There’s a surprisingly simple reason for England’s high antidepressant use: lots of people need them | Dean Burnett
The idea that GPs are ignoring guidelines and ‘overprescribing’ doesn’t hold water. Instead, look to our social and economic crises Dean Burnett is a doctor of neuroscience A new NHS report has revealed the highest ever levels of antidepressant use recorded in England, with roughly one in seven people prescribed an antidepressant item in 2025-26. This has resulted in a swathe of media coverage…
A groundbreaking NHS report has unveiled the highest ever rates of antidepressant usage in England, with approximately one in seven individuals receiving a prescription for an antidepressant in the 2025-26 fiscal year. This startling figure has sparked a wave of media commentary, with many speculating about the reasons behind this surge and debating potential ways to curb it.
Numerous reports have suggested that the unusually high usage of antidepressants is due to "overprescribing" by healthcare professionals, who are allegedly too eager to write prescriptions without exploring other, potentially safer remedies. However, one neuroscientist argues that this widely-held belief is misguided. Dr. John Read, a professor of clinical psychology, recently told the Daily Mail that the idea of overprescribing is not supported by the evidence.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
