Overdosing Adolescents

I will spare you the details on this story, largely because I am not remotely qualified to examine them. And yet, this New York Times story ought to be a wake-up call for psychiatry. 

The gist is that psychiatrists have been prescribing a multitude of medications for adolescents. They are offering too many drugs, without knowing the long term effects, creating drug interactions they do not understand. It's better than dealing with the problems these children are experiencing:

Psychiatrists and other clinicians emphasize that psychiatric drugs, properly prescribed, can be vital in stabilizing adolescents and saving the lives of suicidal teens. But, these experts caution, such medications are too readily doled out, often as an easy alternative to therapy that families cannot afford or find, or aren’t interested in.

Let’s be serious here. Most of the therapy on offer today is not very effective. That is the ultimate scandal of more than a century’s worth of talk therapy.

I will note that the Times also reported that a form of cognitive therapy, called dialectical behavioral therapy, has been shown to be the most effective-- some would say, the only treatment for suicidal teens. I cannot tell you how readily it is available, but I suspect that it is the exception more than the rule.

The Times continues, exposing the irresponsible behavior of credentialed psychiatrists. It is reporting a study done by a journal called, Frontiers of Psychiatry. This means that within the profession alarm bells are ringing.

These drugs, generally intended for short-term use, are sometimes prescribed for years, even though they can have severe side effects — including psychotic episodes, suicidal behavior, weight gain and interference with reproductive development, according to a recent study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry.

As for the science, what science? The drugs are not approved for young adolescents. No one knows what happens long term to the developing brain. Way to go, science.

Moreover, many psychiatric drugs commonly prescribed to adolescents are not approved for people under 18. And they are being prescribed in combinations that have not been studied for safety or for their long-term impact on the developing brain.

If you are interested in the details, I recommend the whole thing.