An Associated Press article has reported on how antidepressants have a positive effect on children and adolescents. The upside? No suicides.
Antidepressants used: Paxil, Celexa, Zoloft, Lexapro, Prozac, Serzone, Remeron.
Dr. David Brent from the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine is a flat-out idiot:
‘‘The medications are safe and effective and should be considered as an important part of treatment. The benefits seem favorable compared to the small risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior.’’
Screw you, Dr. Brent for not taking meds and taking money from drug companies (probably to fund research studies). All meds listed above – Paxil, namely – have side/withdrawal effects strong enough to fuck an adult up, let alone a developing child. Sure, I recommend alcohol for kids: It’s safe, effective, and the benefits are favorable compared to the small risk of alcoholism and drunk driving.
The prestigious Duke University has a smarter and cautious doctor, Dr. John March, chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center.
“He said the suicidal behavior risk, although lower than found by the FDA, demands that doctors and families watch for warning signs.
‘You can’t treat kids with these drugs without taking this information into account,’ said March, who was not involved in the study, but does similar research. ‘You can’t say, ‘Take these and call me in six weeks.’ You have to monitor carefully the benefits and adverse events.’
An addendum: “The study was supported by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.”
Talk amongst yourselves.
depression introspection 
Paxis great for kids
Hi Marissa, I stumbled accross your website after googling “christian & depression”. I am 25 years old born again Christian (of 9 months) female from Sydney, Australia, and also just been diagnosed with depression and it may be a part of either Bipolar or Borderline personality disiorder. Apparently too early to diagnose. I have been ‘dealing’ with depression unmedicated and undiagnosed since I hit puberty. Funnily enough I did not have depression for 8 months after being saved. I was normal and accomplished everything I set out to acheive. I have re-read my journal entries for that period and can’t believe all those positive outlook and deep revelations were actually written by me! I also don’t understand why the depression has returned with avengance (it’s severely impeding my study and work), but only good can come from this. Now I know how it feels to have a mental illness, and also how little funding is given to mental health organisation, and the unreasonable stigma attached. I also made decision today (before I saw this website) help others experiencing this, by sharing my journey, my research and hope others won’t feel so alone and confused, if they can relate to my experiences. Thank you for all your hard work (it shows) and I will be reading your past entries as well as doing my own research and praying. Blessings, Tabby (not my real name either).
Hi Tabby,
I’ll probably try to also e-mail you (I can’t access personal e-mail at work), but I want to let you know that I’ve been where you are!
Here’s a moment of shameless self-promotion here: https://depressionintrospection.wordpress.com/2006/07/religion.html
I had a short-lived victory over depression myself when I first came to Christ. I was disappointed, angry, and hurt. I thought Jesus was supposed to save me from my depression. But I realize that isn’t his purpose. He didn’t come to make our sinful lives better; he came to redeem ourselves and to gain power over death. He came to save us from eternal damnation. In all honesty, I’d rather live a small piece of hell on this side of life than for all eternity.
You should begin a blog of your own experiences and thoughts. You’ll find it’s quite cathartic (as I have!). If you do, let me know; I’d love to read it. There is a lack of mental health blogs from a Christian perspective. Perhaps you too can encourage a Christian struggling with these debilitating disorders.
Best to you, Tabby.
~ Marissa
Thanks Marissa.
I will keep you posted by shamelessly plugging my blog when it’s up and running
🙂
Tabby
Anxiety Childhood Depression
daniel pine, chief of child and adolescent research at the national institute of mental hea