Consumption of antidepressants is on the rise among young Quebecers, particularly among those aged 14 and under, for whom the increase has reached 28% over the past two years.
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More and more children are being prescribed antidepressants and the situation is of concern to experts and school workers.
The phenomenon particularly affects boys aged 9 and under, and girls from the age of 10.
“Elementary school kids taking Prozac…I’ve never seen that before,” says Charles Harvey, who has been a school psychologist for 30 years.
In the school system, many stakeholders have noted an increase in mental health problems among young people this fall, described as “never seen” by many.
For anxiety disorders
Antidepressants can be used to treat depression, but in children they are mostly used to treat anxiety disorders, says pediatrician Pierre-C. Poulin.
These prescriptions rest more and more on the shoulders of family doctors and pediatricians since child psychiatrists are overwhelmed, adds Valérie Labbé, who practices pediatrics on the South Shore of Quebec.
Courtesy picture
Valérie Labbé, Pediatrician
“It’s new, there are so many that we also prescribe them,” she says.
Training is now offered by child psychiatrists to guide them in this process.
Doctors prescribe it in the absence of psychosocial services or to treat very severe cases, adds Dr. Labbé.
“There are some who become so dysfunctional, they are no longer able to go to school, they no longer eat. When they are so bad, they are not able to function and it leads them into a vicious circle. We want to try to restart the spiral on the other side. Even if we know that’s not necessarily what we should do, we try to relieve them a little so that they can put their heads above water, ”she explains.
Excacerated by the pandemic
In the school network, many stakeholders are noticing an increase in anxiety problems among their students.
The phenomenon was already on the rise before the pandemic, but it has been exacerbated for almost two years by the uncertainty and upheaval caused by the health crisis, according to many.
Up for two years
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Reference-www.journaldequebec.com