Record one in seven Britons on antidepressants
A record one in seven Britons are now taking antidepressants, with prescriptions up 21% in five years.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A new report reveals that a record one in seven Britons are now taking antidepressants. Prescriptions have surged by 21% in the past five years, according to the Daily Mail's front page story, which is the latest evidence of a sharp rise in mental health problems such as depression and anxiety since the pandemic.
The figures have prompted fresh debate about whether the medications are being overprescribed. Some commentators point to the lingering effects of COVID-19 on mental wellbeing, while others question the readiness of doctors to sign patients onto medication. There are also concerns about the broader social context, including a more atomised society and a lack of community structure.
One view expressed during the discussion is that the pandemic is too easily blamed for rising rates of depression and anxiety, especially among young people. Instead, it is argued, deeper changes in lifestyle and society may be at play. Some suggest that modern life lacks the kinds of connections that help people cope, from community ties to family life.
There is general sympathy for those who take antidepressants, and recognition that they can be critical in helping people recover. But the debate also highlights the importance of social connection and other non-drug approaches to mental health.
The report adds to growing concerns about the scale of antidepressant use in the UK, and whether the current approach to mental health is doing enough to address the root causes of distress.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | GB News |
|---|---|
| Antidepressant prescriptions have risen by 21% over five years, with a record one in seven people taking them. | |
| The increase in antidepressant use coincides with a sharp rise in mental health problems such as depression and anxiety since the pandemic. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
GB News focused on the Daily Mail's front page story and used it as a springboard for a lively debate about overprescription. The tone was critical of the pandemic being blamed for rising rates, and instead floated personal lifestyle factors such as having children and lifting weights. The channel's presenters offered strongly worded opinions but also included a more measured view from a guest about overprescription.
- “There's a record one in seven people apparently are on antidepressants as pill use skyrockets.”
- “I'm getting really sick of every ale, everything that ails this country being blamed on the pandemic, especially where young people are concerned.”
- “I think they're overprescribed and I think that it's not so the pandemic. I think that's part of it. It's also because people aren't having kids.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.