New Pharmac data shows Canterbury remains the region where the most antidepressants were prescribed for the past three years.

Canterbury has reaffirmed its position as one of the largest consumers of antidepressants, as repercussions from the swarm of 2011 earthquakes reverberate throughout the southern region.

The number of Cantabrians requiring antidepressants has ballooned by more than 6000 in just three years, with 13.6 per cent of the district health board's (DHB) registered patients being treated with such medications in the year to June 30, 2018.

New Pharmac data released under the Official Information Act shows the Canterbury DHB (CDHB) area – the country's second-largest DHB after Waitemata – outpaced all regions in both antidepressant prescriptions and mental health patient numbers.

New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs This animated video summarises the recommendations of He Ara Oranga: Report of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction.

The Government's drug buying agency reported that in the most-recent financial year, 261,000 antidepressant prescriptions were issued in the CDHB area, which services the needs of 74,300 mental health patients.

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The region eclipsed Waitemata (183,400 prescriptions; 57,900 patients; 9.6 per cent of the DHB population), Waikato (164,000; 50,000; 12.4 per cent) and Auckland (150,400; 48,500; 9.5 per cent) over the same period.

DAVID WALKER/STUFF Canterbury District Health Board's head of psychiatry Dr Peri Renison says international research shows that 18 months after a natural disaster, patients begin presenting with more acute mental health issues.

None of the three DHBs servicing the Greater Wellington region – Capital & Coast (307,250 people registered), Hutt Valley (145,310) and Wairarapa (43,890) – featured in the top five in either measure.

With a surge in patients grappling with suicidal ideations, depression and self-harm, particularly among the young, CDHB chief of psychiatry Dr Peri Renison predicted the figures would escalate in the coming years.

"It's demonstrated well in international literature that post a natural disaster, for the first 18 months, people present with acute distress [meaning] stress reactions that generally are managed using sleeping medication or tranquilisers ... not antidepressants," she said.

"And 18 months onwards, for the next five to 10 years, people present with the more serious consequences of the disaster like depression and psychotic illnesses, so that's not surprising."

As a result, emergency departments, general practices and mental health facilities were being inundated.

"At this stage, we're coping but it's very stretched. We could argue that the post-quake resourcing hasn't been enough, but also we did not expect [the numbers] to still be climbing at the rate it is," Renison said.

"We often have to sleep people over in other units because we are over 100 per cent occupied. We expanded our community options following the quakes to be able to cope with an increased amount without hospitalising people. But at the moment, our beds are crumbling. [We're] very full."

Renison reported some services were operating at up to 120 per cent occupancy. Last month, additional security was put in place at Christchurch's Hillmorton Hospital after a string of assaults on staff.

And while the strain of providing mental health services was evident, Renison took comfort in knowing more people were putting their hands up and asking for help.

DAVID WALKER/STUFF Additional security has put in place at Christchurch's Hillmorton Hospital after a recent spate of serious assaults on staff.

Mental Health Foundation chief executive Shaun Robinson said it was likely more people were seeking help "because we probably have done a reasonable job in the last 20 years of reducing some levels of stigma".

Last month, the findings of an almost year-long inquiry into mental health and addiction were released.

Its recommendations included increasing the range of treatment options available, a point echoed by Robinson who felt many mental health issues needed to be tackled on multiple fronts.

CHRIS SKELTON/STUFF Mental Health Foundation chief executive Shaun Robinson wants more mental health treatment options made available, echoing the findings of a recent Government inquiry.

"The incentives are heavily weighted towards medical and clinical responses ... and while counselling has a significant place and can be very useful for people, it also is not the magic solution," he said.

"We must be working quickly to make many more options available, take a much more holistic approach to supporting people, and supporting people much earlier."​

CANTERBURY'S MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES

Comparing mental health service numbers from the 2009-10 financial year to 2017-18

- Caring for twice the number of patients than pre-quake

- 59 per cent increase in new adult community cases

- 100 per cent increase in new child and youth cases

- 85 per cent increase in new adult rural community cases

- 125 per cent increase in mental health crisis assessments at Christchurch Hospital's ED

Source: CDHB

STUFF 13.6 per cent of Canterbury DHB's registered patients in the year to June 2018 were using antidepressants, followed by 9.6 per cent of Waitemata's patients and 12.4 per cent of Waikato's.

WHERE TO GET HELP:

1737, Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor

Lifeline - 0800 543 354 or (09) 5222 999 within Auckland

Youthline - 0800 376 633, free text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat

Samaritans - 0800 726 666

Suicide Crisis Helpline - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO)

What's Up - 0800 942 8787 (for 5?18 year olds). Phone counselling is available Monday to Friday, midday-11pm and weekends, 3pm-11pm. Online chat is available 7pm-10pm daily

Kidsline - 0800 54 37 54 (0800 kidsline) for young people up to 18 years of age. Open 24/7

thelowdown.co.nz - or email team@thelowdown.co.nz or free text 5626

Anxiety New Zealand - 0800 ANXIETY (0800 269 4389)

Supporting Families in Mental Illness - 0800 732 825