AN Instagram post by Gemma Collins which promoted a pulsating headset to fight depression has been banned. The reality star encouraged people to take treatment for the mental health condition into their own hands instead of seeking professional medical help, the UK watchdog ruled. The 43-year-old, who has 2.
2million followers, shared a video of herself wearing the £400 Flow Neuroscience AB device in May 2023. It is said to send mild electrical impulses to the frontal cortex, an area of the brain responsible for regulating mood . In her post, Collins , who shot to fame on The Only Way is Essex, said: "I’m off my depression tablets and this has been a real game changer for me.
"Flow actually works faster and better than antidepressants. "It’s like having your own therapist in the comfort of your own home. "You’re fully in control of your own treatment.
" She added that if people can't access therapy or don't want to take medication, they should try this new option, which they can buy directly online without a prescription - though they should consult their GP. Text accompanying the clip claimed that the headset, which has not undergone rigorous testing in the UK, "reduces depression in 88 per cent of people, according to Flow's data". Most read in Health The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which states that marketing must not “discourage essential treatment for which medical supervision should be sought”, said the post violated its code.
Collins told the regulator that she believed the ad had sent a clear message with a caption stating “consult your GP always without fail”. But the ASA said that telling people to “consult” a doctor only encouraged a preliminary appointment and not "ongoing supervision". Collins was ordered to remove the advert, which has been deleted.
It has been banned completely. "The implication was that people who started to use the device would be able to stop their medication shortly after and without medical supervision," the ASA, which acknowledged Collins had stopped taking medication before starting to use Flow, said. "We considered that the ad trivialised the decision to come off antidepressants or not take them at all and encouraged people to take their treatment into their own hands.
"We considered that the claims were targeted at both those consumers who were weighing up treatment options at an early point in their illness and those who were currently receiving conventional medication or therapy for depression. "We considered that the reference to buying the device directly from the website added to the impression that consumers could bypass the medical consultation route. Read More on The US Sun "The ad must not appear again in the form complained of.
"We told Flow Neuroscience AB to ensure their future ads did not discourage essential treatment for conditions for which medical supervision should be sought, including depression." If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support. The following are free to contact and confidential: Samaritans, www.
samaritans.org , 116 123, [email protected].
uk CALM (the leading movement against suicide in men) www.thecalmzone.net , 0800 585 858 Papyrus (prevention of young suicide) www.
papyrus-uk.org , 0800 068 41 41 Shout (for support of all mental health) www.giveusashout.
org/get-help/ , text 85258 to start a conversation Mind, www.mind.org , provide information about types of mental health problems and where to get help for them.
Email [email protected] or call the infoline on 0300 123 3393 (UK landline calls are charged at local rates, and charges from mobile phones will vary).
YoungMinds run a free, confidential parents helpline on 0808 802 5544 for parents or carers worried about how a child or young person is feeling or behaving. The website has a chat option too. Rethink Mental Illness, www.
rethink.org , gives advice and information service offers practical advice on a wide range of topics such as The Mental Health Act, social care, welfare benefits, and carers rights. Use its website or call 0300 5000 927 (calls are charged at your local rate).
Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.
uk , is the a mental health initiative spearheaded by The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales..
