Nearly 9.1 million people in England were prescribed antidepressants in the last financial year, according to new NHS figures, the highest number ever recorded. The number of prescriptions issued has climbed steadily for years, prompting fresh questions about whether the country has become too reliant on medication to manage emotional distress.
NHS Business Services Authority data shows 96 million antidepressant items were dispensed in 2025-26, up 3.1 per cent on the year before. The number of identified patients rose by 2.2 per cent over the same period, part of a trend that shows no sign of slowing.
