These drugs are used to treat depression, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder.
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Image: Tina Lundan / Yle
Last year, 11.5 percent of women aged 18–29 were prescribed SSRIs, a class of drugs typically used as antidepressants, up from 7.1 percent in 2016, according to Kela.
Among men the same age, 4.4 percent used SSRI medication last year.
Apart from depression symptoms, the class of medicines are also used to treat anxiety disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder.
When it comes to girls between the ages of 13 and 17, the increase was even more pronounced.
In 2016, 3.1 percent of teen girls in the age group used the medication. By last year, the share had risen to 7.1 per cent.
But there is some positive development. In recent years, the rise in SSRI use has levelled off, stabilising at a historically high level. Among teenage girls, the share of users has even edged down slightly recently.
“The levelling-off in antidepressant use may reflect the fact that ADHD symptoms, especially among girls and young women, are now better recognised in healthcare,” said Miika Vuori, research manager at Kela.
The All Points North podcast recently looked at burnout, hearing from audience members suffering from the stress-related condition while also learning from experts how to overcome it.
Listen to the latest episode of All Points North on this player, on Yle Areena, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
