Deciding whether your child should take medication for anxiety or depression is a deeply personal decision that should be made as a family, in consultation with your medical or psychiatric provider.
A general rule of thumb is this: if your child’s anxiety or depression is significantly affecting their quality of life or their ability to manage daily tasks, it may be time to consider medication.
But what if it’s not that obvious?
Open communication is key. Talk with your child about the possibility of medication and encourage them to share their thoughts. No one knows exactly what your child is experiencing except them, so involving them in the conversation is crucial.
What to Expect
Medication for mood and anxiety won’t instantly transform your child into someone who loves school, eagerly does homework, or never talks back. That’s not the goal.
The goal is to make symptoms feel more manageable.
Everyone experiences anxiety and depression differently, so the effect of medication can vary. A helpful approach is to ask your child to rate their symptoms—how often they occur and how much they interfere with daily life—and then set a realistic goal for improvement. It’s okay if that number isn’t zero. Most people will experience some level of anxiety or low mood from time to time.
Tracking your child’s most bothersome symptoms over time can also help you and your provider understand how well the medication is working and identify patterns related to mood, anxiety, sleep, and more.
How Long Will My Child Need Medication?
This decision is also personal and should be made by you and your child, with your provider’s guidance.
Generally, once symptoms have become manageable, we recommend continuing medication for about a year. This gives your child time to:
- Reinforce healthy coping skills
- Understand their mental health patterns
- Build consistent habits around sleep, nutrition, and physical activity
That said, there’s flexibility. Some families choose to stay on medication longer—perhaps until a less stressful time of year, such as summer break or after a major life transition. It’s not usually ideal to stop medication during high-stress periods like moving or starting a new school.
On the other hand, some children may only need medication for a short time—just long enough to get through a difficult period or to support them as they develop skills to better manage their symptoms.
Will My Child Become Addicted to Their Medication?
In short: no.
There’s often confusion between addiction and dependence. Dependence means the body has adapted to a substance and may experience withdrawal symptoms if it’s stopped suddenly. Addiction, on the other hand, involves behavioral changes like cravings and a loss of control over use, often despite negative consequences.
Common anxiety and depression medications—like SSRIs and SNRIs—are not addictive. While the body may become accustomed to these medications, stopping them abruptly can lead to temporary side effects (such as headaches or nausea) because your body needs time to adjust. These side effects aren’t dangerous, just uncomfortable, and they can be avoided by tapering medication under medical supervision.
Isn’t Medication Just Doing the Work for My Child?
A common concern is that medication might act as a crutch—that once your child stops taking it, their anxiety or depression will just return.
Here’s a helpful analogy:
Imagine your child wants to start lifting weights at the gym. They’ve never done it before but have a goal in mind. Technically, they could figure it out on their own with time and research. But if they enlist the help of a trainer (medication) and a nutrition coach (therapy), they’ll likely reach their goal faster and more safely.
The trainer and coach aren’t doing the lifting for them—they’re supporting the process, guiding them, and helping set realistic goals. Once your child gains strength and confidence, they may no longer need that support. But the work they did still belongs to them. Medication doesn’t erase the effort—it enables it.
If you’re considering medication for your child, you’re not alone—and you’re not making this decision in isolation. With the right support, medication can be one of many tools that help your child feel better, cope more effectively, and move forward in their life with confidence.
