Use of antidepressants in Leicestershire on the rise

ANTIDEPRESSANT use is on the rise in Leicestershire.

New figures show SSRIs - selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which are used to tackle depression and anxiety - were prescribed 305,721 times in the West Leicestershire CCG area (which covers Charnwood) in the year ending in October 2019.

That is the equivalent of 76 prescriptions for every 100 people living in the area, exclusive analysis of OpenPrescribing figures reveals.

It does not mean that everyone in the area is on SSRIs, however, as one person can receive several prescriptions over the course of a year. Someone on a repeat prescription is counted every time their medicine is issued.

Nonetheless, the number of SSRI prescriptions in the West

Leicestershire CCG area has increased by 27 per cent in just four years.

In the year to October 2015 there were a total of 227,731 or 60 for every 100 people.

The number has been rising year-on-year ever since.

SSRIs are widely used to treat depression and anxiety and a number of other mental health conditions.

These include obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, severe phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

They’re usually the first choice medication for depression because they generally have fewer side effects than other types of antidepressants.

SSRIs work by increasing serotonin levels in the brain.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter - a messenger chemical that carries signals between nerve cells in the brain - that is thought to have a good influence on mood, emotion and sleep.

After carrying a message, serotonin is usually reabsorbed by the nerve cells, in a process known as “reuptake”. SSRIs work by blocking or “inhibiting” that reuptake, meaning more serotonin is available to pass further messages between nearby nerve cells.