Psychiatrists have prescribed the world’s best-known antidepressant, and similar competitors, to their youngest patients for years, despite a shortage of studies proving they work in children. But now the Food and Drug Administration declared that there’s finally proof that Prozac alleviates depression in children 8 years and older, the first drug among the newer antidepressants, which boost the mood regulator serotonin, to win such approval.:dubious:
What would be some good ad slogans to hit the young parent demo here?
“When they absolutely, positively need to be good RIGHT NOW!”
“When mommy and daddy need some quiet time together.”
“When you can’t get a babysitter and the DVD is broken.”
VirgoWitch, clinical depression is a serious illness which can kill those who suffer from it. It does occur in children, and Prozac is effective for some who suffer from depression. Quite frankly, I’d much rather see parents attempt to treat their children’s depression rather than just saying “Oh, cheer up.” The latter doesn’t tend to be all that effective a treatment.
I have known kids under 8 to attempt suicide because life feels too black to continue. I have also worked with many depressed adults who have no happy memories of all due to constant depression all of their lives.
Prozac will do none of those things you are suggesting. Unfortunately it also can’t grow you a clue or I would suggest a prescription.
And a depressed kid is likely to be quiet and passive already, so giving them prozac is not going to give the parents and 'quiettime" or help the them be “good”. I am a bit worried about the practice of using drugs that have not been tested for use with children on children, but that doesn’t mean that any drug so prescribed is bad, and children with illnesses deserve medical help just as much as adults.
There’s no shortage of evidence that they work. There’s shortage of evidence that they are safe used longterm in children.
Virgowitch what do you know about kids and depression? Kids and OCD? Kids and agoraphobia? Any professional or personal experience here? Any idea what a nightmare it can be making the choice to medicate a 7 yo with zoloft? It wasn’t about my kid being good and it certainly wasn’t about time with my partner. We couldn’t leave him with a babysitter even on zoloft. But SSRIs are preferable to a dead kid or to a kid who spends 6 hours a day washing their hands and who is rapidly becoming incapable of leaving the house.
I don’t know that I am certain that SSRIs are safe for kids – I do know that at least my kid is live and functioning.
Depressed children can spend all their time in a room. They don’t need a DVD. They give lots of quiet time. They may not be good, but they don’t have the energy to be bad.
I think Virgowitch is confusing depression with hyperactivity, which is really really dumb. It’s like confusing Adam Sandler with Eminem – they’re both children but that’s all they have in common.
I was severely depressed from the age of 7 on. As an adult, I was diagnosed with clinical depression and received medication. Hindsight tells me I probably would have benefited from medication at a much earlier age.
Virgowich, your insensitivity and ignorance astound me. Depression has its funny facets; I make jokes about it sometimes myself. But the official approval of a treatment that has the potential to drastically improve and even save lives is news to celebrate, not mock.
Virgowitch, in answer to your OP, how’s this for an ad line:
“It’s time to become productive and non-suicidal with Prozac”?
Because that’s what it’s done for my 15 year old, who struggled with depression for over a year and even spent time in a mental hospital before being diagnosed. Yes, hubby and I decided to let the docs put her on Pozac, not because we needed “down time”, but because we were a wee bit tired of all those pesky trips to the ER, like when she tried to kill herself by swallowing 42 cold pills, or the trips to have her drug tested because she was trying to self-medicate with pot and Adderall.:rolleyes:
I wold be willing to bet money that your tone and your OP are offensive to a lot more people than just me and the others who have checked in to say so! It would be nice if you could be a little more considerate and thoughtful in the future.
And here I’d thought people were over the old habit of using “Prozac” in place of “Valium” in the still-offensive “Oh go take a Valium already” smart remark.
How about this for a slogan:
“For when feeling like you’d rather die in your sleep is finally too unbearable to continue with.”
Overmedication is a concern, but geez, please learn about what Prozac and depression do.