(Press-News.org) Long-term antidepressant use in Australia has risen steadily over the past decade, with the largest increase seen in young people aged 10-24, where rates have more than doubled.
The finding is from a new study undertaken by University of South Australia researchers, who analysed dispensing data from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) covering more than 300,000 antidepressant users between 2014 and 2023.
The most comprehensive study of its kind, published in the Pharmacaoepidemiology and Drug Safety Journal, reveals that 45% of young people on antidepressants are staying on them for more than 12 months, and a substantial number are still using them after two years.
Long-term use – defined as taking antidepressants continuously for more than 12 months – has risen markedly across all age groups, although the most dramatic increase is occurring in young Australians.
Lead author, UniSA researcher Dr Lasantha Ranwala, says the findings highlight a critical shift in how antidepressants are being used in Australia, raising concerns over potential overprescribing and inconsistency with guidelines that recommend a careful review of medication use after 6-12 months.
“Not only are more people taking antidepressants, but once they start, they are staying on them for longer,” Dr Ranwala says.
The medical practitioner, AI researcher and UniSA PhD candidate says this is especially concerning for younger age groups, where clinical guidelines generally recommend psychological therapies as the first line of treatment.
Across the whole population, long-term antidepressant use increased from 66 to nearly 85 users per 1000 people between 2014 and 2022, before stabilising slightly in 2023. Women continued to record significantly higher use than men throughout the study period.
“While antidepressants play a role in managing moderate to severe depression, prolonged use can increase the risk of side effects and make withdrawal more difficult,” Dr Ranwala says.
“Withdrawal symptoms are often misinterpreted as a return of the underlying condition, which can further extend treatment, exacerbating the problem.”
The researchers also found no meaningful improvement in efforts to wean people off antidepressants.
The proportion of long-term users who were put on a lower dose remained constant over the decade – 17.9% in 2014 compared with 17.8% in 2023.
“This lack of movement suggests that deprescribing strategies are not being routinely implemented in clinical practice,” according to co-author, UniSA Professor Libby Roughead, Director of the Quality Use of Medicines and Pharmacy Research Centre.
“Given the increase in long-term use, especially among young people, this is an area that requires urgent attention,” says Prof Roughead.
Researchers point to several drivers behind this trend, including a spike in mental health issues among young people, rising rates of psychological distress generally, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and difficulties accessing psychological therapies.
With mental health demands at an all-time high, the authors argue for a more balanced approach that ensures antidepressants are used appropriately and that patients receive adequate support to reduce or discontinue treatment when the clinical need has passed.
“Australia needs a stronger framework for safely tapering antidepressants, along with better access to psychological care,” says Prof Roughead.
UniSA co-author, Associate Professor Andrew Andrade, says emerging technologies including predictive analytics and clinical decision-support tools may also help clinicians identify when deprescribing is appropriate.
“Clinicians need stronger support systems to safely deprescribe antidepressants,” Assoc Prof Andrade says.
“Smart technologies can help identify patients who are good candidates for tapering, coordinate timely access to non-pharmacological treatments, and provide clear, step-by-step guidance to clinicians and patients throughout the slow dose-reduction process.”
The study, ‘Increasing Prevalence or Long-Term Antidepressant Use in Australia,’ is published in Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety. DOI: 10.1002/pds.70267
END
Long-term antidepressant use surges in Australia, sparking warnings of overprescribing
2025-12-03
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