One in seven on antidepressants

One in seven Scots are now taking antidepressants, following a fourfold increase in prescriptions in the past two decades, 
official figures have shown.

Prescriptions for anti-
psychotic drugs have almost doubled in the same period.

Antidepressant prescriptions have risen steadily from 1.26 
million drugs dispensed in 1993-94 to just over five million in 2011-12.

Conservative health spokesman Jackson Carlaw said: “Nicola Sturgeon failed to reduce the number of antidepressants prescribed, despite her pledges.”