SSRI Epidemic
Tucker Carlson's term for the widespread prescription of SSRIs (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), which he argues is based on 'witchcraft' rather than science and limits people's emotional range.
First Mentioned
9/9/2025, 5:41:25 AM
Last Updated
9/9/2025, 5:46:27 AM
Research Retrieved
9/9/2025, 5:46:27 AM
Summary
The term "SSRI Epidemic" was introduced by Tucker Carlson during a debate with Mark Cuban at the All-In Summit 2025. Carlson used this phrase to describe a spiritual malaise he believes contributes to Western societal decline, linking it to other issues like rapid population change and a housing crisis. While Carlson presented a cultural and political diagnosis, the broader context of SSRI usage, as indicated by web search results, shows a significant increase in antidepressant prescriptions globally and particularly in the US, especially post-COVID-19 pandemic, with notable increases among young adults and women. This increase is attributed to various factors including improved diagnosis, reduced stigma, and expanded indications, though Carlson's usage frames it as a symptom of societal decline.
Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
Context of Usage
All-In Summit 2025 debate with Mark Cuban
Carlson's Definition
Spiritual malaise contributing to Western societal decline
Coined/Popularized by
Tucker Carlson
Carlson's Linked Issues
Rapid Population Change, Housing Crisis
Gender Disparity in Use
Women used SSRIs at twice the rate of men
Highest Use Demographics (2018-2021)
Adults aged 45–64
Global Increase in SSRI Prescriptions
Observed worldwide, 2- to 3-fold increase in France, UK, US, Asia, Australia
Fastest Growth Demographics (2018-2021)
Young adults aged 18–34
Increase in Youth Prescriptions (12-25, 2016-2022)
Surged during the pandemic, prominent among young women and girls
UK SSRI Prescription Increase (2015/2016 to 2021/2022)
35.2% increase (from 33.3 million to 45.0 million items)
US Antidepressant Prescription Increase (Feb-Mar 2020)
21% increase, highest point since COVID-19 pandemic declaration
Increase in Youth Prescriptions (under 17, April 2015-April 2020)
26% increase (from 19,739 to 24,957 unique patients)
Timeline
- A 25% rise in antidepressant consumption was observed globally. (Source: web_search_results)
2015-2019
- The number of unique patients aged under 17 years who were prescribed antidepressants increased by 26% in the UK. (Source: web_search_results)
2015-2019
- SSRI prescriptions in the UK increased by 35.2% (from 33.3 million to 45.0 million items). (Source: web_search_results)
2015-2022
- The rate of antidepressants prescribed to young people (ages 12-25) surged, particularly among young women and girls. (Source: web_search_results)
2016-2022
- Antidepressant medication use increased, with the fastest growth among young adults aged 18–34. (Source: web_search_results)
2018-2021
- Sharp increase in antidepressant consumption after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 pandemic. (Source: web_search_results)
2020-03
- A 21% increase in antidepressant prescriptions was observed in the United States, the highest point since the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Source: web_search_results)
2020-02
- Tucker Carlson used the term "SSRI Epidemic" during a debate with Mark Cuban at the All-In Summit 2025, linking it to Western societal decline. (Source: document_id: dbcdfffd-2461-485f-bf9d-83b9ac7ab974)
2025
Web Search Results
- Consumption and ocurrence of antidepressants (SSRIs) in ...
This increase in the number of SSRI prescriptions has been observed worldwide, with a 2- to 3-fold increase reported in France, the UK, the US, Asia, and Australia (Bauer et al., 2008; Gualano et al., 2014; Martín Arias et al., 2010; Soleymani et al., 2018). In the United States, a 21% increase in the number of antidepressant prescriptions was observed in February and March 2020, the highest point since the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic (Gavidia, 2020). [...] Image 15: Fig. 4 1. Download: Download high-res image (61KB)") 2. Download: Download full-size image Fig. 4. Occurrence of SSRIs in the environment before and during COVID-19 pandemic. In terms of SSRIs distribution, the articles reported in this review mainly cover Europe, with 50% of the studies belonging to that continent, followed by North America with 38% and Asia with 10% (Fig. 5). [...] And as mentioned above, as the consumption of SSRIs increases, there is also an increase in its occurrence in the environment, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, as can be seen in Fig. 4 (This figure shows us the only calculated average of the concentration data for each type of SSRI in Table 4, in order to compare the data between pre-COVID-19 (2015–2019) and post-COVID-19 (2020−2021).
- Antidepressant Medication Use Increased Post-Pandemic, ...
Explore more using the chart below and using the Health Care Vitals dashboard. The increase in use of antidepressants from 2018-2021 we observe in the data suggests an increase in the treatment of mental illness over that period and is consistent with reports of the increased prevalence of anxiety and depression. [...] Use was the highest among adults aged 45–64, but use among young adults aged 18–34 grew the fastest from 2018–2021. Women used SSRIs at twice the rate of men, and rates of use from 2018-2021 grew slightly faster among women than men.
- International Trends in Antidepressant Consumption: a 10-year ...
A 25% rise in the period 2015–2019 and a sharp increase in early 2020, after the official World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, confirmed previous findings from the United Kingdom [23 Multinational comparison of new antidepressant use in older adults : a cohort study")]. Expanded antidepressant indications (e.g., neuropathic pain, urinary incontinence) and increased availability of generic alternatives contributed to higher usage [24 Since January 2020 Elsevier [...] Previous studies in Canada have brought to the attention the phenomenon concerning children and adolescents. In 2004, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) released a black-box label warning as a regulatory action on the prescription and consumption of certain antidepressant drugs for children and adolescents, according to the emerging risk of potentially severe side effects. Nevertheless, a growing trend in North America was observed after a brief slowdown in 2005 and 2009 and during 2012 and [...] Countries with high antidepressant use and steep increases included Canada, Iceland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. In particular, Canada and Portugal exhibited rapid growth, probably due to diverse and joint factors. Improvements in accessibility to mental health services, together with a reduction of stigma about mental disorders, likely represent essential driving forces for both countries . However, some country-specific factors have intensified the phenomenon. In Portugal, mandatory use
- Antidepressant prescribing increases by 35% in six years
Of the antidepressant drugs dispensed, the number of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) increased by 35.2% from 33.3 million items in 2015/2016 to 45.0 million in 2021/2022. However, those classified as “other antidepressant drugs” saw the largest increase in usage, from 12.5 million items in 2015/2016 to 20.4 million in 2021/22 — a 63.3% increase. A Flourish chart [...] “There are complex reasons why prescriptions for antidepressants are rising, which include progress on diagnosis and support for people with depression, changes in dosages, and the range of conditions they are prescribed for.” The NHS BSA update looked at prescribing trends in five classes of drugs for mental health: antidepressants; hypnotics and anxiolytics; antipsychotics; central nervous system stimulants and ADHD drugs; and drugs for dementia. [...] The update also showed that in patients aged 17 years and under, the number receiving an antidepressant prescription rose by 9.2% compared with the previous year. In June 2021, The Pharmaceutical Journal revealed that between April 2015 and April 2020, the number of unique patients aged under 17 years who were prescribed antidepressants increased by 26%, from 19,739 to 24,957, with peaks in prescribing coinciding with periods of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Rate of antidepressants prescribed to young people ...
Researchers used the IQVIA Longitudinal Prescription Database to examine a sample of about 221 million prescriptions written for millions of Americans between the ages 12 to 25, and from 2016 to 2022. Researchers additionally separated the data into before and after March 2020, when the pandemic started. [...] Accessibility links Skip to main content Keyboard shortcuts for audio player Rate of antidepressants prescribed to young people surged during the pandemic Researchers analyzed a sample of about 221 million prescriptions from 2016 to 2022, in Americans between the ages of 12 and 25. The increase was prominent among young women and girls. ### Mental Health # The rate of antidepressants prescribed to young people surged during the pandemic By Ayana Archie [...] The study hypothesizes this jump could be due to high rates of depression or anxiety, better access to health care, due to things such as telehealth, or people's reliance on prescriptions because of long waitlists for therapy during the pandemic. The dataset includes prescriptions dispensed from "retail, mail-order, and long-term care pharmacies in the United States," the study says, not exclusive health care systems, such as Kaiser Permanente.