Is medication not recommended for depression during adolescence?

In general, patients with mild depression are not advised to primarily rely on medication for treatment. For adolescents with moderate to severe depression, however, drug therapy is still recommended to quickly control symptoms and prevent the condition from worsening. If any abnormalities occur, prompt medical consultation is advised. The detailed explanation is as follows:

Adolescents are in a critical stage of physical and psychological development. If they only exhibit mild depressive symptoms, such as low mood or reduced interest, these may be effectively alleviated through non-pharmacological approaches like listening to music or communicating with family and friends to divert attention. Antidepressant medications may cause side effects such as nausea, insomnia, and sexual dysfunction, which could negatively impact adolescents' growth and development. Therefore, medication should be used cautiously when not clearly necessary.

When adolescent patients show more severe depressive symptoms that significantly impair their daily functioning and academic performance—such as persistent low mood, sleep disturbances, or even suicidal thoughts or behaviors—medication may be required to rapidly control symptoms and prevent further deterioration of the condition.

However, decisions regarding whether to use medication and which specific medication to use should be made by qualified healthcare professionals based on the individual patient's clinical condition, rather than being decided independently by the patient or their family. Self-medication must be strictly avoided.