תרופות לדכאון-לא הלעלות

מומחים מזהירים מפני מתן תרופות לילדים ואנשים צעירים הסובלים מדכאון.

'המוסד הלאומי לבריאות ומצויינות רפואית' בבריטניה קבע כי תרופות צריכות להנתן רק במקרים מתונים או חמורים.

לדבריהם, יש להציע לאנשים קודם כל סדרה של טיפולים פסיכולוגיים לפחות למשך שלושה חודשים.

Campaigners say this not happening as therapists are in short supply.

Research by the charity Sane found over 80% of young people with depression are given medication and only 6% any form of psychiatric therapy.

DEPRESSION IN THE YOUNG
Around 1% of children and 3% of adolescents suffer from depression in any one year
A national survey found 10% of five to 15-year-olds had a mental disorder, and 4% had an emotional disorder, such as depression
More than 40,000 children and adolescents use anti-depressants in the UK
Around 10% of young people with depression recover spontaneously within three months
However, up to 30% remain clinically depressed after two years

'I had to battle for help'

The NICE guidance stressed drugs should only be offered in tandem with, and not instead of, therapy.

Most of a class of anti-depressants called SSRIs have already been barred from use in young people in the UK over concerns of a heightened risk of suicide.

NICE also warned many young people with depression are not being diagnosed - putting them at increased risk of self-harm and suicide.

It said healthcare professionals in primary care, schools and other relevant community settings should be trained to detect symptoms of depression, and to assess children and young people who may be at risk.

And the guidance emphasised that in some cases parents' psychiatric problems need to be treated in parallel if a young person's mental health is to improve.

See your doctor

Andrew Dillon, NICE chief executive, said: "Psychological treatments are the most effective way to treat depression in children and young people.

"It is important that children and young people taking anti-depressants do not stop taking them abruptly, but we would advise people to talk to their GP at their next regular review about whether a psychological treatment may be a more effective treatment option."

Dr Tim Kendall, of the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, said the evidence supporting the effectiveness of psychological therapies was "robust".

He said: "It is vital that the NHS provides psychological therapies to ensure everyone who needs these treatments can access them rapidly."

However, Dinah Morley of the charity YoungMinds said there was a significant shortage of practitioners able to offer psychological therapies.

There was also a general lack of awareness of the prevalence of depression in the young.

"Too many children's lives are blighted by depression, a condition for which there are effective treatments," she said.

"We look to increasing investment in services which support the mental health of children and young people and to improvements in the training of all practitioners working with children, to help them in identifying symptoms of depression and in seeking effective help."

Government response

The Department of Health described the NICE recommendations as "thorough and comprehensive".

Professor Louis Appleby, National Director for Mental Health, said more than £300m was being invested in child and adolescent mental health services.

"We know that not everyone who needs treatment is able to access it easily or quickly and expertise and services are not equally distributed around the country.

"These resources are going towards providing more staff, better services and faster and easier access to those services around the country."

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BBC NEWS:VIDEO AND AUDIO
A mother talks about the impact of depression

SEE ALSO:
Teen depression on the increase
03 Aug 04 | Health
Girls' teenage years 'a misery'
24 Feb 05 | UK
Parents fear depression in young
06 Oct 04 | Health
Prozac raises child suicide risk
14 Sep 04 | Health

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
YoungMinds
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
Department of Health
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

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