, it’s important not to dismiss 'lesser' side-effects that can hit when you start a new medication. Since I began taking sertraline (an SSRI, which stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor ), my skin has become much more temperamental. Spots around my chin and jawline are now the norm, my lips and cheeks go through weird dry spells , and I sweat – a lot. I'm talking night sweats and panic sweats, which affect my face as well as my body. Although I know this sounds pretty minimal, it's hard sometimes. Finding a course of treatment that helps my mental health is absolutely the priority, but side-effects that show up so obviously on your skin can really get you down.