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 Credit: Alamy

       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.”

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       YOU'RE NOT ALONE

       EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.

       It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society - from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.

       It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.

       Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.

       That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign.

       The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.

       Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others... You're Not Alone.

       If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:

       CALM, www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858 Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk Mind, www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393 Papyrus, www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41 Samaritans, www.samaritans.org, 116 123

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