Words by

Nanna Árnadóttir

@nannaarnadottir

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Pöllö/Wikimedia Commons

Roughly 46.000 Icelanders took prescription anti-depressants in 2016, an increase of about 22% in just 4 years, reports Vísir.

The most significant increase was among those aged between 15-and 19 years, up 62% since 2012.

“This is a sharp increase that raises questions. Iceland’s consumption of anti-depressants is high compared to global usage,” reads a release from the Directorate of Health.

In 2013 the use of anti-depressants in Iceland was the highest among OECD countries, about 203% compared to the OECD average.