[Drug treatment of psychological disorders in adolescents].

There are two obstacles to the use of drugs in the treatment of psychological disorders in adolescence. First, the patient is no longer a child and not yet an adult. The meaning of the symptom is essential: it may reveal a crisis related to his developmental phase, antecedent infantile disease or the offset of adult disease. Secondly, at this age, the prescription of drugs rises questions about pharmacokinetics, possible side-effects, expected therapeutic effects and the way the prescription is experienced psychologically. Neuroleptics, which may be necessary in spite of their side-effects, should be restricted to psychotic conditions. Antidepressants, lithium, tranquilizers are also discussed with respect to their usefulness, risks and indications. But the meaning of any prescription is dependent upon the therapeutic relationship, and this is even more so for adolescents with whom careful listening is essential.