Does the end of salaried work after 65 influence antidepressant consumption?

In Sweden, the majority of people who leave salaried employment after the age of 65 do not take antidepressants. A recent study followed more than 32,000 Swedish workers who stopped working between the ages of 66 and 76. It reveals that nine out of ten people do not use any antidepressant treatment before or after leaving the labor market.

Among those who do take antidepressants, the vast majority maintain stable usage over ten years. Only a very small minority—less than one percent of the total—see their consumption gradually increase before and after stopping work. This phenomenon suggests that, for most people, the transition to retirement is not accompanied by major changes in mental health.

The study also shows that sick leave or disability pensions related to psychological disorders before the end of professional activity are the main factors associated with regular antidepressant use. People who have experienced such absences are much more likely to be part of the groups using these medications, even after leaving their jobs.

The age at which individuals stop working also plays a role: older workers are less likely to see an increase in their antidepressant use, but are more often affected by consistent usage. Women are more represented among regular users, while men dominate among those who never take antidepressants.

These findings indicate that the mental health of active seniors generally remains stable after the end of their professional lives. They also highlight the importance of supporting workers with psychological vulnerabilities well before their retirement, in order to prevent a deterioration in their condition.

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Reference Document

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-026-03080-w

Title: Ten-year antidepressant medication trajectories among people who exit paid work when aged 66–76 years: a population-based cohort study

Journal: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Authors: Tea Lallukka; Kristina Alexanderson; Katalin Gémes; Kristin Farrants