According to Pediatrics, “mental health worsened in adolescents and young adults after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in March 2020.” The worsened mental health of individuals has increased antidepressants prescription, which jumped 130% faster than it normally does.
The increase in antidepressant prescriptions is most likely not a straightforward cause-and-effect of COVID, but rather a combination of events triggered by the pandemic, which we will explore in this article.
Possible Reasons For The Increase In Prescription
Trying to comprehend the increase in antidepressant prescriptions is similar to trying to figure out why your favorite restaurant suddenly becomes extremely popular. It’s not only that they started providing better food or that everyone found out about it at once. Typically, a variety of events occur simultaneously.
So, the increase in antidepressant prescriptions during COVID isn’t only due to the virus making people sad. It’s more of a perfect storm of causes.
Increased mental health strain: Lockdowns made life difficult, as I can attest. People were stuck at home, missing out on socializing and recreational activities. The fact that individuals had to worry about getting sick was not exactly a mood lifter. It was truly a terrible period for everyone.
Increased recognition of mental health conditions: Nowadays, there are only a handful of mediums that generate a space in the mind for the constant brewing of anxiety. For example, social media allows for comparison, which can lead to anxiety. Young people may also be experiencing increased anxiety or depression as a result of school stress, peer pressure, and uncertainty about the future.
Limited access to alternative treatments: While therapy is becoming more widely known, it can still be costly and difficult to get into. So, taking a medication may appear to be a quicker and easier solution. Some schools may not have the resources to assist students with their mental health, nor are they addressing the issue of stressed mental health, thus medication may be the only option in some situations.
Is The Use Of Antidepressants A Cause For Concern?
Yes, it is a source of concern, but it is not a clear-cut issue. Antidepressants can be quite helpful in treating symptoms of depression and anxiety, considerably improving a young person’s quality of life. Given how severe depression can be, antidepressants can be a valuable aid in reducing self-harm or suicide ideation.
However, while antidepressants do have some benefits, there is concern that they can be exploited as a fast cure rather than addressing underlying reasons or investigating alternative therapies such as talk therapy. Antidepressants, like any other prescription, can cause adverse effects, some of which are especially problematic for young individuals, such as growth delays or an increased risk of self-harm in the early stages.
What Can Be Done?
The entire society, including policymakers, healthcare professionals, educators, parents, and everyone else involved in supporting young people’s mental well-being, needs to do more research to truly understand what’s going on with their mental health and determine the best ways to help them.
They should ensure that therapy is accessible and affordable so that everyone can get the help they need. Finally, working together to teach young people how to deal with stress in healthy ways and to establish strong support systems will help them grow stronger.
Conclusion
There is no one-size-fits-all solution for addressing mental health difficulties in adolescents. It is a complex combination of research, treatment, and teaching good coping strategies. This allows us to develop a comprehensive strategy for effectively supporting young people’s mental health.
