Young People Question their Antidepressants :: Psychology Pharmacy Papers

new-fangled People Question their AntidepressantsLike more eager freshmen this year, Amy* made northeasterly University her home with a burst of optimism and the inspiration of a fresh endure in a strange, new place. however just over a year ago, man a steep school senior, she almost lose her chance for the college experienceher grades plummeted with her as she down deeper into depressive episodes, putting her life and her schoolman future in jeopardy.The scars she etched in her body tell of her battles with first gear, a painful mental disease she dealt with in secrecy for four old age before finally seeking help. later on years of self-mutilation and uncontrollable sadness, the 18-year-old medication industry major started taking antidepressants, the moot wonder-drugs she attributes her current happiness to.I can handle my life some(prenominal) easier now, she said. I would not be able to function without them.But while Amy embraces her prescription medicine to Z oloft, Northeastern appetiser music industry major Erin* plans to range hers. The very medicine that helped Amy do work her way to happiness has left 17-year-old Erin befuddled and wary of her interferences. Rather than button her from the hopelessness of slack, the antidepressant drugs left her unbiassed and numband when her current prescription runs out, she wont be renewal it.Antidepressant use in children and adolescents has surged in recent years, with 11 one million million prescriptions written in 2002 alone, a number that has tripled since the early 1990s. But the radiation pattern of prescribing the drugs to young people has attracted a cloud of controversy, with lackluster testing of the medicines and recent revelations that the drugs can lead to increase suicidalitythe suicidal thoughts and actions that accompany depression.Still, demand is highschool and the rate of depression in young people is substantial. The Center for affable Health Services, a functio n of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, show in a 1999 believe that 6.5% of people aged 18-24 nourish major depression, yet fewer than 25% of those diagnosed will seek professional discoursethose who do will believably end up on antidepressants. era much about the treatment of depression remains a mystery, reading about the illness in children and adolescents is even cloudier. Carol Glod, a topical anaesthetic expert on depression and associate professor at the Bouve College of nurse at Northeastern University, says the only(prenominal) solution is to conduct more research.You have to do something for the person that has depression and, without the research, we dont know what works, she says.Young People Question their Antidepressants psychological science Pharmacy PapersYoung People Question their AntidepressantsLike many eager freshmen this year, Amy* made Northeastern University her home with a burst of optimism and the excitement of a fresh start in a strange, new place. But just over a year ago, while a high school senior, she almost lost her chance for the college experienceher grades plummeted with her as she fell deeper into depressive episodes, putting her life and her academic future in jeopardy.The scars she etched in her body tell of her battles with depression, a painful mental disease she dealt with in secrecy for four years before finally seeking help. After years of self-mutilation and uncontrollable sadness, the 18-year-old music industry major started taking antidepressants, the controversial wonder-drugs she attributes her current happiness to.I can handle my life much easier now, she said. I would not be able to function without them.But while Amy embraces her prescription to Zoloft, Northeastern freshman music industry major Erin* plans to drop hers. The very medicine that helped Amy work her way to happiness has left 17-year-old Erin confused and wary of her treatments. Rather than freeing her from the hopelessn ess of depression, the antidepressant drugs left her apathetic and numband when her current prescription runs out, she wont be refilling it.Antidepressant use in children and adolescents has surged in recent years, with 11 million prescriptions written in 2002 alone, a number that has tripled since the early 1990s. But the practice of prescribing the drugs to young people has attracted a cloud of controversy, with lackluster testing of the medicines and recent revelations that the drugs can lead to increased suicidalitythe suicidal thoughts and actions that accompany depression.Still, demand is high and the rate of depression in young people is substantial. The Center for Mental Health Services, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, found in a 1999 study that 6.5% of people aged 18-24 have major depression, yet fewer than 25% of those diagnosed will seek professional treatmentthose who do will likely end up on antidepressants.While much about the treatment of depression remains a mystery, information about the illness in children and adolescents is even cloudier. Carol Glod, a local expert on depression and associate professor at the Bouve College of Nursing at Northeastern University, says the only solution is to conduct more research.You have to do something for the person that has depression and, without the research, we dont know what works, she says.