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NHS England says it is encouraging patients to wean off antidepressants and painkillers by taking alternative therapies.

In a bid to combat prescription drug addiction, millions of patients will be given assistance to wean themselves off antidepressants and painkillers under a new NHS England plan. Following national guidance, GPs are to stop writing repeat prescriptions for patients who have developed a dependency on common drugs.

Instead of prescribing patients painkillers like tramadol or codeine, the NHS England plan suggests sending patients to classes in art, music, or gardening to prevent an opioid crisis similar to the one in the US, reported The Times.

The report said every year, one in four adults are prescribed potentially addictive drugs, including sleeping pills, strong painkillers and benzodiazepines such as diazepam, better known as Valium, to treat anxiety.

According to a previous report by The Times, at least one in every six adults

NHS to suggest art and music classes instead of prescription drugs in bid to tackle addiction