Teenagers and Anxiety Meds: How Age, Gender, and Expectations Matter

Teens with anxiety disorders often struggle to stick to their antidepressant medication schedule. A study recently looked into this issue, focusing on adolescents aged 12-17 who were using escitalopram. Researchers tracked their medication intake for 12 weeks using special caps that record when they're taken. The study showed several different patterns of how well the teens followed their meds: some took them consistently, others missed doses occasionally, some did well at first but stopped later, and a few didn't take them at all.Factors like having social anxiety disorder or separation anxiety disorder made adherence trickier. Older teens and those with more severe anxiety initial symptoms were also less likely to take their meds as prescribed. Interestingly, being female and believing the medication would help were linked to better adherence. On the flip side, feeling more irritable made teens less likely to stick to their meds. The study suggests that understanding these patterns and factors can help tailor treatments more effectively. For instance, addressing specific symptoms or boosting expectations about treatment could improve how well teens follow their medication plans.