Anti Depressants: An Overview

We must desexualise the number of young churlren who atomic number 18 administered antidepressants, as we do non call for fitted, if any, data regarding the make of these drugs on the developing heading. Greater involvement from parents, teachers, ministers, and friends, as well as counseling and psychotherapy must all be habitd extensively before turning to the quick fix of antidepressants.In the last ten years, the psychiatric field has been flooded with a brisk group of antidepressants known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, or SSRIs. Michele Laraia defines an SSRI as a group of compounds that block the reuptake of serotonin by the pre synaptic neuron (6). By adjusting the level of serotonin, the mood-altering chemical which our consistence naturally creates, that reaches the brain, we poop control the stability of a persons mood.Tania Unsworth writes that almost 600,000 children and adolescents in the US were regularized SSRI antidepressants in 1996 (1). A more(prenominal) august statistic, reported by Joseph Coyle, is that there has been a 10-fold increase in the prescription medicine of SSRIs in the US for children under 5 years old surrounded by 1993 and 1997 (1). Parents, teachers, and psychiatrists across the country seem a little too anxious to jump on the antidepressant bandwagon. Apparently, umteen raft are unstrained to turn first to the quick fix of drugs rather than the more term consuming approach of counseling and psychotherapy, although these shed proven to be more more effective in the long run (McDougle 1).The most car park reason for the prescription of an antidepressant is opinion. Until about ten years ago, feeling was thought to be nonexistent in children. Depression is now found, using the same criteria used for matures, to be unquestionably diagnosable in children (Fishbein 1). Joyce wrong notes that the American Academy of electric s take onr and Adolescent Psychiatry go unders the number of significantly depressed children and adolescents at 3.4 million (1). The consequences of depression for children include social dysfunction, donnish underachievement, impaired self-image, and suicidal and anti-social behavior (Laraia 1).Depression is also commonly linked to other lines such as engineer dis ball club, attention deficit disorder, and fear disorder. In a survey done by Judith Asch-Goodkin, she reports that of over 600 physicians surveyed, more than half (57%) had prescribed an SSRI for a diagnosis other than depression (1). In some cases, of course, medicine is really necessary in order to correct a persisting disorder or complex which, if go awayfield un pass overed, would continue to grow. However, in young children, drug use should be uncommunicative for a final remedy, and even then used with great moderation.The problem with most prescriptions given to children is that these drugs are used simply as a quick fix. Claudia Kalb writes that experts say frust rated parents, agitated day-care workers and 10-minute pediatric visits all suffer to quick fixes for emotional and behavioral problems (1). Parents seem too eager to kick downstairs an excuse for their childs behavior. The easiest excuse for a parent to digest is the suggestion that their child has a natural chemical imbalance, correctable by medication. This helps to put the parents question at ease, assuring them that it is not their fault. In most cases the parents are so relived to find out that their childs condition is not their fault that they do not bother to look into other ways of helping their child quite they put their trust in their doctor and do whatever he first suggests.Of course, the scariest thing about giving an antidepressant to a child is that less than 20 percent of the drugs used in children have been time- sorted on children (Price 2). As a guinea pig of fact, none of the drugs which fall in the category of an SSRI have been tested on children. Howeve r, since the FDA has approved them for use in adults, doctors can legally prescribe them to children (Crowley 1). The courts have always left drug discussion to the physicians best judgment (Fisher 1). In fact, Rhoda Fisher states that prescribing physicians do not need any scientific proof that a picky drug is effective for the patient they have in mind to treat (1).In addition, general practitioners and pediatricians do not, for the most part, have the psychiatric companionship necessary for the prescribing of antidepressants. Determining which medication to use and when to use it can be a confusing task for these doctors (McDougle 1). Without the proper education, prescribing an antidepressant can be a shot in the dark. Rebecca Voelker found in a direct of over 600 family physicians and pediatricians that 72% had prescribed an SSRI for a patient junior than 18 years. Yet only 8% of the physicians give tongue to they had received equal to(predicate) training in the manageme nt of childhood depression, and just 16% said they felt comfortable treating children for depression (182). Surely some method of correct which physicians can prescribe antidepressants can be established.Furthermore, the vast majority of evidence, so far, suggests that antidepressants do not help childhood depression (Price 1). The body of a child grows far too rapidly for the drug level to retain constant in their body. Fisher goes on to put it more bluffly in saying that in view of their negative side cause and clearly demonstrated lack of alterative effectiveness, it is inappropriate to treat the younger segment of the population with antidepressant medications (2). Almost 80 percent of children who are put on medications were referred to doctors for school problems, yet antidepressants have been proven to be ineffective in treating school problems or nebulous behavior problems (Asch-Goodkin 1). at a time once more, another case where frustration in a childs behavior is pu t above the child himself. A quick and easy answer to everything does not always exsist. With no empirical evidence to support drug treatment in young children, many could argue that it is not only wild but unethical as well.Even in cases where medication is dead necessary, psychotherapy should always be a big part of the treatment. The stopping point of the medication should be to help the child learn to deal with their condition, hopefully drug-free at some point. Too many times the medication is used as the sole treatment. Christopher J. McDougle points out that the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the AACAP, recommends psychotherapy as the initial treatment for mild to accommodate depression (1). He goes on to say that the AACAP notes that SSRIs are never sufficient as the sole treatment (2). It has been proven time and time again that most children are just reaching out and need an adult to bear witness actual one-on-one attention to them. This is why psychotherapy is so very important. Children need that human contact.Of course, the primary concern in treating children with antidepressants is that we have absolutely no data on how these drugs affect the long-term brain development (Kalb 2). We are shoveling pills into the mouths of little children whose bodies and minds are at the most comminuted stages of their development, and we do not even know how these drugs allow for affect that. The pharmaceutic companies remain as the major funding sources for the hire of various drugs and their effects on the body (Allen 6). The problem is that the law only requires them to test the drugs on adults. After that, it is up to the physicians who prescribe them. Allen explains their lack of ambition in move such tests by claiming that there is little incentive for the industry to conduct premarketing or post-marketing controlled treatment trials in children, since they are very expensive and conjure up liability concerns (6). What is t he key word here? Money. The pharmaceutic companies are not willing to shell out the extra money no matter what the costs.In his studies, McDougle found that children and adolescents are more likely to have behavioral side effects younger children being the most vulnerable (5). prevalent side effects that are popular with younger patients are gastrointestinal distress, nausea, and anorexia (McDougle 3). Others common side effects are headaches, tremors, jitteriness, and nervousness (McDougle 3). Also, for some children hypomania, mania, and psychosis have all occurred (McDougle 4). On the other side of the mania disorders are the many different sleep disorders caused by these drugs. McDougles studies go on to show that SSRIs, like virtually all antidepressants, alter sleep architecture, decreasing match sleep time, sleep efficiency, and the total duration of rapid-eye movement sleep (3). The leave behind of this is children who suffer daytime sedation, insomnia, and vivid, fright ening dreams. In one of McDougles study groups, 42 percent had wild, vivid dreams that resulted in the subjects injuring themselves enough to require hospital care (5).Another concern, reported by Rhoda Fisher, is the scattered cases of children dying suddenly and circumstantially (2). This may be linked to Serotonin Syndrome, a condition which can be derived from just one seronergic agent (McDougle 5). Children suffering from Serotonin Syndrome will experience fever, muscular rigidity, and a drastic mental status change. Also, they may be affected by hyper pyrexia (temperature above 105 degrees farenheight)mandating bellicose cooling, muscular paralysis, and intubation (McDougle 3).The time has come when we must demand that the pharmaceutical companies, physicians, and psychiatrists be better regulated. The changes made would be minimal but their sequel would be incomparable to anything else. Certainly, we must protect the health and the rights of young people who may not be abl e to do so for themselves. medicinal drug is just a part, and a small part at that, of the therapeutic process.All options outside of medication should be thoroughly exercised before mournful on to the next phase. Parents, teachers, and ministers must first do their part before recommending a child for professional care. After that, strict regulations must be put on doctors and psychiatrists to ensure that only those knowledgeable enough to prescribe antidepressants to children can do so. Furthermore, the pharmaceutical companies must be forced to test their products on any age group that might have price of admission to these drugs. It is critical to the future of our society that we stop drugging are youthfulness and look for more natural approaches.