Elizabeth Vaughn

Graduation Project Research Paper

26 May 2017

Antidepressant Drugs and Children

Some days, 24 hours is too much to stay put in, so I take the day hour by hour, moment by moment. I

break the task, the challenge, the fear into small, bite-size pieces. I can handle a piece of fear, depression, anger,

pain, sadness, loneliness, illness. I actually put my hands up to my face, one next to each eye, like blinders on a

horse. These are the words quoted from a teenageer who battles depression. About 5 percent of children and

adolescents in the general population suffer from depression at any given time, children under depression

experience loss or who have attentional, learning , conduct , or anxiety, disorders are at a higher risk for

depression , children with mental illness like depression are more likely to be miserable experience body pains

and also headaches. Even though some people believe antidepressant drugs can improve their quality of

life, antidepressants should not be prescribed for children suffering from depression because

antidepressants can lead to suicide, antidepressants are ineffective, and antidepressants can have negative

long term side effects.

The severity of depression was even highlighted on the popular television show, Empire. On the show

there is a character, Hakiem, who suffered from depression due to his past. Throughout the season he used

medications to treat the depression, but had different reactions to medicines. This show demonstrated one way

depression reveals itself. According to the online Merriam-Webster dictionary, depression is defined as a state

of feeling sad : dejection anger, anxiety, and depression (2) : a mood disorder marked especially by sadness,

inactivity, difficulty in thinking and concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent

sleeping, feelings of dejection and hopelessness, and sometimes suicidal tendencies In other words, depression

is the feeling of severe despondency and dejection. Different types of depression includes: Bipolar Disorder,

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Psychotic Depression, Peripartum (Postpartum) Depression, Premenstrual

Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), and 'Situational' Depression.

 According to the National Alliance a mental depression a person with a mental illness has loss his or

her ability to think feel or experience limited happiness and have mood swings. Children that experience

mental illness are often labeled as having ADHD, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and most commonly

depression. There are many causes of mental illness in a persons life that can and will lead him or her to having

this illness known as depression. There are reasons why a people suffer with depression often the reason maybe

beyond their control. Reasons such as physical abuse, sexual abuse or emotional abuse. Conflicts in life could

also cause depression (i.e. having issues in the family). Depression is also associating with death and loss,

which can lead to this very sad illness. Some would even say that depression is a genetic disorder that many

parents suffer with and pass the trait onto their children. Depression in the family has been contributed to gene

disorder. Even though some people believe antidepressants drugs can improve their quality of life.

Antidepressants should not be prescribed for children suffering from depression because antidepressants can

lead to suicide, antidepressant are ineffective and antidepressants can have a negative long term side effects.

Many people believe that depression is often caused by a chemical imbalances in the brain. However

according to an article in the Mental Health in American It is not unusual for young people to experience the

blues or feel down in the dumps occasional. Adolescence is always an unsettling time, with the many physical,

emotional, psychological and social changes that accompany this stage of life. This is what lead young people

to depression not be able to deal with life problems and not having anyone to talk to about the changes that one

will experience and it leads to mental break down which will cause depression. This further causes people to act

in a manner that is not appropriate and to become a loner, thus not being very sociable because they are

confused.

Depression is growing in our society at an alarming rate, this is due to not being able to express your

feeling or having someone to talk to about what and why you feel the way you do. Often, teen will not ask for

help because of a lack of trust, or not having the support of a family. Depression will also lead to physical

illness such as diabetes, high blood pressure and stress headaches. Depression can make the conditions listed

above to becoming life threatening.

 Teens also may express their depression through hostile, aggressive, risk-taking behavior. But such

behaviors only lead to new problems, deeper levels of depression and destroyed relationships with friends and

family, law enforcement or school official.

When looking at drugs prescribed for children suffering with depression the side effects seems to out

weight the good. People who take anti-depression medication look and act differently; they walk around in a

daze, they commit crimes like shooting up schools, and they hurt themselves. According to the FDA the side

effect of anti-depression drugs are drowsiness, dizziness, restlessness, weight gain or loss, and the list goes on.

For these reasons, children should have other treatment options before going straight to being prescribed

medication for depression. Treating depression can only be helped when the root of the problem has been found

and when one learns to communicate and talk through his/her feelings.

Anti-depression medication has also caused suicide in young adults. It was stated in the DrugWatch that

what begins as withdrawing from friend and activities and a loss of interest work can escalate to harming

oneself. In clinical trials and public use, there have been cases where antidepressant users have thought about,

attempted or actually committed suicide. For this reason medication for this illness can have a reverse effect.

Depression should be treated by working out ones problems.

Antidepressants should not be prescribed for children suffering from depression because antidepressants

can lead to suicide.Children and depression can lead to many things just the thoughts that people have.

depression can a person feel like the world is on its shoulder nobody would want to go through that

situation.depression is a prevalent and disabling condition resulting in emotional suffering and

social.Depression is based on data indicating significant reductions in depressive symptoms and/or depressive

disorder diagnoses. Depression in children can be triggered by a medical illness, a stressful situation, or the loss

of an important person. Children with behavior problems or anxiety also are more likely to get depressed. ... In

major depression, five or more of these symptoms last for over two weeks, and cause difficulty in everyday

life (Aacap). This prove that Depression can cause a lot of problems Most forms of children depression can be

conquered through professional counseling and therapy. In this case, you and your child will work closely with
a licensed professional who specializes in child counseling. Your child will speak to the counselor on his own

and/or with you in the room so the counselor can identify what your child is feeling and how he can

successfully work through those emotions.

Antidepressants should not be prescribed for children suffering from depression because antidepressants

are ineffective. Antidepressants are ineffective and unsafe for children and teenagers with major depression.

Basically my evidence is about how children that is suffering from depression and the medication that is

provided for them have some side effects. the child's depression remains untreated, the problem is likely to get

worse and to be more difficult to recover from. Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors*: The most serious risk of

depression is suicide. Feelings of hopelessness, isolation and worthless may lead to thoughts of suicide

(lauren),

Antidepressants are one option for treating depression. They help people with moderate and severe

depression. Depression is more than occasionally feeling blue, sad, or down in the dumps, though. Depression is

a strong mood involving sadness, discouragement, despair, or hopelessness that lasts for weeks, months, or even

longer. Depression affects more than a person's mood ( D'Arcy). In the past two decades the efficacy of most

antidepressant treatments has generally been tested in relation to major depression. However, evidence of any

treatment specificity effects is hard to find, despite enormous databases.

In the United States, Prozac was the first of a group of antidepressants called selective serotonin re-

uptake inhibitors that alter the way the brain handles serotonin. In addition to treating depression, they seemed

to make certain people more assertive or less curmudgeonly than they had ever been before

(Quartz).

In conclusion in my opinion i don't think Antidepressants should not be prescribed for children suffering

from depression because antidepressants are ineffective. and it seems that it affects the children mentally and

physically. Antidepressants should not be prescribed for children suffering from depression because

antidepressants can have negative long term side effects. The number of patients who suffer destructive

outcomes may be small, but no medical treatment is without risk. In recent years, the side effects of these drugs,

from sexual dysfunction to suicidal behavior, have received more attention. Drug makers have been instructed
to add warnings about the most serious dangers, particularly the risk of suicide.(

ttp://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/what-are-the-real-risks-of-antidepressants)

As Sanantha Gluck states Some children, but not all, react to problems in their environment with

depression signs and symptoms. Common causes are abuse of all kinds, families that are in chaos, neglect,

poverty, no consistent parent, school, or home, and horrible things like witnessing deaths, finding bodies, losing

parents, etc. Although children who get depressed are more likely to have a stressful life event happen to them

in the year before they get ill, the more important relationship is for children who have multiple stressful events.

This evidence supports my claim because many children in the world suffer from this problem everyday. And

some things we over look some children are in A sad or irritable mood for most of the day. Your child may say

they feel sad or angry or may look more tearful or cranky.

It is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered a guide for making ... signs

and symptoms for at least 2 weeks, you may be suffering from depression: ... In fact, high levels of anxiety as a

child could mean a higher risk. Depression can co-occur with other serious medical illnesses such as ... And

although more women attempt suicide, many more men die by suicide in the United States. ..... It can help you

interpret your environment and interactions in a positive. Antidepressant should not be used because it make

kids sick sometimes it doesn't even help them with them calm down it makes them even more worst and feel

alone in situations.

Even though some people believe antidepressant drugs can improve their quality of life,

antidepressants should not be prescribed for children suffering from depression. Some critics believe that

their children are better off on their medication but not knowing their children become depressed

because they can't interact in different activities , or feel like they're apart sometimes. Antidepressants

should not be use for ANY children. According to Sumathi Reddys article New Research on Treating

Depression, there is a large body of evidence, both observational studies and animal studies, that links diet to

the risk of developing depression and the prevalence of depression, said Felice Jacka, a professor of psychiatric

epidemiology and nutritional psychiatry at Deakin University in Australia and senior researcher on the study.
 As stated in the body of this argumentative paper there are three reasons why children make come

depressed. Children with Depression it is hard for them to make an effort to even do things they really loved to

do , depression can make kids feel negative or have an mood disorder. Children and Depression is based on how

a person feels or thinks some people commit suicide or cry because depression tear them up inside a lot of

things run through there head you wouldn't know how a person feel. I chose this topic because i wanted to get

down into details about depression and why it make people feel the way they do Did you know that over 50

percent people commit suicide from depression? can you believe when have depression its hard for them to

make a effort doing things the use to enjoy make them feel unlovable, worthless & rejected like they shouldn't

be around.

Works Cited

Aacap. Frequently Asked Questions. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2017.

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"Depression." KidsHealth. Ed. D'Arcy Lyness. The Nemours Foundation, Aug. 2016. Web. 24 May

2017.

Commentary. "Antidepressants Dont Just Treat Depressionthey Can Make Us More Sociable, Too." Quartz.
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"Depression." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 May 2017.

Lauren DiMaria - Reviewed by a Board-certified Physician. "The Consequences of Untreated Depression in

Kids Make Treatment Key." Verywell. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2017.

McGinn, Dave. "For Children, Exercise may Help Stave Off Depression." Globe and Mail, 03

Feb, 2017, pp. L.5, SIRS Issues Researcher, https://sks.sirs.com.

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