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Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts

theguardian.com

241–250 of 561 posts

Re: Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts

#241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> my 7-year-old son just started half that dose This is horrifying.

We had/have a lot of reservations about it too, and discussed it at length with our pediatrician over months of observation. We decided what was more horrifying was hearing a 7-year-old — who has supportive family and friends, good health, no traumatic events, no major life changes going on, never worries where food/shelter is coming from — say he feels like "he shouldn't be on Earth anymore" and suddenly react with…

I was one of those “medicating kids is a terrible idea” people, until I had kids with severe generalised anxiety. It took a lot to convince me to try it, but it made their lives better in such an obvious, immediate way. The whole experience made me a lot more humble about opinions I hold without relevant experience.

Re: Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts

#242

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, us too. Beats us. Sure wasn't around our house, and we can't imagine any family/friends/TV/whatever he may have learned it from.

[flagged]

> Depression is caused by laziness and anxiety by hopelessness.

I wish this were true, but its not even close. I wonder how your kids will react when they move away, and you're not around to police their emotional expression. If they're like me, they will promptly collapse into paralysis and self-destruction.

I strongly suggest that you frequently give your kids long stretches of time (months) to practice regulating themselves, without your interference.

And if they have anxiety or depression, please let them see a professional. If my parents had noticed the signs earlier, they would have saved me decades of pain.

Re: Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts

#244

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd be more interested in where your 7-year-old even learned phrases like "I feel like I shouldn't be on Earth anymore."

Come on, 7 year olds should have already learned to form phrases.

No, you see, this phrase must have appeared in his training set.

Re: Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts

#245

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, us too. Beats us. Sure wasn't around our house, and we can't imagine any family/friends/TV/whatever he may have learned it from.

[flagged]

> Depression is caused by laziness [...]. My kids know that they aren't permitted to be lazy.

Do you really believe this, or do you believe your children aren't depressed? Your comment is not in accordance with science. Depression is a complex topic. I'm having trouble imagining a way to be more wrong. Is this satire?

Re: Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts

#246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> my 7-year-old son just started half that dose This is horrifying.

You don't understand what having extreme anxiety at that age feels like. As someone who lived through that, I refuse to let him. All of memories of school are just feeling anxious about everything, just tight and suffocated, always in a panic. I started living when I started taking anxiety pills at 39 years old, and I can see my 2 year old having the exact same anxiety ticks and fits I have. I don't know at what age…

I'm sorry that you're dealing with this - it was my greatest fear at that point. That my daughter seems to not have my disposition and seems happy go lucky is the greatest thing ever. There's no rhyme or reason to my depression and anxiety, it's completely maladaptive and I'm relieved, that knock on wood, she stays happy and light while not having to shield herself from the horrors of the world.

Re: Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts

#247

[flagged]

Every medication can have severe and permanent side effects, the question is how often that occurs for a particular drug, and how that stacks up against the quality-of-life improvement from taking that drug.

Re: Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts

#249

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

> Depression is caused by laziness [...]. My kids know that they aren't permitted to be lazy. Do you really believe this, or do you believe your children aren't depressed? Your comment is not in accordance with science. Depression is a complex topic. I'm having trouble imagining a way to be more wrong. Is this satire?

[flagged]

Re: Prozac 'no better than placebo' for treating children with depression, experts

#250
post #247

[flagged]

Every medication can have severe and permanent side effects, the question is how often that occurs for a particular drug, and how that stacks up against the quality-of-life improvement from taking that drug.

And whether patients are properly informed of the risks (I was not)
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