An estimated 3.8 of the world’s population is a$ected by depression, including 5.0 of adults and 5.7 of adults aged 60 years or older 1 Symptoms of depression include low mood and/or a loss of pleasure or interest in activities for most of the day, nearly every day, for at least one month 2 . Depression can cause significant distress and poor function at work, school and in the family and, at its most severe, can lead to suicide (/article/ld/suicide-how-to-recognise-the-warning-signs-and-deal-with-disclosure) 1 . People who experience depression are often incorrectly diagnosed, while others who do not have depression are too often misdiagnosed and prescribed antidepressants 1 . In England, the number of antidepressants prescribed each year has increased steadily, rising from 61.9 million to 83.4 million (2015/2016 to 2021/2022) 3 .
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