The Effects Of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

The goal of this paper is to examine whether and how antidepressants are associated suicide risk in adolescents.

Antidepressant drugs taken by children have been linked to increased risk of suicide. Exasperated mental health professionals began prescribing antidepressants to children and teens in large proportions in the 1990’s, even though studied safety of such drugs for use in minors had not been conducted. Consequently, standard growth models and brain development may be impaired by the use of these drugs. Moreover, children may be risking one evil for another as adult years could prove to hold adverse side effects and health risks from prolonged use of these drugs.

Antidepressant drugs, which can be lifesaving, are being underused in young people. Their use fell significantly after the Food and Drug Administration issued its black-box warning in October of 2004, stating that all antidepressants were associated with a risk of increased suicidal feeling, thinking and behavior in adolescents; later on that warning was extended to young adults (Friedman 1). The Food and Drug Administration-FDA ordered drug companies to place a black-box warning on antidepressant drugs, this would then allow parents to see the side effects the drug might come with. As antidepressants can have its benefits, it is not the only way to treat a mental illness like depression. The majority of parents believe antidepressant is the only treatment and that psychotherapy is a waste of time and money. “About 80 percent of people with depression respond positively to professional medical treatment--usually talk therapy, medication or a combination of both--and almost all patients gain some relief from their symptoms. Unfortunately, less than half of those with depression seek treatment(Clayton

The controversy over the use of antidepressants in the treatment of children has received a large amount of attention in the past years. Everyone has his or her own opinion of antidepressants and how they work, but no one takes time to research the claims of the treatments. Antidepressants are medications to treat depression in children, teens, and adults. The dosage given should vary on the level of depression and the age of the patient. The side effects also vary depending on the patient. One source states that, “teenagers on antidepressants should be monitored for any sign that the depression is getting worse” (HelpGuide.Org). Many teens are depressed from causes of neglect. Some may feel that their parents are not around as much as they should be. Depressed teens should be watched closely and if the parent or parents are not available to keep a close look the outcome of the teen may be in danger. If a parent pays more attention to their child, then they could intervene before the depression worsens. There is a possibility of prevention of the

Teen depression is a serious condition that can be a devastating problem for both the child and parent. It is a disorder that reduces their moods thus causing loss of interest in things they should enjoy and make them irritable. In this literature review we are going to examine the use of antidepressants to treat teen depression. It will also look at the risks of suicides increased as a result of taking antidepressants and the measures taken to reduce this problem.

“One in eight persons needs treatment for depression during his or her lifetime” (Prozac.com). Prozac is claimed as the wonder drug cure for obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, bulimia, and panic disorder by fixing the imbalance of chemicals in the brain. Many documented cases have been made about side effects of Prozac and how it has negatively affected many of its users. Doctors need to have more responsibility and stricter guidelines for diagnosis of adolescent depression and should consider medication a last resort while pharmaceutical companies should develop a new youth-friendly antidepressant with fewer side effects.

The authors of this specific article states in the very beginning that government agencies have issued warnings about the use of antidepressant medications in children, adolescents, and young adults since 2003. They explain that the warnings consist of statements that warn that such medications may cause suicidal tendencies in some people. The article’s authors explore the data on the treatment of depression that led to these warnings, and, also, the subsequent data that are relevant to the warnings. The authors also address the effectiveness

Approximately ten percent of our youth suffer from a deppresive/anxiety disorder. The youth of our society are being treated with anti depressants such as prozac; which, carry a “black box warning.” The FDA has required that boxed warnings be placed on all antidepressant medications warning they may result in increased risk of suicidal tendencies in children, and young adults aged 18-24 years old. The black box warning is the highest warning that can labeled on any medication. It means there has been significant research completed to show a legitimate concern for the well being of the population who is prescribed the medication.

Should antidepressant drugs be prescribed for children suffering from depression? Depression is a serious mental condition that is characterized by extreme feeling of sadness, worthlessness and hopelessness, fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite, inability to concentrate, and insomnia or excessive sleeping. “One in four young people aged 16 to 24 experience mental health problems during their teenage years, For youths under 14, mental disorders make up 22.6 per cent of the burden of disease. For those aged 15 to 24, almost half (49 per cent) of the estimated burden of disease in young people is due to mental disorders. (Lisa Mayoh) Antidepressant drugs should not be prescribed for children for depression because of rise in suicide, causes

Are anti-depressants a medication or a mental steroid?” (Kramer). For many years there has been an ongoing talk about anti-depressants. The big question is, are they really a cure for depression or just a mental steroid. An anti-depressant is a medication used to treat depression and other anxiety disorders. When proscribed to children and teens there can be severe side effects such as an increased chance to commit suicide or have suicidal thoughts or actions. This risk of suicide is higher for people under the age of 25. (Mayo Clinic Staff). Teenage usage of anti-depressants has been a controversial issue for many decades.

Synthesizing the clinical problems relating to the prescription of antidepressant medications, M. C. Shearer and S. L. Bermingham outline and highlight the ethical concerns regarding the use of antidepressant medications in children and adolescents. Professors of Biology Shearer and Bermingham in their article The Ethics of Paediatric Anti-Depressant Use: Erring on the Side of Caution argue that prescribing antidepressants to youth is a simplistic approach to a complex issue and should be severely restricted by physicians and strictly enforced by parents.

Patients can experience anything from mild (shivering and diarrhea) to severe (muscle rigidity, fever and seizures symptoms if overdosed with serotonin however in order for nerve cells and the brain to function, the body needs to create serotonin. “Severe serotonin syndrome can be fatal if not treated.” SSRIs are not only dangerous for the increased suicide risk but because of serotonin syndrome. Although use of SSRIs is risky, when combined with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) the risk of suicide is greatly reduced. The society of clinical child and adolescent psychology (2012) says, for moderately to severely depressed adolescents, the most effective treatment at this time is the combination of CBT and an SSRI medication. In the NIMH-sponsored Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS), this combination led to the best outcomes in terms of both reduced depression and reduced risk of suicidal

The debate to prescribe children psychiatric drugs has been going on for at least 57 years. 2,165,279 children are prescribed anti-depressants. 8,389,034 children are prescribed anti-psychiatric drugs. Although the medication may work, there are alternative treatments available until more research is done to determine more long-term side effects. A person’s brain does not develop fully until the age of 25. If you give a child a strong medication before psychological treatment to determine how mentally unstable the child is; the child may not be physical and mentally the same once he/she is adapted to the medication prescribed. This is why adolescents should not be given anti-depressant or anti-psychiatric

The selected primary research journal article focuses on a randomized controlled trial that tests the suitability (in terms of safety and efficacy) of escitalopram for treating childhood and adolescent depression (Findling et. al., 2006). The study stems from the fact that there is a demand for effective medications that are safe enough to cater to children and teenagers with depression (Findling et. al., 2006). Study participants were children and adolescents ranging from six to seventeen years old, and were qualified for a diagnosis of major depressive disorder according to DSM-IV criteria (Findling et. al., 2006). Moreover, they had to be experiencing

Today’s teenagers are faced with the ever changing world around them and the biological changes of their bodies. Many teens are also faced with depression. Approximately half of teenagers with untreated depression may attempt suicide, which remains the third leading cause of death in this age group. (Bostic). This depression affects their school, family lives, and robs them of their self image. Depression affects many teens and often goes by unnoticed and untreated.