Treating depression - Drugs too prevalent in our system

AT the end of 2009 1,478,560 people were entitled to hold a medical card.

This represents something around a third of the population. During that year alone, more than five million prescriptions for anti-depressants, sleeping tablets or medication to help relieve anxiety were written for this group.

If demand for these medicines is as high among the rest of the population, that could represent something over 15 million prescriptions aimed at helping people recover emotional or mental stability in just one year.