Antidepressant use increases among young adults and adolescents

AAP research shows more people evidence demonstrated an increase in mental health concerns Among young people and teenagers.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Depression and suicidal thoughts There was already an upward trend among young people.These charges further increased Extended from 2020 onwards Beyond the pandemic.

During the pandemic, they have become victims of social isolation and school disruption, the loss of a parent or caregiver to COVID-19, a family member's job loss, or physical or illness. emotional abuse It is believed that living at home may be a contributing factor to the increase. mental health disorders.

“Before the study “We provided evidence that the stress, adversity, and social disruption caused by the pandemic are contributing to increased mental health challenges and service needs for America's adolescents and young adults.” Dr. Mark OlfsonMPH, Professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

“Due to the outbreak of the pandemic, mental health services We quickly pivoted to telemedicine. For some young people, this provided a more convenient, private, and less stigmatized means of providing mental health care. This includes starting and monitoring treatment. antidepressants” Olfsson added.

Post-pandemic, young people will be more concerned about social media use, mass violence, natural disasters, climate change,explained Dr.Lokesh ShahaniMPH, a psychiatrist at UTHealth Houston.

“Antidepressants are important in the management of depression and anxiety in adolescents and young adults,” Dr. Shahani told Healthline. “Increased prescribing of antidepressants is associated with increased prevalence of mental health conditions and increased receipt of treatment for these conditions.”

A new study shows that teenage women are much more likely to be prescribed antidepressants than men.

“The beginning of” depressive disorder during peak pubertyAnd while we know that after adolescence, depression is about twice as common in women as in men, this was not the case before the prevalence rates for women and men were about the same,” Olfson explained. did.

Another plausible explanation, experts say, is that young men may be less likely than women to seek out mental health symptoms and seek care.

Future research should investigate whether the reduction in antidepressant doses in male teens reflects underuse of antidepressants relative to the level of need, Shahani said. .

Olfson noted that telemedicine, which has become available on a large scale during the pandemic, may be more widely accepted and used by young women than men.

“There is evidence that rates of depression were increasing among young people in the years leading up to the pandemic, while little progress was made in closing the gap of unmet health care needs. treatment of depression among young people in the United States,” Olfson said.

“It is possible, but not established, that telehealth is helping to close the gap in unmet need for mental health treatment.”

Antidepressants are generally well tolerated and have minimal side effects, which tend to be dose-dependent.

largely Antidepressant side effects Symptoms are mild and subside within one to two weeks or when the dose is reduced, Shahani said, noting that common side effects may include:

• abdominal pain
• nausea
• diarrhea
• stirring
• Jerky feeling
• headache
• changes in sleep

Serious adverse events from antidepressants are rare but can occur in some people.

For reasons that are not well understood, antidepressants can cause an increase in symptoms. Suicidal thoughts and behavior among a small number of young people. However, Olfson noted that this risk appears to be highest early in treatment.

“Due to the increasing use of antidepressants by young people, especially adolescent girls and young women, we need to identify emerging suicidal symptoms so that appropriate support can be provided to young people who develop suicidal symptoms while on antidepressant treatment. “We need to be careful and cautious,” he said. .

Shahani added that there could be an increase. suicidal thoughts Behavior of pediatric patients initiating treatment with antidepressants or dose escalation.

Antidepressants can also have negative effects on people with bipolar disorder.

“The risks for bipolar disorder patients switching from treatment to major depression to hypomania or mania due to treatment with antidepressants. [also] We need to look into it,” Shahani said.

Finally, people taking antidepressants should also be aware of possible drug interactions. Always consult your health care professional before starting antidepressants.

Antidepressant use among young adults and teens has increased by nearly 64% since 2020, according to a new study.

Antidepressant dispensing rates differed between men and women. Since 2020, antidepressant use among young women has increased significantly, while use among young men has decreased.

Experts suggest that potential causes of this increase could be pandemic-related stress and anxiety, as well as exacerbation of existing mental health problems.

Furthermore, furthermore Awareness of mental health issues Improved access to mental health resources may also be a factor.