67. Concerns over Antidepressants for Children and Adolescents
Utilization of antidepressant medications among children and teens continue to rise despite poor efficacy. The assumption in many communities is that these drugs are safe and a front line treatment, but the hazards are rarely discussed and severely underestimated. In our opinion, the risks far outweigh any established benefits for antidepressant use in children, adolescents and young adults. Patients and families should be aware of the substantial risks associated with use.
Utilization of antidepressant medications among children and teens continue to rise despite poor efficacy. The assumption in many communities is that these drugs are safe and a front line treatment, but the hazards are rarely discussed and severely underestimated. In our opinion, the risks far outweigh any established benefits for antidepressant use in children, adolescents and young adults. Patients and families should be aware of the substantial risks associated with use.
If you are in a crisis or think you have an emergency, call your doctor or 911. If you're
considering suicide, call 1-800-273-TALK to speak with a skilled trained counselor.
RADICALLY GENUINE PODCAST
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
6:45 - Cipriani A, Zhou X, Del Giovane C, Hetrick SE, Qin B, Whittington C, et al. Comparative efficacy and tolerability of antidepressants for major depressive disorder in children and adolescents: a network meta-analysis. Lancet. (2016) 388:881–90. doi: 10.1016/ S0140-6736(16)30385-3
12:30 - Safer, D.J. & Zito, J.M. Short- and Long-Term Antidepressant Clinical Trials for Major Depressive Disorder in Youth. Findings and Concerns (2019). Frontiers in Psychiatry (2019) 10:705 doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00705
13:30 - Healy D, Le Noury J, Jureidini J. Paediatric antidepressants: benefits and risks. Int J Risk Saf Med. (2019) 30:1–7. doi: 10.3233/JRS-180746
20:30 - The Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study (TADS): Long-term Effectiveness and Safety Outcomes
23:30 - Moreno C, Laje G, Blanco C, Jiang H, Schmidt AB, Olfson M. National Trends in the Outpatient Diagnosis and Treatment of Bipolar Disorder in Youth. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2007;64(9):1032–1039. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.64.9.1032
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Dr. Roger McFillin
Clinical Psychologist/Executive Director @cibhdr | Coach & Consultant @ McFillin Coaching & Consultation | Radically Genuine Podcast⭐️top 5% in global downloads
