Prescription Drugs For Depression

white medication pill on orange plastic container
Type: Vocabulary
Originally published on September 18, 2020 and last updated on February 4, 2023

Prescription drugs for depression and anxiety are becoming more and more common with young children. In some instances, children as young as eight or nine are being prescribed antidepressants. Although these pills could help children in the short-term many people believe that the long-lasting negative effects of taking these pills at such a young age are not worth the risk.

 

 

Instructions:
Go through the vocabulary below with your students and ask them to try and use this vocabaulry where possible when discussing the different conversation questions.

Useful Vocabulary

Try and use the following vocabulary when answering the question. Click to look up the definition in the dictionary

  • prescription (noun)
  • antidepressants (noun)
  • beneficial (adjective)
  • depression (noun)
  • tablets (noun)
  • cope (verb)
  • prescribe (verb)

Conversation Questions

  • Should there be an age limit on prescription drugs for depression?
  • What are the benefits of antidepressant tablets?
  • What can be the negative effects of taking antidepressant tablets?
  • Do you think children should be able to take antidepressant tablets? Why?
  • Other than antidepressant tablets, what other ways do you think can help children cope with depression?
Gregory
This conversation topic was prepared by Gregory

Gregory is a qualified TEFL teacher who has been teaching English as a Foreign Language (ESL) for over a decade. He has taught in-person classes in Spain and to English learners around the world online.