Economic slump fuels 43% rise in use of anti-depressants
Money worries could be fueling a rise in depression in England, as new figures reveal prescriptions for anti-depressants have risen by more than 40 per cent since 2006.
The number of prescriptions for drugs including Prozac and Cipramil has gone up from 16 million to 23 million over the last four years – a rise of 43 per cent.
GPs and mental health charities said people have been increasingly worried about debt and holding on to their jobs during the banking crisis and subsequent recession.
They added that resulting stress could act as a ‘trigger’ for the debilitating condition.
The figures, obtained by the BBC under the Freedom of Information Act, apply to the most common group of antidepressants, known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, or Ssris.
WHAT IS CBT?
Dr Daniel Freeman, a consultant clinical psychologist explains…
‘At the heart of CBT is the idea that how we think and what we think are important in determining how we feel.
‘Imagine a friend passes you in the street without greeting you. If you think that means they are annoyed with you then you’ll feel down and may worry about it. But if you think they were just lost in their own thoughts then you’ll feel fine. So how we interpret an event is often crucial.
‘When feeling depressed we interpret many things as meaning we are a failure or unlovable. When anxious we interpret many things as threatening. When angry we interpret many things as a personal slight.
‘So in CBT the idea is that we can feel better if we change our thinking.’
They work by boosting the ‘feel-good’ chemical serotonin in the brain, which is often lacking in people with depression.
The rise in prescriptions comes despite the Department of Health plowing £173 million into providing access to talking therapies over the last four years.
In January this year, Nick Clegg pledged a further £400m over the next four years for treatments including cognitive behavioural therapy.
However, Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the mental health charity SANE, said: ‘Unfortunately until psychological therapies become more available, doctors have little choice but to prescribe antidepressants or risk sending a patient away empty-handed.
‘Despite the Government’s pledges of money for psychological therapies, we know patients can still wait up to 18 months to be treated by a therapist.’
Dr Clare Gerada, head of the Royal College of GPs, said the rise in prescriptions could be due to increased awareness of the condition and because doctors were now leaving patients on medication for longer.
However, she added: ‘Of course in times of economic problems we would expect mental health problems to worsen – and GPs are seeing more people coming in with debts racking up, or who have lost their jobs and are cancelling their holidays.
‘They feel guilty that they can’t provide for their family and these things can often act as a trigger for depression.’
Care services minister Paul Burstow, said: ‘The last recession has left many people facing tough times. If people do experience mental health problems, the NHS is well placed to help.’
Follow on facebook