The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Five-year-olds on antidepressants
Warnings over young people in crisis
Children as young as five are being prescribed antidepressant drugs in Tayside amid warnings of an increasing number of young people reaching mental health crisis.
The region recorded a 15% increase in prescriptions of antidepressants to youngsters aged 10 to 17, while at least four who were under the age of 10 were also given the medication.
Toni Giugliano, policy manager at the Mental Health Foundation Scotland, said the figures highlight the extent to which more young people are struggling.
He said: “The figures are worrying but sadly, not surprising. We need to do more to identify and tackle the root causes, and create emotionally healthy school environments where young people are taught how to manage stressful situations.”
The sharpest rise was seen among 17-year-olds, where prescriptions increased from 289 in 2016-17 to 367 in 2017-18.
NHS Tayside said it “works collaboratively with all partners to optimise outcomes for children and young people in Tayside”.
A leading mental health charity has warned an increasing number of young people are reaching crisis, amid a sharp rise in the rate of antidepressants being prescribed to Tayside’s teenagers.
Figures obtained via a Freedom of Information request reveal prescriptions of antidepressant drugs to youngsters aged 10-17 in the region increased by 15% last year, with most handed out to those aged 13 and older.
The sharpest rise was seen among 17-year-olds, where prescriptions increased from 289 in 2016-17 to 367 in 2017-18. Children as young as five, and at least four under the age of 10, were also given the drugs last year.
NHS Tayside stressed the number of prescribed antidepressants should not be used to infer a rise in the number of patients with depression and said the medication can be used for a wide range of conditions, including pain and bedwetting.
However, mental health campaigners have expressed concern at the figures and insist they show more young people in the region are struggling with their mental health.
Toni Giugliano, policy manager at the Mental Health Foundation Scotland, said: “The numbers are worrying but, sadly, not surprising. We have been told by a significant number of young people that accessing services can be incredibly difficult. We believe that there is a mental health epidemic among young people in Tayside.”
Brook Marshall, founder of the Dundee charity Feeling Strong, which supports young people living with mental health problems, said he was concerned antidepressants could be being used as a “stopgap” for patients left waiting on specialist treatment.
An NHS Tayside spokeswoman said: “We work collaboratively with all partners to optimise outcomes for children and young people in Tayside, particularly through the Tayside Plan for Children, Young People & Families.”
“The numbers are, sadly, not surprising. TONI GIUGLIANO