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"   Popping a pill to ward off the blues is not a new phenomenon.  According to statistics from the Health and Social Care Information Centre, 50 million prescriptions for antidepressants were issued in 2012, the highest number ever and an increase of 7.5 per cent from the year before.  Young people under the age of 30 are increasingly using medicines to cope with feelings of depression and anxiety.  We talk to Jenifer Phillips, communications officer at YoungMinds, a charity aimed at 13 to 29 year olds, about why so many young people are taking antidepressants to get them through school, college and life.    A turbulent time According to YoungMinds the number of teenagers with depression has doubled in the past ten years.  &amp;#039;Your teens and twenties are a time of great change defining your own identity, as well as having to cope with the pressure of exams, leaving home, going to college, finding accommodation and a job,&amp;#039; says Jenifer.  Worrying about not being attractive enough, achieving academically and the lack of financial security, combined with pressure on doctors&amp;#039; surgeries and cutbacks in mental-health services mean that anxiety and depression are increasing.  Many young people with depression will not need drugs to cope with their condition, but for many, antidepressants seem the only choice available to them. Overstretched GPs often have little time to discuss more holistic alternatives.    Feeling blue &amp;#039;Just as people&amp;#039;s bodies can become unwell, minds can become unwell too,&amp;#039; says Jenifer.  Three children in every classroom have a mental health problem. Most young people find these problems hard to talk about and YoungMinds advises them where they can get support.  Around seven per cent of British teenagers have attempted to self-harm or suicide, yet only six per cent of the health budget is spent on under-eighteens.  &amp;#039;Young people are feeling more isolated, alienated and confused partly due to family and community break-up,&amp;#039; says Jenifer.  If they feel depressed it&amp;#039;s often easier to get a prescription for antidepressants than cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), which involves talking about your problems to a trained counsellor.    Medication explained Organisations such as Headmeads can help explain the mental health medication you are taking, including any long-term and side effects.  Although taking antidepressants may seem like a quick cure for your depression there are &amp;#039;talking&amp;#039; alternatives.  The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines advises doctors that &amp;#039;watchful waiting&amp;#039; is advisable for young people with mild depression.  For moderate depression a talking therapy, like CBT is recommended.  If someone&amp;#039;s depression is more severe a combination of talking therapy and medication are suggested.  Doctors may decide to immediately prescribe antidepressants for people with very severe depression.    Talking therapy More than 30 research studies reveal that people prefer counselling and talking therapies to taking medication for depression.  This has helped convince the government to put \u00A320 million into training new CBT therapists.  It&amp;#039;s often more difficult to get CBT than antidepressants, as talking is time-consuming. Medication may seem to offer a quicker solution, but it doesn&amp;#039;t deal with any actual problems triggering your depression.  Talking about your problems with a qualified therapist gives you a clearer idea of how to deal with them.  Many GP surgeries offer six sessions of CBT.    Self-help With images of physical perfection wherever you look - on Facebook, social media and advertising, there is more pressure to look good than ever before.  &amp;#039;Although the climate of 24/7 online culture can be pressurizing, many young people also find help and support online, through websites such as childline, youthnet, selfharm.co.uk and headmeds; what&amp;#039;s important is checking you are getting information from reputable and trustworthy sources,&amp;#039; advises Jenifer.    Beat trolls A generation ago most bullying ended at the school gates \u2013 now it can be 24/7.  A recent survey showed that 70 per cent of young people had been the victim of internet trolls.  If you are experiencing cyber-bullying talk to your teacher, school counsellor or ring Childline on 0800 1111. Don&amp;#039;t suffer these nasty messages alone.    Eat well, feel better Making simple changes can make you feel much better. There&amp;#039;s a link between what we eat and how we feel.  How we feel influences our choice of foods and drink. The short burst of energy from sweets and fizzy drinks, or alcohol only last a short time and sends your blood sugar levels levels up and down.  You&amp;#039;ll feel irritable when the sugar high wears off.  Eating lots of sugary foods or stimulants like coffee or alcohol can make you anxious, tired and dizzy and unable to concentrate. &amp;#039;Eating whole grains, beans and vegetables is better because they give you sustained energy,&amp;#039; advises Jenifer.  Don&amp;#039;t skip meals.  Exercising regularly helps boost your mood.    Other people also read: A natural remedy for depression? : If you chose to do the waxing yourself, you are not very likely to get an infection.  Cognitive therapy: CBT does lend itself to a self-help approach through books. Person-centred therapy: This type of therapy is good for clients who denigrate themselves and who have poor self-esteem.  Last updated 16.11.2014 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/wellbeing/a689/the-medication-generation/>