Antidepressants and Autism Ranking:

Audience

According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2015), antidepressants are normally used to treat people with moderate to severe depressive illness (but not mild depression).

They may also be used to treat people with a range of other conditions including

• Severe anxiety and panic attacks
• Obsessive compulsive disorders
• Chronic pain
• Eating disorders
• Post-traumatic stress disorder.

Antidepressants are sometimes used to help autistic people with mental health problems (such as depression and anxiety), with the core features of autism (such as restricted and repetitive behaviours and interests) and with other issues (such as challenging behaviours). 

Updated

17 Jun 2022

Last Review

01 Jan 2017

Next Review

01 Jul 2023