A record number of people in England are now taking antidepressants, with one in seven individuals receiving prescriptions last year. This surge in medication use coincides with a significant increase in mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year, 9.1 million patients were prescribed antidepressants, marking an increase of over 15 percent in the past five years. In total, 96 million antidepressant prescription items were dispensed, a 21 percent rise from 79.4 million five years prior, according to data from the NHS Business Services Authority.
Regional and Demographic Disparities
The figures reveal a stark regional divide in antidepressant use. North Cumbria and South Yorkshire reported the highest rates, with nearly double the usage seen in affluent parts of London. Individuals in England's most deprived communities received approximately one-third more prescriptions than those in the least disadvantaged areas.
Women accounted for 65 percent of patients receiving antidepressants, with 5.9 million women prescribed the drugs last year. While women are around twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression and prescribed antidepressants as men, experts debate the extent to which biological differences versus a greater willingness among women to seek help contribute to this gap.
Rising Mental Health Challenges
The proportion of adults experiencing significant symptoms of depression has nearly doubled since before the pandemic, rising from 9.7 percent in 2019 to 18 percent in April 2025. This equates to nearly one in five adults, with rates even higher among younger adults aged 16 to 29, where over one in four are affected. The proportion of eight-to-16-year-olds with a probable mental disorder rose to one in five by 2023, up from around one in six in 2020.
Among working-age individuals, 1.35 million who were out of work due to long-term sickness reported depression, anxiety, or mental health problems in 2023, a 40 percent increase since pre-pandemic times. Approximately 20.5 million working days were lost to poor mental health in 2024.
Expert Perspectives on Overprescribing and Societal Stress
Dr. John Read, professor of clinical psychology at the University of East London, described the figures as indicative of an 'epidemic of overprescribing,' suggesting that doctors are increasingly expected to manage broader social and life problems with medication.
Conversely, Professor Dame Clare Gerada, former chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, posits that the numbers reflect wider societal changes and increased stress rather than solely overprescribing. She noted that patients often present with symptoms like sleeplessness and low mood, sometimes requesting antidepressants directly.
Trends in Antidepressant Treatment
The number of children prescribed antidepressants increased for the first time in four years, from 62,601 in 2024/25 to 63,609 last year. This rise occurs despite warnings about increased risks of suicidal thoughts and behavior in younger individuals associated with commonly prescribed antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
National guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) advises against starting antidepressant treatment in under-18s without specialist assessment and recommends psychological therapy alongside medication. For adults with less severe depression, NICE suggests antidepressants should not be the first-line treatment unless it is the patient's preference.
Professor Joanna Moncrieff, a psychiatrist at University College London, suggests that many patients are remaining on antidepressants longer than intended. While NHS guidance typically recommends a six-month course after symptom improvement, separate data indicates half of those prescribed antidepressants have used them for over two years, and a quarter for more than five years. The immediate availability of antidepressants from GPs, contrasted with potential lengthy waits for psychological therapies, may contribute to their widespread use.