Town where one in six are hooked on happy pills: Prescriptions up 8% as campaigners focus on high numbers of anti-depressants being handed out in deprived areas

• In Blaenau Gwent, Wales, the NHS issues 10,000 prescriptions each month
• The deprived area has high rates of unemployment and alcohol use
• Wales has the highest rates of anti-depressant use in the UK
  

By Luke Salkeld for the Daily Mail

Published: 18:02 EDT, 25 June 2013 | Updated: 03:29 EDT, 26 June 2013

It is a community with mass unemployment, high alcohol use – and a frightening reliance on ‘happy pills’.

In the South Wales borough of Blaenau Gwent, as many as one in six are taking antidepressants, it was claimed yesterday.

Campaigners said it highlighted the ‘disturbing’ issue of how high amounts of antidepressants are being handed out in deprived areas across Britain.

In Blaenau Gwent, the NHS issues almost 10,000 prescriptions for the drugs each month – in an area with an adult population of 60,000.

Depressed: In the South Wales borough of Blaenau Gwent, pictured, as many as one in six are taking antidepressants, it was claimed yesterday

Hooked: In Blaenau Gwent, the NHS issues almost 10,000 prescriptions for antidepressant drugs each month

The proportion could be slightly lower than one in six as some prescriptions may be repeat orders for the same patient and individuals may receive more than one kind of antidepressant.

But Dr David Bailey, chairman of the Welsh GPs Committee, said: ‘This is a very worryingly high number of antidepressants.

‘Unfortunately depression is closely associated with deprivation and unemployment. This is very disturbing and clearly something which needs to be addressed.’

Wales has the highest rate of antidepressant use in the UK.

The number of prescriptions per head rose by nearly 8 per cent last year, with a similar increase in England and Scotland.

Dark place: Nestled in the South Wales Valleys is Blaina (pictured), which is in Blaenau Gwent where up to one in six people are on anti-depressants

A lack of opportunities in the areas, which has been badly hit by the recent recession, may be part of the problem in the area, experts say

The old steelworks in Ebbw Vale during it's demolition - the area has 7.5 per cent unemployment and a higher level on benefits

Government statistics for 2011 show that in Wales there were 3.8million prescriptions of antidepressants for a population of just over 3million, the equivalent of 1.24 per person.

In England there were 46.7million prescriptions for a population of 53million, or 0.88 per person – at a cost, according to the Health and Social Care Information Centre, of £270million.

Blaenau Gwent, one of the most economically depressed parts of the UK, has as its centre the town of Ebbw Vale – where NHS founder Aneurin Bevan was MP.

It has 7.5 per cent unemployment and 8.2 per cent on Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Levels: Wales has the highest rate of antidepressant use in the UK - but it is also rising in England and Scotland

Experts in Blaenau Gwent also believe that a breakdown in family relationships means that people may also be getting less support

GP Dr Greg Graham said: ‘The Welsh valleys have seen the loss of mining and heavy industries

‘There remains a lot of low morale, issues of poor health and lack of opportunities, especially at the moment. Society is also not so strong, in terms of close-knit family which could offer the support to people who are depressed, as perhaps used to happen.’

The Blaenau Gwent branch of mental health charity Mind warned that antidepressants can be seen as ‘the quick solution’ by GPs.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence says antidepressants should ‘not routinely be offered’ to those with persistent mild or moderate depression. It recommends ‘talking cures’ such as cognitive behaviour therapy.

But Dr Graham said: ‘What we do as GPs is prescribe, because there aren’t sufficient support services there to address the situation.’

In Ebbw Vale yesterday, few people were surprised at the high local reliance on antidepressants.

Short term: The Blaenau Gwent branch of mental health charity Mind warned that antidepressants can be seen as ¿the quick solution¿ by GPs

On the map: In Blaenau Gwent, the NHS issues almost 10,000 prescriptions for the drugs each month ¿ in an area with an adult population of 60,000

Unemployed Michaela Davies, 32, said: ‘I’m surprised it is only one in six. Generations ago this area produced the steel and coal that made Britain great. But that is all forgotten by the politicians now and we are just dumped.’

Former steelworker Brian Protheroe, 62, said: ‘A lot of my generation are on the pills just to get through week by week.

‘But what is there for the kids coming through? Pretty soon there will be even more people popping pills just to face the day.’

At Mind’s drop-in centre in Brynmawr, one woman told a reporter she first started taking pills ‘for her nerves’ almost 40 years ago, adding: ‘When you haven’t got the money to go out... the depression sets in.’