Norway's teenage girls taking more happy pills
Richard Orange - [email protected]
Published: 5 Nov, 2013 CET.
Updated: Tue 5 Nov 2013 22:30 CET
The number of teenage girls in Norway taking antidepressants has soared by 53 percent in just seven years, with doctors blaming a "tremendous pressure to be successful".
According to the Norwegian Prescription Database, 3822 girls, between the age of 15 and 19 were prescribed antidepressants in 2012, up from just 2494 in 2005. Willy-Tore Mørch, a psychologist and professor of child and adolescent mental health, blamed the images and ideals thrust at girls in the media. "Young girls are exposed to tremendous pressure when it comes to everything from appearance to sexual performance. This has only got worse and worse, especially with the arrival of social media," he said.
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According to the Norwegian Prescription Database, 3822 girls, between the age of 15 and 19 were prescribed antidepressants in 2012, up from just 2494 in 2005.
Willy-Tore Mørch, a psychologist and professor of child and adolescent mental health, blamed the images and ideals thrust at girls in the media.
"Young girls are exposed to tremendous pressure when it comes to everything from appearance to sexual performance. This has only got worse and worse, especially with the arrival of social media," he said.
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