Teen Girls & Antidepressants: The Post-Pandemic Prescription Explosion
Navigating the Sharp Rise in Antidepressant Prescriptions for Teen Girls in the Post-Pandemic Era
March 09, 2025
Teenagers: a whirlwind of hormones, questionable fashion choices, and, in some cases, antidepressants. While these medications can be life-changing (and sometimes life-saving), they are not without their complexities—particularly when it comes to brain development.
The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped adolescent mental health, bringing emotional struggles to the forefront. Lockdowns, isolation, and academic disruptions intensified stress and anxiety, leading to a dramatic increase in antidepressant prescriptions—particularly for teen girls. This alarming trend demands a closer look to understand its root causes and implications.
Since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, there has been a striking 63.5% increase in antidepressant use among teens and young adults. Most notably, prescriptions for teen girls aged 12-17 have soared by an astounding 129.6%…
