Are too many Americans taking antidepressants?

Calls to reduce the use of antidepressants highlight valid issues with long-term use and withdrawal, but blanket efforts to discourage their use overlooks why they are so widely prescribed.

By: Andrew McLean, University of North Dakota, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: September 10, 2026

Words: 1,368

Last Updated: 1 week, 6 days ago

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By Andrew McLean, University of North Dakota

Drugs for treating depression are among the most prescribed category of medications in the U.S. – 1 in 6 American adults take them.

Some health researchers and advocates have raised concerns that too many patients are using antidepressants and that patients who want to stop taking them struggle to do so. One of the most prominent voices on this point is Health and Human Services …

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