Antidepressants for teens

WHICH ANTIDEPRESSANTS ARE SAFE FOR TEENS? What antidepressants are approved for teens? When do teenagers need antidepressants? How effective are antidepressants for teens and children?

Is Prozac safe for teens?

Different kinds of depression medications target different neurotransmitters. Resolve sleep disturbance associated with depression. Antidepressants can help teens in the following ways: Improve mood. Decrease anxious symptoms that can occur with depression.

SSRIs are considered the preferred medications for treating depression in adolescents because they have fewer side effects than other types of antidepressants (Reference 2). Other common SSRI antidepressant medications include sertraline ( Zoloft ), paroxetine ( Paxil ), citalopram ( Celexa ) and fluvoxamine ( Luvox ). More controversial, however, is the utility of antidepressants , as there have been concerns that they are not only less effective in teens than in adults, but may also be associated with adverse side effects and outcomes, such as an increased risk for suicidal behavior.

Learn what to expect if your child is taking an antidepressant. Children and teens taking antidepressants - St. Over time, these side effects may lessen as the body adjusts to the new drug. Currently, Fluoxetine ( Prozac ) is the only recommended antidepressant for people under the age of 18. Again, it is of highly importance that teens are closely monitored by a trained physician when taking antidepressants.

Of regularly prescribed drugs , only one — Prozac — proved effective enough to justify giving to children and teens, the researchers found. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Get Mental Health Help for Troubled Teens Now The role of psychological or “talk” therapy, which can take a variety of forms, is not controversial. Teens can learn many coping strategies and skills that can not only contribute to a lessening of the depression but also help buffer against future episodes. For example, the proportion of kids and teens taking an antidepressant rose from more than percent to nearly percent in the United States, Cipriani said. Clomipramine (Anafranil) is approved for ten years and older to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Duloxetine (Cymbalta) is approved for children seven years and older to treat generalized anxiety. Escitalopram (Lexapro) is approved for children 12. Untreated depression can be lethal to adolescents. It’s rare that a month goes by in which I don’t hear about the tragic suicide of a teen or young adult, from a celebrity’s child to the son or daughter of a friend.

For many, medication is a lifeline.

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 study published in March of this year, also in The Lancet, found antidepressant use increased from 1. SSRIs are usually the first type of medication prescribed to teens to treat anxiety disorders and also the most commonly prescribed class of medication for teens with anxiety. Side effects typically include nausea, headaches, and sleep problems.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, also known as SSRIs, are the most commonly prescribed medication for anxiety in children and teens. These may include medications such as Prozac (fluoxetine), Celexa (citalopram), Zoloft (sertraline), and Lexapro (escitalopram). Anti-depressants are shown to be helpful in the minority of very severely depressed cases, and should be used when needed for these cases.

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