Faced with long waiting lists in psychiatric care, general practitioners are increasingly prescribing antidepressants to young people In 2022, the consumption of antidepressants among young people aged 12 to 18 had increased by more than 60% compared to 2018. The news that ever more teenagers are on antidepressants appears in the daily ‘De Morgen’. The paper’s article is based on figures from the Independent Health Mutuals. Long waiting lists for access to psychiatric care have led to more and more GPs having to resort to prescribing antidepressant to young people as a stopgap measure.
Marina Danckaerts, a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at Leuven University (KUL) says that the prescription of antidepressants is “Only appropriate in cases of serious psychiatric disorders”.
Last year the consumption of antidepressants among young people aged 12 to 18 was up by more than 60% compared to 2018. The figures come from the Independent Health Mutuals and are based on data from its more than 2 million members. Meanwhile, among 19-24 year olds, consumption increased by almost 40%. For antipsychotic medication, the increase is more than 30% and 25%, respectively.
There are several reasons for the increase. A major factor was the COVID-19 pandemic. The Independent Health Mutuals’ Liesbeth Roelandt explains that "The impact of the lockdowns on young people’s mental health has been significant. But by the same token young people are also increasingly receiving the message that we need to talk about mental health issues and that's what they are doing. So the number requests for help is increasing”.As a result of this waiting lists have grown and psychiatric health services cannot respond immediately to all the requests for help.
“Young people sometimes have to wait more than six months. Therefore, GPs are prescribing them antidepressants while they wait", Ms Roelandt said.
Antidepressants are only suitable for severe cases
Speaking on VRT Radio 1’s morning news and current affairs programme ‘De ochtend’, the Leuven University professor of child and adolescent psychiatry Marina Danckaerts stressed that taking antidepressants is not always the best solution. "There are clear guidelines on the use of antidepressants. Research shows that they are not as effective for those with mild issues."
Nevertheless, she understands why GPs prescribe them. "The GP is usually the first person faced with the request for help. He or she wants to offer help, but also knows that there are waiting lists. However, even in this case, it is better not to prescribe antidepressants. Professor Danckaerts notes that although waiting lists have increased the situation with regard to primary psychological care provision is gradually improving and such provision has become more accessible.
A reflection of society
But how can we give young people a glimmer of hope in a society facing so many big issues? According to Marina Danckaerts, this is a social question to which there is no simple answer.
“You need to be able to count on adults around you to manage the situation in a reassuring manner and that tell youngsters that “feeling depressed is part of life”. Managing difficult emotions is something that young people would rather learn from their parents, but this is not always possible, because they too find themselves facing greater insecurity these days”.
This is something confirmed by data on the number of adults taking antidepressants. The percentage of adults in Belgium that are on antidepressants has increased from just over 9% in 2018 to more than 10% in 2022. "Children and young people are a reflection of society. If we do not provide them with an example of how to manage insecurities, things will be all the more difficult for them."
Managing difficult emotions can be taught in therapy. But this takes time Professor Danckaerts stresses. The same goes for getting people off antidepressants once they have started taking them.