More pharmaceutical labels for antidepressants are being printed in Britain than was the case ten years ago, new statistics have shown.
There were 43 million scripts written out for this kind of drug in 2010, up 94 per cent on the number from 2000, according to figures released by the NHS Information Centre and the Co-operative Pharmacy.
It has been suggested that the increase is down to people suffering from more money worries after the recession, with antidepressant prescriptions going up by a quarter in only three years.
However, the increase may also be down to Britons being more willing to seek help for mental health issues.
Paul Farmer from Mind told the Guardian: "It's important to remember that antidepressants can be a lifeline for some people which enable them to manage their mental health problems."
Earlier in 2011, the NHS Information Centre said 927 million prescriptions with pharma labels were collected in 2010, up nearly 70 per cent on the same figures from 2000.
Denny Bros Ltd, 04 January 2012
