Nearly 60,000 troops given anti-depressants or sleeping pills in past five years

NEARLY 60,000 British servicemen and women have been given anti- depressants or sleeping pills in the past five years. Doctors have prescribed them the medication to help them deal with a range of illnesses from post-traumatic stress to combat injuries. Ministry of Defence figures show 43,000 troops have been put on anti-depressants and 16,000 given […]

NEARLY 60,000 British servicemen and women have been given anti- depressants or sleeping pills in the past five years.

Doctors have prescribed them the medication to help them deal with a range of illnesses from post-traumatic stress to combat injuries.

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Nearly 60,000 troops have been given anti-depressants or sleeping pills in the past five years[/caption]

Ministry of Defence figures show 43,000 troops have been put on anti-depressants and 16,000 given night-time sedatives since 2016.

Drugs prescribed include Prozac, citalopram, amitriptyline and duloxetine. In 2013, just 4,300 personnel were on medication.

The number suffering from PTSD and other mental health conditions has continued to rise in recent years.

And since 2016, up to 60 members of the armed forces are believed to have killed themselves.

The MoD says about four per cent of troops are currently taking anti-depressants compared with the general public, which is around 17 per cent.

An MoD spokesman said: “All medication given to military personnel is prescribed by trained ­medical professionals, in line with NHS standards and guidelines.”