In UK 7.3 million people are on anti-depressants (which is 17% of the adult population). This is higher than in US.
There are too possible causes:
- That mental health issues are rising
- That they are being overprescribed
If they are rising, this could be because of something that didn’t’ exist before. It could be social, cultural or economic factors: Some studies suggest that social, economic, and cultural factors can contribute to the prevalence of mental health disorders. High levels of stress, financial instability, or adverse life events can increase the likelihood of people experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety, which may then require treatment with antidepressants.
If there is something like this that is causing mental health issues to rise, we should really be talking about this and trying to look at what the root problem is.
It could be that this problem did exist before, but we didn’t realise it. It’s likely that many people in a society do have mental health issues.
The other option is that they are being overprescribed, when they are not really needed.
General practitioners’ prescribing habits: In some cases, general practitioners may be more inclined to prescribe antidepressants as a first-line treatment for depression and anxiety, even in mild to moderate cases, due to limited time and resources for alternative treatments like therapy.
Inadequate access to alternative treatments: Antidepressants might be prescribed more frequently when there is limited access to alternative treatments such as psychotherapy, counseling, or exercise programs, which can also be effective for managing depression and anxiety. It’s possible that people are being prescribed anti-depressants as an easy option.
It’s also possible that anti-depressants are being overprescribed.
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-62094744
