Teen depression and antidepressants

[Horseshoes]

Does anyone have any thoughts and experiences.

I've heard about antidepressants increase the thoughts of suicide.

Have you seen a great improvement in your teen once they started the medication?

My SIL's DS is clinically depressed and has a lot of anger problems. He is currently in counsiling. I want to offer her words of encouragement. THey are thinking of starting him on medication.

Thanks

 

[ducklite]

They can help immensely. Some are safer than others. Mood stabilizers are another option.

Anne

 

[lsyorke]

My son was given paxil for anxiety. Massive personality changes, increased anger, "I don't care about anything" attitude and ultimately two suicide attempts and 10 months of horrendous withdrawal to get him off paxil. Today he is absolutely fine, though scarred by the drug experience. Stick with the counseling. These drugs(except Prozac) are not FDA approved for children due to the fact that in clinical trial they worked no better than a placebo.They all carry the black box warning for suicidality and aggression.
They are banned in Europe for teens and children except in the most severe cases.
I'm not posting this to scare you.. I wish someone had told me what I've learned in the past 3 years about these drugs. It would have saved my son 3 years of hell.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Sucide of as a side effect of antidepressants is a hard thing to pin down. Mostly because more people who need treatment but don't get it commit or attempt suicide then people who are reciving proper treatment.

Then again if someone really wants to do something, sometimes nothing any one else can do to stop them.

There are some cases when a teen is treated for depression, and it turns out they are bipolar. However they never had a manic episode before and an antidpressant can sometimes through a person with bipolar into a manic state (paxil or prozac for example.)

Any anti depresent or psychotropic medicaiton needs to be carefully montiored. That is why I don't approve of GP prescribing them and thing if you or you teen is in need of treatment please go to a psychiatrist and theraist and carefully montior treatment. Also the family should contact the Doctor if they noticed any changes in the behavior of the child. All family members should be educated in the signs of suicide. (giving away prized postions for example.) Sometimes when a person attempts sucide they were depressed and apear better to others. The reason is they have made up their mind to do it and gain engery and excitement from the plan.

Please remember that medcations and treatments have improved alot in the past 20 years.

If someone is in need of treatment it is important they recive it. To not give needed medcations is more dangerous then any side effects.

 

[tinkerrn]

I work with depressed adolescents in an inpatient setting. I have seen many teenagers who have attempted or are having active suicidal thoughts come in and have tremendous results with antidepressents. My advice is to find a psychatrist who specializes in adolescents. Drugs react to children, adolescents, adults and geriatrics differently. They need to be monitored by a physician who knows what he is dealing with. There are so many great drugs and a few that are not so great. The most important thing is to have the correct diagnosis. An incorrect diagnosis with wrong medication is not such a great situation. I have seen many have the opposite reaction. Thats why I stress seeing a psychiatrist who specifically specializes in adolescent or child psychiatry. Good luck!!!

 

[Bashful2]

DD16 was first diagnosed with clinical depression at 12. She started on Zoloft and had really good results for about a year, then it just stopped working. Since then, she has also been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has been on a lot of different meds. What works for her now is a very large dose of Effexor XR (antidepressant) and a very large dose of Depakote (mood stabilizer). Without them, she is a combination of depressed, manic, and very, very angry.

DD17 has been depressed since before she came to live with us. She's been on Lexapro and Prozac without much result. What works for her is Depakote 500 mg daily.

Of course, both of them still have bad days once in a while. The difference is that now it is just normal teenage moodiness instead of the severe depression they used to have.

 

[dcentity2000]

Honestly, I think anti-depressants are over-prescribed.

They are powerful medicines and nobody yet fully understands how they work. There are vague notions but nothing concrete.

Certain anti-depressants will increase suicidal tendencies or will even precipitate them, SSRIs in particular.

Honestly, if it were a child, I'd try for psychotherapy only before I tried anti-depressants.



Rich::

 

[ducklite]

Honestly, I think anti-depressants are over-prescribed.

They are powerful medicines and nobody yet fully understands how they work. There are vague notions but nothing concrete.

Certain anti-depressants will increase suicidal tendencies or will even precipitate them, SSRIs in particular.

Honestly, if it were a child, I'd try for psychotherapy only before I tried anti-depressants.



Rich::

IMHO, using antidepressents on teens who are so depressed that they are suicidal should never be ruled out in deference to psychotherapy only, however should be monitored very, very carefully and used in conjunction with therapy.

Anne

 

[MUFFYCAT]

We are taking my DD to a psychiatrist tonight. For the last 2 months she has developed severe anxieties(And I mean severe). My DH or I have been sleeping in her room at night, because she's is convinced burgulars will come into the house. she wakes up in middle of night each night.
She has been seeing a therapist for about 6 weeks. She has a type personality. If a test is under 95 she's fears she won't get into college.
All we ever told her or her sister was try your best.

She started middle school this year and it has had too many changes for her to deal with.

 

[DisneyPhD]

IMHO, using antidepressents on teens who are so depressed that they are suicidal should never be ruled out in deference to psychotherapy only, however should be monitored very, very carefully and used in conjunction with therapy.

Anne

I agree,

MUFFYCAT, I think you are making the right dession to seek help for your DD and I hope all goes well for you and her. I hope she gets some relief soon.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

I agree,

MUFFYCAT, I think you are making the right dession to seek help for your DD and I hope all goes well for you and her. I hope she gets some relief soon.

Thank you, it's been a rough few months.

 

[dcentity2000]

IMHO, using antidepressents on teens who are so depressed that they are suicidal should never be ruled out in deference to psychotherapy only, however should be monitored very, very carefully and used in conjunction with therapy.

Anne

True.

Remember, the best course of treatment for adults is drugs IN COOPERATION with therapy (usually cognitive).

It is also worth pointing out that the only SSRI left legal to prescribe in the UK to children is Fluoxetine due to the long half life.



Rich::

 

[Crankyshank]

The reason why the suicide tendency rate when one is on SSRI (I'm not sure of the rate of non SSRI meds) is because the patient is still having the same depressed thoughts they were having before but the meds have increased the energy level where previously they were too depressed to kill themselves.

That's a major reason why anti depressants should never be prescribed without being under the careful supervision of a psychological professional and not the GP.

I was off and on medication for depression and anxiety throughout my teens. It was a lifesaver for me and I do mean that literally. I had 3 suicide attempts prior to being medicated.

 

[Horseshoes]

Thank you to everyone who replied.

So is there one medication that is the drug of choice for teens?

DNephew is in counceling currently so I am sure he will be monitered. They are thinking of antidepressants because therapy alone is not helping at all. The anger issue is really out of control, he just gets mad at anything. He isolates in his room. Its so sad to see this unfold.

 

[ducklite]

Thank you to everyone who replied.

So is there one medication that is the drug of choice for teens?

DNephew is in counceling currently so I am sure he will be monitered. They are thinking of antidepressants because therapy alone is not helping at all. The anger issue is really out of control, he just gets mad at anything. He isolates in his room. Its so sad to see this unfold.

It's possible he doens't need an anti-depressent, but rather a mood stabalizer. Much less risk with most of those. It's really up to his doctor (psychiatrist!!!) to decide in conjunction with feedback from the patient and parents.

Anne

 

[Horseshoes]

It's possible he doens't need an anti-depressent, but rather a mood stabalizer. Much less risk with most of those. It's really up to his doctor (psychiatrist!!!) to decide in conjunction with feedback from the patient and parents.

Anne

What are some of the mood stabalizers called? I want to do a search.
I want to give my SIL as much info as possible when she speaks with the doctor

Thanks

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Thank you to everyone who replied.

So is there one medication that is the drug of choice for teens?

DNephew is in counceling currently so I am sure he will be monitered. They are thinking of antidepressants because therapy alone is not helping at all. The anger issue is really out of control, he just gets mad at anything. He isolates in his room. Its so sad to see this unfold.

If his behavior is like that you really need to see a licensed psychiatrist to rule out Bi-Polar and other mental illnesses before you start on a anti-depressant.
That is where the "risk of suicide" comes in. Misdiagnosis and wrong medications.
Is he seeing a psychiatrist?

 

[Horseshoes]

If his behavior is like that you really need to see a licensed psychiatrist to rule out Bi-Polar and other mental illnesses before you start on a anti-depressant.
That is where the "risk of suicide" comes in. Misdiagnosis and wrong medications.
Is he seeing a psychiatrist?

No right now he is just in family counceling. Thats where they started out, but SIL in looking for an adolescent psychiatrist.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

No right now he is just in family counceling. Thats where they started out, but SIL in looking for an adolescent psychiatrist.

Well if that is the case, I would not start him on meds. They have gone this long and the kid needs to get a strong diagnosis.

The "anger" part is suspicious and I would hesistate to put him on meds without a exact diagnosis.

Also why is he angry????

 

[dcentity2000]

What are some of the mood stabalizers called? I want to do a search.
I want to give my SIL as much info as possible when she speaks with the doctor

Thanks

Lots of drugs fall under the category of "mood stabiliser" - be careful with them.

Try http://www.crazymeds.org/

As for the "anti-depressant of choice", it HAS to be Fluoxetine (brand name Prozac), as it has the longest half life of all the SSRIs and exhibits a stimulant effect.

I cannot express strongly enough the fundamental need to talk this over with a psychiatrist.

There are many, many drugs out there. As far as anti-depressants go, there are SSRIs, SSNaRIs, MAOIs, RIMAs, TCAs, NARIs and a shedload more, each exhibiting their own side effect profiles. Some are first line treatments (SSRIs or TCAs) whilst others are for the worst cases only and could actually kill you (MAOIs).

As far as mood stabilisers go, there is an equal plethora of drugs, ranging from the simple (lithium) to the extreme (typical anti-psychotics).

Never dabble in psychiatric drugs unless you have to.

It's a dangerous playground to be messing with. At the present time, SSRIs are being prescribed all over the place to more moderate cases of clinical depression and quite recklessly, I think.

Anti-depressants are for people who are depressed as fudge and who desperately need them. They should never be relied on in place of psychotherapy and should only be prescribed in conjunction with the aforementioned therapy.

I'm deadly serious. All anti-depressants can mess with your brain chemistry and have the capacity to do immense harm when not properly monitored. The same applies even more to anti-psychotics, frequently prescribed as a first line (!) mood stabiliser.

Talk it over with the psychiatrist. Be careful. Please.



Rich::