Children aged 10 and under are among hundreds of young people being given strong antidepressant drugs – in breach of official guidance – that increase the risk of suicide, the Guardian can reveal. The article above certainly shocked me. I wonder what your thoughts are?
Mark
This is shocking, I cannot believe 10 year olds and under are getting prescribed paroxetine or venlafaxine or Evan fluoxetine for that matter, a 10 year old shouldn't know what depression is, I think it's quite sad. What are these Drs thinking and what are the parents/guardians thinking! X
ReplyDeleteI must confess, I’m thinking exactly the same. It’s a very distressing article, but I felt it was important to share the information.
ReplyDeleteShocking indeed but it is less shocking than the number of children self harming and committing suicide. If it helps ease the pain and stress of growing up in the 21st century then so be it. The article mentions that these (SSRI) are mainly used in children with " increased suicidal thoughts". Which means the problem is there already before the prescription. The children have these thoughts and need real help to contain or manage these. It also says there is an " education and social connection" to this extreme measures doctors are having to take. The doctors are left to handle this child who has been handed to them by parents, a school, etc who don't know any other way to help. Children nowadays hardly talk, if you are lucky all you get is a " aha".. So psychological therapy is most probably ineffective and intervention is often required immediately. It's shocking but what choice do doctors have really?
ReplyDeleteCareful and effective aftercare is essential I must say when weaning the children off the antidepressants. That's where the problem lies I think. That's my conclusion which stems from experience.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your carefully thought out reflections Simbi, they have certainly made me think reflectively about this topic.
ReplyDelete