How to help young people with depression

Rising numbers of young people have depression. It can affect their relationships with family and friends, disrupt their school lives and interfere with sleep. Services are struggling to meet their needs and many young people are waiting months to access the talking therapies that could help them. Sometimes, doctors might consider prescribing antidepressant medicines. Research supports the use of some antidepressants in young people, and suggests that others should be avoided

In this podcast, Helen Saul, Editor in Chief of NIHR Evidence, speaks with Bernadka Dubicka, who is Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at the Greater Manchester Health Trust and Professor of Child Psychiatry at the Hull and York Medical School; and Felicity Jane Allman who had experience of depression as a young person and is now a medical student in Newcastle. They discuss the help available for young people with depression, and the times when antidepressants could be the right choice.

Read a full transcript of the episode here.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.