Best drugs for anxiety and depression?

[Anonymous]

Can anyone make recommendations? My DS has ADHD, cognitive delays, motor and speech delays. He takes meds for his ADHD.

I've heard Zoloft is popular, but have also heard some kids reactive negatively to it and aggression or anxiety increase.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

??? We cannot prescribe a medication over the internet.

Have him see a doctor!

[Anonymous]

This is a question you should be asking your doctor.

[Anonymous]

Please talk to your doctor about this. You seem very nonchalant about the whole thing.

[Anonymous]

Our child's psychiatrist said SSRIs, like Zoloft, are the treatment of choice now for anxiety as well as depression. It is essentially trial and error with SSRIs and they all have different characteristics. You can read about the side effect profile of different meds online. That's what I did and told the psychiatrist which side effects we definitely wanted to avoid and which was our choice and the doctor didn't have a preference as to which one we try first so prescribed the one we picked out. Doctors tend to minimize side effects and to the PPs on this board, it is best to try to inform oneself before dealing with doctors as you and your child are ultimately the ones dealing with the meds and side effects, not the doctor. Doctors can be nonchalant with meds too. Be your own advocate. OP we didn't end up trying the SSRI. Too nervous about the low risk of aggression but someday we may turn to it. I myself tried Zoloft once and it made me jittery. Also beware, SSRIs tend to have discontinuation syndrome and so when going off of them, it should be done very gradually.

[Anonymous]

The best thing you can immediately do, is buy a copy of the current March/April magazine issue of "Scientific American Mind". It's a Special Report Issue on:
How to Raise a Happy Child -
The essential guide to improving kid behavior and resilience.
It addresses anxiety and depression in children in such a way that's very clear and easy to understand. There are also some very good resources. And at $5.95, it's the least expensive thing you'll ever get.

[Anonymous]

Another thing that helps with anxiety and depression I have found it to reduce demands on the child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another thing that helps with anxiety and depression I have found it to reduce demands on the child.

Or the behavior you expect, must be consistant. 100%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another thing that helps with anxiety and depression I have found it to reduce demands on the child.

What kinds of demands have you reduced or eliminated?

[Anonymous]

You should also build daily exercise into the schedule. Heavy physical exercise does a lot to reduce anxiety in adults and kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should also build daily exercise into the schedule. Heavy physical exercise does a lot to reduce anxiety in adults and kids.

Best advice. We showed snow for three days. Our street must have been the cleanest in the neighborhood! Lol. Having the neighbors in awe of his ability to shovel, was the best thing in the world for his self-esteem.
Oh yeah, he's four.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should also build daily exercise into the schedule. Heavy physical exercise does a lot to reduce anxiety in adults and kids.

Best advice. We showed snow for three days. Our street must have been the cleanest in the neighborhood! Lol. Having the neighbors in awe of his ability to shovel, was the best thing in the world for his self-esteem.
Oh yeah, he's four.

shoveled, not showed

[Anonymous]

Sometimes kids need medication for anxiety and all the exercise in the world won't help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes kids need medication for anxiety and all the exercise in the world won't help.

Agree. I think the people who think "fresh air and exercise" is a cure all for an anxiety disorder never had a real anxiety disorder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sometimes kids need medication for anxiety and all the exercise in the world won't help.

Agree. I think the people who think "fresh air and exercise" is a cure all for an anxiety disorder never had a real anxiety disorder.

+1.