More than 31 million prescriptions for drugs such as Prozac were issued in 2006 – a 6% rise on the year before.
The figures come as two studies showed “startling” benefits of country walks in people with depression.
Mind, the charity that reported the findings, said GPs should consider “ecotherapy” as a valid alternative.
The National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence issued guidance in 2004 recommending that antidepressants should not be used as first-line therapy for mild to moderate depression.
Instead patients should be offered guided self-help and psychological therapies in the first instance.
But figures from the Information Centre indicate the number of prescriptions for antidepressants are still on the rise.
In particular prescriptions for a group of drugs known as SSRIs, which include Prozac, rose by 10% last year from 14.7m to 16.2m.
There have been fears that the drugs are linked to suicidal thoughts and self-harm in some cases.
In 2003, experts said SSRI antidepressants should not be given to teenagers after experts’ concerns they made some patients suicidal.
