ANTIDEPRESSANTS IN CHILDREN!
Depression is a disease that afflicts the human psyche in such a way that the afflicted tends to act and react abnormally toward others and themselves. Depression in the adoloscents is greatly underdiagnosed and leads to serious difficulties in school, work and personal adjustment, which may often continue into adulthood. It is often described as "an exaggeration of the duration and intensity of normal mood changes" .
Key indicators of adolescent depression include a drastic change in eating and sleeping patterns, significant loss of interest in previous activity interests , constant boredom , disruptive behavior, peer problems, increased irritability and aggression . For many teens, symptoms of depression are directly related to low self -esteem stemming from increased emphasis on peer popularityor getting into relationships before their ages. For other teens, depression arises from poor family relations, which could include decreased family support and perceived rejection by parents .
Depression can lead to suicide.Antidepressants are used to treat people with depression. Antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts or actions in some children and teens. Sometimes we teens sometimes grow sucidal.
Adolescent suicide is now responsible for more deaths in youths aged 15 to 19 than cardiovascular disease or cancer .
Among children, the highest percentage of users was seen in girls and boys ages 15-18. More than 6% of the girls in this age group used antidepressants, as did 4.2% of the boys. If these figures were extrapolated to the entire pediatric population, it would mean that one of every 16 high-school-age girls and one of every 23 high-school-age boys in a country were taking some type of antidepressant.
Until recently, adolescent depression has been largely ignored by health professionals, but now several means of diagnosis and treatment exist. "Although most teenagers can successfully climb the mountain of emotional and psychological obstacles that lie in their paths, there are some who find themselves overwhelmed and full of stress.".With the help of teachers, school counselors, mental health professionals, parents, and other caring adults, the severity of a teen's depression can not only be accurately evaluated, but plans can be made to improve his or her well-being and ability to fully engage life .
-SAINA KOHLI
CLASS 9TH b
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