Antidepressants

Researchers analyzed a sample of about 221 million prescriptions from 2016 to 2022, in Americans between the ages of 12 and 25. The increase was prominent among young women and girls.

An evaluation of years of research into whether low serotonin in the brain causes depression has concluded that it doesn’t. What does that mean for the millions of Americans who take antidepressants that increase serotonin?

Tens of millions of Americans take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors — SSRIs — to treat depression by addressing what was believed to be a chemical imbalance in the brain. While new research debunks this theory, there are a number of factors people should consider before getting off these medications.