Army accused of ‘dishing out’ antidepressants to soldiers with PTSD

More than 47,000 military personnel have been prescribed either antidepressants or sleeping pills in the last five years, government figures reveal.

A further 73,000 serving troops have also been prescribed opioid-based painkillers, which can in some cases cause addiction.

The disclosure has led to claims that some drugs are prescribed too readily to troops with mental health problems.

Figures obtained by The Sunday Telegraph in a Freedom of Information request show that 27,611 personnel were prescribed antidepressants between 2017 and 2023.

The figures show that 20 per cent of those given the drugs were female, even though women make up just 11 per cent of the armed forces.

Over the same period 18,846 troops were prescribed sleeping pills. Again, female troops were prescribed sleeping pills more frequently than their male colleagues.

The MoD also revealed that around 40 personnel had been treated for addiction to either painkillers or sleeping pills.

The figures mean that every year almost 12,000 personnel were on powerful drugs to help control either sleep or mental health issues.

Increase in numbers seeking help

Over the last 10 years, the number of troops seeking mental health treatment has also risen significantly, official data show.

In 2012/13, almost 16,000 personnel, which then was 8.6 per cent of the armed forces, sought mental health support. By 2022/23 this had risen to almost 21,000, or 13.2 percent of all serving troops needing help with their mental health.

Thousands of troops were prescribed the drugs to help them cope with a range of illnesses from PTSD to physical injuries. The drugs being prescribed include Prozac, citalopram, amitriptyline, and duloxetine.

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

Poor mental health is a growing concern for the top brass following a recent spate of suicides among serving members of the armed forces.

Also in the last ten years, up to 60 members of the armed forces are believed to have committed suicide.

The Ministry of Defence says that only four per cent of troops, around one in 25, are currently taking antidepressants. The rate for the general public is around 17 per cent.

Potential recruits suffering from depression, or who are taking antidepressants, are barred from military service. This means that all personnel on the drugs have developed the mental health condition while serving.

Retired Major Wayne Owers, a highly-decorated former army bomb disposal officer, was given the drug after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Maj Owers, 53, from Leamington Spa, who was awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal and the MBE for service in Afghanistan, said he was prescribed antidepressants as soon as he was diagnosed.

He said: “The MoD dishes out antidepressants far too easily in my opinion. My dose was increased three times because my body just got used to them.

“I would spend whole days feeling very dozy or asleep, even though I had told the medics that my PTSD was worse when I was asleep because I suffered from night terrors.

“My condition only began to improve after I took myself off them. I have been off them ever since and I can cope very well.”

Suicide risk

Experts have also warned against the overuse of antidepressant drugs because of their potential associated suicide risk. 

In 2016, an analysis of 70 trials of the most common antidepressants – involving more than 18,000 people – found they doubled the risk of suicide and aggressive behaviour in under-18s.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “All medication prescribed to military personnel is done so by trained medical professionals, in line with NHS standards and guidelines.

“Antidepressant medication is not solely used to treat depression and individuals suffering from side effects should contact their doctor.”