TEENAGE DEPRESSION AND SELECTIVE SEROTONIN REUPTAKE INHIBITORS

LS Ms. Kurz and Mrs. Medina English 12 23 May 2012

http://teenhealthissu es.wordpress.com/20 11/04/09/depression -among-teens/

DO NOW

Define depression.

Do you know anyone who has been or is depressed?

http://ehealthforum.com/ pages/ssri/pictures

What do you know about antidepressants?

If you were depressed, would you want medication?

Why or why not?

THESIS

:

While many parents believe that teenagers should not take any antidepressants, teens diagnosed with depression by an adolescent trained psychiatrist should be able to take Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors along with regular cognitive therapy.

INTRO

“An estimated 1.5 million 12 to 18 year-olds in the United States… experience major depression” (Bower par.9).

http://www.a

t risk.org/blog/ 916/statistics and-fact about-teen depression-2/

“…half of all mental illness starts by age 14, and about 11% of adolescents have a depressive disorder by age 18” (Landro par. 4) “… even when they are detected, most young people with depression receive no treatment for their problem” (Mayoh par. 7).

“In a study of 2,500 students… nearly 20% were identified as at risk, of whom 73.6% were not receiving treatment…” (Landro par. 4).

SSRI’S

SELECTIVE SEROTONIN REUPTAKE INHIBITORS

http://www.luvoxcr.com/learn/ http://www.webmd.com/depression/ss/slideshow-depression-overview VIDEO http://www.luvoxcr.com/learn/

UNTREATED DEPRESSION

“Left untreated, such issues can lead to high dropout rates, substance abuse, violence – and suicide…” (Landro par. 4).

ANOREXIA, BULIMIA, OCD and ANXIETY

http://www.easyt

olovebut.com/?p

=2086 http://www.sandiegotherapis

tcounselor.com/what-is social-anxiety-disorder-and how-can-i-overcome-it.html

http://brokenbeliever s.com/2012/02/16/th e-ugly-curse-of bulimia/ http://smartgirltips.co

m/anorexia-signs-and how-to treated.html/anorexia

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

http://www .lockyourme

ds.org/med ucation/ VIDEO http://www.inspirationsyout

h.com/Teen-Addiction Statistics.asp

http://www.lockyourmed

s.org/meducation/

http://cfdetail.blog

spot.com/2010/05/ anorexia.html

EATING DISORDERS

http://www.ni

mh.nih.gov/st atistics/1EAT_ CHILD.shtml

http://kotaku.c

om/bulimia/

TEEN SUICDE

http://rankingamerica.wordpress.com/2011/04/16/u-s-ranks-14th-in-teenage-suicide/

TEEN HOMICIDE

http://extranosalley.com/?p=21850

REJECTION

“The perception of mental illness is a person living on the street. People are often seen in a bad light or stereotyped within the media” (Herald par. 23).

http://www.sodahead.com/fun/if-you-had to-which-one-would-you-kill/question 496323/?link=ibaf&q=homeless+druggie&i mgurl=http://images.sodahead.com/polls/0 00496323/polls_normal_Homeless_Santiago _5952_881795_answer_1_xlarge.jpeg

http://ww w.myspace.

com/danie lkaji “Slightly less than half… thought a mental disorder was just an excuse for poor behaviour” (Tayler par. 20).

REJECTION

“‘People kept telling me I was creating it. That made it worse…’” (Tayler par.8)

http://unitytiger.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/te enage-depression/

“And for many who are suffering, the effects from stigma and discrimination can be as difficult to deal with as the disease itself ” (Tayler par. 12).

PSYCHIATRISTS “Only around 7,000 psychiatrists in this country have been trained to treat children and adolescents” (Bower par. 9).

http://www.howtobecom

ea-psychiatrist.com/

“Inaccurate diagnosis of depression complicates treatment…” (Bower par. 41).

PARENTS

“‘It was so difficult because every parent wants their kids to be perfect and you don’t want to accept the fact that something might be wrong with your child’” (Mayoh par. 4).

http://www.teen depression.info/overvie w/helping/

“‘… a lot of parents have heard lots of horror stories about kids on medication and there’s often a comment made to me that young people on antidepressants are more likely to suicide—but that is not the case’” (Mayoh par. 25).

VIDEO

STIGMAS

ANTIDEPRESSANT

http://billhicksisdead.blogspot.com/2011/11/antidepress ant-use-skyrockets-400-in.html

http://6keysopti malhealth.blogsp

ot.com/2012/04 /antidepressants -for-every-man woman.html

STIGMAS

“Suicide rates for preteens and teenagers increased sharply when… doctors started writing fewer prescriptions…” (Graham par. 1).

http://blogs.nature.com/musings_and_moths /2012/01/26/teenage-dream

“… 17 studies indicated that medication neither inflamed longstanding suicidal thoughts nor created them in people who has never considered killing themselves” (Bower par. 4). “Suicidal thoughts and attempts in depressed… adolescents… progressively decline in the 6 months after initiating SSRI use…” (Bower par. 14).

http://swarbind .blogspot.com/ http://www.teen depression.info/overview/teen-suicide-rate/

STIGMAS

“’Public fear that drug treatment for depression is worse than the illness itself may lead to untreated depression and more suicide’” (Bower par. 8).

http://www.rabidmutt.com/?p=525

“‘We had heard all the horror stories… children being like drugged out zombies…’” (Mayoh par. 19).

THE TRUTH

SELECTIVE SEROTONIN REUPTAKE INHIBITORS SIDE EFFECTS:

"...SSRI's don't foster thoughts of suicide and may instead prevent it..." (Bower par. 12).

http://favim.com/image/252865/

“…studies of teens… who have killed themselves… rarely find traces of SSRIs or other antidepressants in blood…” (Bower par. 13)

VIDEO

THE TRUTH

SELECTIVE SEROTONIN REUPTAKE INHIBITORS AND COGNITIVE THERAPY:

"...to examine one's thoughts regarding a situation to figure out whether the thoughts accompanying the emotion are accurate..." (Clemmitt page 20).

http: //w hatis cogn itive beha vior althe rapy.

com /

“...rates of suicidal thoughts dropped... although only the combination of Prozac and psychotherapy proved superior…” (Bower par. 20).

SOLUTION

Teenagers who are suggested to go on medication by a trained psychiatrist should be able to make the choice whether they want to be on medication or not, even if their parents do not allow it.

But with specific guidelines:

SOLUTION

First, the teenager must be diagnosed with depression by an adolescent trained psychiatrists.

http://www.webmd.com/depression/ss/slideshow-depression-overview

“…1.5 million 12- to 18-year-olds… experience major depression. That total dwarfs the number of mental health clinicians qualified to treat them” (Bower par. 9)

More Sleep

SOLUTION

Second, other methods of treatment should be attempted.

http://richardsfit nessequipmentr eview.com/foa m roller/exercise and-fitness ensure-a balanced lifestyle-with these-fitness tips Increased Exercise http://www.trainw

ithgreen.com/nut rition.html

Better Nutrition http://well.blogs.nyti

mes.com/2011/01/28 /how-meditation may-change-the brain/ Meditation http://www.wome

nshealthmag.com

/health/sleep myths

SOLUTION

Third, the medication being prescribed must be a SSRI.

http://www .hcplive.co

m/articles/ Antidepress ants-Not Found-to Benefit Dementia Patients/

“…drugs can work, and if you needed to help your child--or save their life--wouldn’t you?” (Mayoh par. 3)

http://neuroc ritic.blogspot.c

om/2009/09/ are antidepressant s underprescrib ed-in.html

SOLUTION

Lastly, the teenager should attend regular cognitive therapy.

http://www.4therapy.com/therapy/about-therapy/types-therapy-2231

“‘Medication gets them to the door, and then a good psychosocial program can get them through the door’” (Tanner par. 12)

SOLUTION

Creating this new, ideal system will be very difficult and will require the work of many people. But it is possible.

Depression Programs More Psychiatrists New Stigmas

CONCLUSION

When a teenager is diagnosed by a trained adolescent psychiatrists, they should be able to take Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors along with cognitive therapy, even if their parents oppose. The ideal system allowing teenagers to do so may take a long time to develop but with the determination of the misunderstood depressed teens, the confused parents and the knowledgeable psychiatrists, it is all very possible.

WORK CITED

Bower, Bruce. “Prescription for Controversy.” Science News Vol. 169, No. 11 18 Mar 2006: 168+. SIRS Researcher. Web. 21 Sep 2011. .

Clemmitt, Marcia. Treating Depression. CQ Researcher, 19, 573-596. Print Graham, Judith. “Teen Suicide Rates Spike After FDA Labels Medication.” Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL) 6 Sep 2007: n.p. SIRS Researcher. Web. 03 Jan 2012. .

Landro, Laura. “Will Students Take a Mental Health Test?.” Wall Street Journal 30 Aug 2011: D.2. SIRS Researcher. Web. 16 Sep 2011. .

Mayoh, Lisa. “Are We Over-Medicating Our Kids?.” Sunday Herald-Sun (Melbourne) Australia 25 Jul 2010: 2. SIRS Reseacher. Web. 21 Sep 2011. .

Tayler, Theresa. “Breaking Through the Stigma.” Calgary Herald 09 Oct 2011: A.6. SIRS Researcher. Web. 23 Dec 2011. .