Treatments for Depressed Teenagers or Children
Antidepressants & Therapy Combine to Effectively Treat Depression
Oct 6, 2007
The most effective way to treat depression in teenagers or children is a combination of antidepressants and talk therapy, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
“Combination therapy” is a two-pronged approach to dealing with depression, using both antidepressants and talk therapy. It’s especially useful for teenagers and children (and adults) resistant to either medication or therapy. People with depression are more likely to stick with combination therapy until their depressed feelings are under control.
“Depression in teens is a serious illness that can and should be treated aggressively,” said Dr Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health. “[This study] provides compelling evidence for families and clinicians that the most effective way to treat depression in teens is with a two-pronged approach. It reassures us that antidepressant medication combined with psychotherapy is an effective and safe way to help teens recover from this disabling illness.”
Antidepressants and Teen Depression
Antidepressants can quickly reduce the physical signs of depression, such as fatigue and confused thinking. As long as they’re closely monitored by doctors, antidepressants are effective in treating teen depression.
However, some antidepressants have been found to increase thoughts of suicide in teens with depression. Though antidepressants can speed recovery, they may have unsavory side effects – which is why talk therapy is valuable.
Talk Therapy and Teen Depression
Talk therapy helps teens with depression learn new ways of coping with difficult situations and negative emotions. It gives depressed teens a “safe place” to talk about feelings of despondency, worthlessness or isolation. Talk therapy can teach important, healthy life skills that extend beyond antidepressants.
A different study by The Johns Hopkins Children’s Center found that talk therapy alone was no more effective in treating teen depression than placebos. In their research of combination therapy, the two-pronged approach of talk therapy and antidepressants was most successful in treating teen depression, followed by antidepressants alone. Talk therapy alone was least effective in treating teen depression.
Combination Therapy and Teen Depression
If depressed teens are vulnerable to thoughts of suicide due to antidepressants, then talk therapy can help. However, be aware that different types of antidepressant medications affect individuals in different ways - and so does talk therapy. An effective treatment for depression for one may be ineffective in another.
Combination Therapy and Adult Depression
Adults struggling with chronic forms of major depression also benefit from combination therapy, for the same reasons. Doctors at Brown University found effective treatments for depression include combining antidepressants and talk therapy – but they caution that results do depend on the type of antidepressant taken.
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