Adolescent Antidepressant Prescriptions Surge Amidst COVID-19 Fallout

From 2016 to 2022, there has been an increase in dispensing antidepressants to adolescents and young adults. However, the rate of increase was 63.5% faster after the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a study published in Pediatrics.

A significant and concerning trend of increasing mental health disorders among children and adolescents is highlighted by dramatic rises in anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. Suicide is a leading cause of death for young people in the United States, prompting the American Academy of Pediatrics to declare a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health in 2021. Factors such as social and family dynamics, as well as the impact of social media, are implicated in this crisis. The gender disparity in antidepressant prescriptions among adolescents widened after March 2020, with a surge in prescriptions for females and a significant drop for males.

“This divergence may be partially explained by the different ways in which boys and girls are raised, influencing their behavioral expressions of emotional distress,” wrote corresponding author Arwa Nasir, MBBS, MS, MPH, University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska, and coauthor in a commentary on this issue of Pediatrics.

Cultural and socialization factors may influence these trends, pointing out the need for further research into how mental health disorders are identified and treated in males and females differently.

The adoption of telemedicine during the pandemic is another factor that may have affected antidepressant prescribing patterns, particularly among males. The commentary authors call for more research into how telehealth has impacted the diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues in young adults.

Understanding the underlying causes contributing to the rise in mental health disorders and the increasing prescriptions for antidepressants among the youth is essential. A proactive and comprehensive strategy for the prevention and early detection of mental health issues is necessary, moving away from an over-reliance on psychoactive medications, which may signal a failure to address the root causes. In advocating for a comprehensive approach to children's health, one must draw upon the foundational principles of pediatric care, such as advocacy, equity, prevention, and early intervention. Innovative solutions are needed to effectively address the ongoing mental health crisis in young people. “We need a groundbreaking initiative that transcends the confines of our present thinking and practice to reconceptualize the way we approach mental health for the patients and families in our care,” concluded the authors.

References

Chua KP, Volerman A, Zhang J, Hua J, Conti RM. Antidepressant dispensing to US adolescents and young adults: 2016-2022. Pediatrics. doi:10.1542/peds.2023-064245

Nasir AK, Nasir LS. Antidepressant prescriptions and mental health. Pediatrics. doi:10.1542/peds.2023-064677