The most commonly prescribed
antidepressants don’t always help.
Treating mood disorders in children
and adolescents is very risky. Pharmaceutical industries developed powerful
drugs that can blunt some of the more serious imbalances in brain chemicals
that are linked to depression. However, it is still unclear how those
medications can affect still-developing brains.
Not many studies of antidepressants
have included children and teens, mainly because of concerns about how these
mood-altering drugs can affect young brains. Fluoxetine is the only drug
approved by the Food and Drug Administration for children and teens with major
depressive disorder, but since others are available for adults, many doctors
prescribe them for younger people.
According to Dr. R. Scott Benson, a
child and adolescent psychiatrist in Pensacola, Fla. and member of the American
Psychiatric Association, the plethora of antidepressants available tempts
doctors to prescribe first it someone reports depressive symptoms or says they
have thought about killing themselves. But for children and teens in
particular, drugs should not be the first solution.
In 2004, the FDA issued a black box
warning on antidepressants prescribed for children or adolescents after reports
of suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide among younger users. The U.K. also
has strict restrictions on prescribing antidepressants to minors for the same
reasons.
Benson also added that for some,
antidepressants aren't the be-all-end-all treatment, but at the same time, it’s
critical to appreciate that leaving depression unaddressed, especially among
children and teens, can be just as detrimental to their well being.
“Depression is a serious problem, and
we can’t just give you a prescription that’s good for six months and think
that’s going to solve the problem,” Benson says.
Source: Time
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