PURPOSE: To compare antidepressant utilization patterns and mortality in relation to antidepressant use in men and women aged 20-34 years. METHODS: We used data from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register to identify adults aged 20-34 years who purchased at least one antidepressant in 2006. Information on death and migration was obtained from the Total Population Register by record linkage. One-year prevalence and proportion of new users, amount of purchased antidepressants, concurrent use of other antidepressants, mood stabilizers and antipsychotics and mortality were assessed. RESULTS: The one-year prevalence of antidepressant use was 5.6% among all Swedes aged 20-34 years (n?=?94,239) and was higher among women than men (7.2 vs. 4.0%, p?