New Study Says Antidepressants May Make Teens More Depressed

There are few things more heartbreaking for a parent than helplessly watching their child suffer from depression. Parents who have a depressed teen endlessly worry for their son or daughter. Typically, these parents feel as though they must act fast in getting their child the necessary treatment they require, and they wouldn't be wrong to think so. Depression is a very severe mental illness that, if left untreated, could result in tragically fatal consequences for the depressed person (especially if that person is an adolescent).

Having said that, It is not uncommon for well-intentioned and loving parents of depressed teens to turn to medication to help their child. And why shouldn't they? As Americans, we live in a pill-popping culture with doctors who are more than happy to write prescriptions for any physical ailment or psychological malady that could negatively affect the human condition.

What Doctors Fail to Tell Parents | The Ugly Truth About Antidepressants

Unfortunately, what these doctors and mental health professionals fail to tell parents, is that more often than not, anti-depressants are ineffective in treating depression. As a matter of fact, in many cases, anti-depressants have been known actually to exacerbate depressive symptoms - especially in teenagers.

What if parents knew the dangerous and often unspoken truths about anti-depressants? Would parents still choose to roll the dice with their child's mental health in hopes the medication they gave their ill child would work in spite of statistical proof that suggests otherwise? Probably not.

Fact: 13 of 14 Anti-Depressants Tested Failed to Relieve Depressive Symptoms In Children

Oxford University recently conducted a study that included 34 clinical trials that involved over 5,000 depressed adolescents from ages 9 -18. Each child took 1 of the 14 antidepressants for an approximate time of eight weeks.

Almost all of the depressants (13) failed to relieve depressed symptoms of the teens. The only drug that provided any relief was none other than Prozac - a highly controversial drug that has also been linked to severe disorders such as homicidal akathisia- Not exactly a hole in one for big Pharma.

As if the findings weren't terrifying enough, another disturbing discovery found that the most popular anti-depressant for treating adolescent depression, Effexor, actually increased suicidal thoughts in teens who took the medication as prescribed.

Antidepressants Linked To Suicide

While the research shined a bright light on the hidden dangers of anti-depressants, the link between depression drugs and increased risk of suicide is not exactly a revelation. In fact, in 2004, FDA issued a black-box warning on the packaging of depression drugs informing the user that in some cases, antidepressants have been associated with an increased risk of suicidal ideation and behaviors in adolescents and young adults.