“Rapid Increase in Antidepressant Use Among Young People During and After COVID-19 Pandemic, Study Finds”

Rapid Increase in Antidepressant Use Among Young People During and After COVID-19 Pandemic, Study Finds

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the mental health of young people, with a new study revealing a significant increase in the use of antidepressants among this demographic. The research, published in the journal Pediatrics on February 26, highlights the alarming trend that was already on the rise prior to March 2020 but was accelerated by the pandemic.

The study, conducted by Kao Ping Chua, M.D., PhD, a pediatrician and researcher at the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, utilized data from the IQVIA Longitudinal Prescription Database, which compiles prescription information from most U.S. retail pharmacies. The findings revealed that the rate of antidepressant dispensing to adolescents and young adults was increasing rapidly even before the pandemic, but it increased nearly 64% faster afterward.

Interestingly, the study found that teen girls and young women were entirely responsible for the increase in antidepressant prescriptions. Among female adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, the antidepressant dispensing rate increased 130% faster after March 2020 than before. For female young adults aged 18 to 25 years, the rate increased by 57% faster. In contrast, young males saw a decrease or minimal change in antidepressant prescriptions, despite studies suggesting that their mental health worsened during the pandemic.

Dr. Chua expressed concern over the decline in antidepressant dispensing to male adolescents, suggesting that it may reflect underdiagnosis and undertreatment of mental health concerns among this group. Marlene McDermott, LMFT, PhD, a licensed marriage and family therapist, believes that the increase in antidepressant use is likely due to greater access to mental health care, allowing more teenagers to seek treatment that they may have always needed.

While some experts see the increase in antidepressant use as a positive outcome of the pandemic, indicating a destigmatization of mental health treatment, others raise concerns about the long-term implications. Dr. Marissa Stridiron, a medical director of acute care at Array Behavioral Care, points out that there was a significant increase in children and adolescents in crisis coming into emergency rooms during the pandemic. Factors such as social isolation, cyberbullying, and reduced access to school-based therapeutic options contributed to this rise.

Although crisis visits have decreased as the pandemic has subsided, they still remain higher than pre-pandemic levels. Dr. Stridiron believes that increased media attention and earlier interventions in outpatient settings have played a role in capturing more patients and initiating treatments earlier, thus reducing or preventing crises.

The study’s author, Dr. Chua, acknowledges that one limitation of the research is its inability to directly evaluate why antidepressant use changed so dramatically during the pandemic. However, based on the findings, the researchers emphasize the need for increased access to antidepressant medications and further investigation into these trends.

In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health of young people, leading to a rapid increase in the use of antidepressants among this population. While some experts view this as a positive development, indicating improved access to mental health care, others express concerns about the underlying causes and long-term implications. It is crucial for adolescents and young adults experiencing mental health symptoms to seek medical attention and for parents to encourage them to do so.