Antidepressants in adolescence

In adolescence, antidepressants are second-line treatment options after psychological therapy for anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder. They may be first- or second-line options for severe cases of major depressive disorder. The response to antidepressant treatment is generally good for anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder, but is less convincing for major depressive disorder. Adolescents who do not respond to an adequate trial of one antidepressant should be referred for a psychiatric opinion. Patients must be monitored for rare but serious adverse effects. These include suicide-related behaviours, switching to mania, and serotonin syndrome.