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alone, four million are at risk of withdrawal symptoms if they try to come off the pills.

Some 1.8million are at risk of severe symptoms and for 1.7million – 25 per cent of patients taking the drugs – the withdrawal effects would last at least three months.

Experts believe the problem has helped drive up antidepressant use in Britain to levels that are among the highest in the Western world.

The scientists behind the review, from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Prescribed