Antidepressants and young people

From 2008 to 2018, the prescription of antidepressants in young people grew by 66 per cent. There’s data to suggest that last year, among the lockdowns and anxiety of the pandemic, that figure ticked even higher. In last week’s episode we looked at how the mental health of teenagers fared through the first year of the coronavirus pandemic. This week, another big issue among teenagers and young people - antidepressant medications. We hear from young people themselves about their mental health journeys, what it’s like to be on anti-depressants and their hopes for the future. And we cover the findings from a major review into antidepressant use in young people.