Published on 12, July, 2020
My 17yo son was recently diagnosed with autism by a private practitioner. They have recommended prescribing Prozac to assist with the anxiety my son feels when having to prioritise / manage / undertake schoolwork or other responsibilities alongside his hyperfocus on his current interests.
I'm trying to find out whether this medication is typically prescribed for autistic teenagers, and have concerns about potential side effects (particularly in relation to suicidal thoughts).
If be interested to hear about other parents' experience in similar situations.
Thanks
I’m not a parent but I think you are right to have some concerns. Personally I don’t think any children should be prescribed medicine such as Prozac although whether you draw the line at 16 or 18 is harder to say - maybe 16 for girls and 18 for boys as girls (at least NT girls) develop quicker than boys.
Instead of letting him take Prozac I think it would be far better to teach him skills / knowledge to help him prioritise / manage / undertake schoolwork.
It’s a bit like teaching someone to fish instead of giving them fish.
Remember the private practitioner may just be trying to justify their role / satisfy what they think you or whoever is paying their fee expect for their fee.
There's a LOT of discussion on this. My thoughts (not advice) are this: Recent studies are showing ADHD and Autism have less GABA (which can be modified a bit with diet but not fixed when there's a loop we cannot shut down keeping us awake). In a pinch I take a 1/4 anti-anxiety prescription if it's affecting me. When it's a melody that won't stop, there's little to be done. When it's a problem in need of resolution, fixing the problem can stop the 'looping thoughts', but this can require learning how matter (small and large) affects biology, so maybe a bit of physics or psychology are needed. Wisdom to know how to get through a situation.
BUT this is all due to the fact that Autistics and NeuroDivergent individuals have a different biology: from what I've found, have a different salience network and so a Cause will Effect us with a greater intensity.
GABA is the gut-health link. Its role is to shut down really high speed brain waves accelerating out of control. GABA is a bit like the bodys resistance squad, they march in, shut the party down. Now, I've found a nootropics blend with Lions Mane which does seem to modify how often I'm dealing with anxiety.
Prozac or Fluoxetine actually suppresses GABA, and would make anxiety worse for Autistics. From what I've read at the National Library of Medicine, I wonder if the biology of NeuroTypical individuals IS really incredibly different than Autistic/ADHD individuals in this way.
I would just submit this to your GP and ask if they could do more research.
Hi NAS88732, thank you for sharing with the community. Although we can't offer any advice on the use of Prozac by teenagers, our page on anxiety might provide you some useful information for your son:
https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/mental-health/anxiety
Best wishes,
Anna Mod