I am taking medication for depression, and I am having thoughts of suicide?

Question

I am 15 and I have been taking medication for depression. I don't want to but my parents are making me. I have been taking them since June of 2006. I take two a day. But I hear that these drugs can make people want to hurt themselves more, and I keep getting those thoughts. Like lately I have actually been considering killing myself and I have even been researching what I can do, like taking an over dose of medication.

Some days I will be thinking that and other days I will be normal, like right now I feel fine. But I need to know what I should do and how to stop thinking that stuff because I almost actually did something the other day and when I am having those thoughts, I can't stop and I need to stop?

** I would like to add, that I asked this question before (exactly the same) and people said I was looking for attention and that I am a loser. No I am not looking for attention, I am asking for advice for what to do. All I need is advice, I'm not asking for people to feel sorry for me.

Also, I can't tell my parents this because I really do not want to end up in some mental hospital, I just need to know how to block out the thoughts or maybe I should take a lower dosage?

Answer 1

YOU NEED TO TELL YOUR PARENTS ASAP! ALL YOU NEED IS TO GET YOUR MEDICINE ADJUSTED!

SUICIDE PREVENTION

Suicide & Crisis Hotline [phone] Help for Troubled Teens

National Hope Line Network 1-800-784-2433 Suicide Prevention

Answer 2

Hi Dan - Please don't pay any attention to people who are mean to you on this forum. People like that just don't get the real world and feel like they have to beat up on others to make themselves feel good. Just ignore them.

Research has shown that some medications for depression when given to teens can increase suicidal thoughts and actions. It is extremely important for you to talk to your doctor about this. At your age your hormones are all over the place, throwing your brain chemistry into a real tizzy. Your doctor might change your medication, or adjust the amount you're taking.

Another important thing that you are doing - right here and now - is being an advocate for your own health. Asking for help and becoming educated about depression (and any other type of illness) is the best thing you can do! I'm proud of you! So, make an appointment to see your doctor; make sure you get in some excercise every day (even if it's just a thirty minute relaxing walk); eat healthy foods; and read, read, read. Try reading "I'm Ok, You're Ok" by Thomas Harris and check out books on depression that look interesting and intelligent (because you sound like an intelligent young man).

Please hang in there. Things WILL get better as you grow and your hormones settle down. And don't stop talking to your doctor until s/he listens to you!! We need you in this world (a lot more than we need people who put others down)!!!

Answer 3

Sweetheart let me first say that I sympathize with you very much.I have a 16 yr old nephew that has suffered from depression since he was about 10yrs old.I don't believe that you are looking for attention nor do I believe that you are looking for anyone to feel sorry for you and for those two thing's I am proud of you.What you do have is a disease for whatever reason you have some sort of a chemical imbalance which is NOT your fault.I do believe that what you are looking for is for someone to understand you and help you understand yourself.Now with that said you realize that you have a problem and you also know that you do not like it when you get those feeling's of depression & suicide.What I would strongly suggest to you is that you not only talk to your parents but that you talk to your doctor as well.There are so many new medications these day's you just have to find the one that is right for you.I hope I have helped you and you get to feeling happier on a regualr basis.Feel free to e-mail me or IM me even if you just need to vent to someone I will be happy to hear from you..Don't ever give up you are too good for that and you are a precious gift in this world.You have a lot to offer and you can be a star that shines.

Answer 4

I've heard about medications triggering suicidal thoughts..you can tell your doctor this problem w/ out letting your parents know...just tell your doc to keep it confidential. You can tell your folks you need to see your doc because it gives u a stomach ache or something. Definatley sounds like you need a different dosage or a different med. Whatever you do, don't give in to those thoughts. Refocus your mind onto something else whenever you have them. Music, t.v., excercise, chat rooms, or whatever distracts you.....you are here for a reason and the people who said you are a loser are losers and idiots as well if I may add. You are young and it will take a long time to realize "why" your here, but you will eventually figure that out as you enter or maybe well into your adulthood. It may even be to help others who feel the way you do! Stay strong my friend and never give up. :)

Answer 5

I don't think you're just trying to get attention at all. I've been there myself, in fact.

I'd appreciate it if you'd call a trusted friend right now - preferably a trusted adult, maybe a pastor or teacher, if your parents don't take you seriously. Let them know that you're having these feelings and that you've actually made plans or considered HOW to do it.

You're absolutely right in that some antidepressants have been found to increase what's called "suicidal ideation" in teens. We don't know why that's true. There's a real problem in that these medications are used in young people, but they aren't TESTED in young people before they're approved by the FDA.

Also, sometimes antidepressants can help us just enough to get energy to DO something about our depression. That's a real danger, and it's one reason that doctors used to hospitalize people more frequently when putting them on antidepressants, until they were past that particular danger point. The lovely insurance companies just won't cover those hospitalizations now.

PLEASE don't try to overdose, or otherwise hurt yourself. THE VERY FIRST COHERENT THOUGHT I HAD when I woke up (totally miserable) in ICU was, "Damn, that was STUPID."

That was in 1988, almost 20 years ago. I have NEVER regretted surviving, although I've had to work pretty hard to get to the root of my depression, and I am STILL on antidepressants - and I might always be on them. I look at them as being like insulin for a diabetic now. My life has been more than worthwhile. It would have been a damned sight easier if I hadn't tried to kill myself.

I'm thinking about you right now. I have a daughter about your age, and she's being treated for depression, too. I hope she'd tell me if she were in your shoes. Please, please, please - call somebody RIGHT NOW.

I just read one of your addendums. Mental hospitals are NOT such bad places. They can be pretty nice - a place where you can be stress-free for a time, just get your head on straight and figure out what the heck is going on. With today's insurance situation, you might not be hospitalized, and if you are, it'll likely only be for a day or two, at most. Seriously.

A girl tried to go out a top-floor window at my daughter's high school (it's an old school, the windows really open) just before winter break and was only caught be one ankle - I am NOT kidding at all here - she was back at school after missing just one day of school, with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. No hospitalization at all. I think she would have been better off with a little time in the hospital to deal with things, but there she was. She didn't want to miss finals.

Don't try to adjust your meds on your own. Let your doctor do that. Seriously. I've tried that myself, and it's a Bad Idea.

Answer 6

You need to talk to the doctor that prescribed the meds ASAP. Tell you parents to take you. If they won't, call him yourself. You can get the number from the phonebook, and if you don't remember his name, it's on the bottle with your prescription in it.

As you mentioned, some antidepressants can increase the risk of suicide, especially in adolescents. Talk to your doctor now. He can adjust your dose or put you on a different medication so you won't have those thoughts anymore. Don't become just another statistic, one more young person that killed himself because of an antidepressant.

You're not going to end up in a mental hospital for this. For starters, it's probably from the meds, in which case it will go away when you stop taking them (but don't just stop as antidepressants cause dangerous withdrawal symptoms and you should only come off them under close medical supervision). But even if it's not the meds, lots of people have thoughts like you do, and the work through them with a doctor or therapist without ever being hospitalized.

They're not going to put you in a mental hospital if you ask for help now, before things get any more out of control. If, on the other hand, you decide you can deal with it on your own, and you do end up hurting yourself, then you WILL go to the hospital.

Answer 7

It would be helpful to know what antidepressant you are on.

In Europe, SSRI antidepressants (the most common type of antidepressant) are not allowed to be prescribed to children because of the effects you describe.

You should discuss your feelings with your doctor. Maybe say the meds seem to be making you feel 'more depressed' rather than saying you wanna kill yourself (so you don't get yourself locked up!). Six months is long enough to try an antidepressant, and you should be moved to a different medication probably - or a different form of therapy - like talking therapy.

By the way, I hope you acknowledge you are depressed - with your thoughts of killing yourself and all. You do need treatment, but you need to negotiate what treatment. If you have suggestions about what you are prepared to do, like talking therapy, or trying a different medication, your parents/doctors might react more positively.

If there is a clear cause for your depression (for example, abuse, bullying, etc) antidepressants will not fix the problem. In that case, you have to confront that problem somehow.

I wish you well.

Answer 8

Do not give in to those thoughts! Remind yourself that you are worth it. I'm telling you - YOU ARE WORTH IT!
I had a similar problem when I was in high school and I actually gave in to it and thankfully I am still here but it taught be a very valuable lesson:
Those little voices that make you think you should kill yourself need to be ignored. Nothing is worth killing yourself over. You're still young, you have your whole life ahead of you and there are plenty of good things in store for you. Take one day at a time, talk to someone (if not your parents call those kids help phone places), a lot of the time you just need to get something off your chest and you'll feel better. It's important that someone know how you are feeling that way they can help you.
When taking anti-depressants the big warning is that you should immediately consult your doctor if you have thoughts of suicide. The medication you are taking may not be the best solution for you. I strongly reccommend that you consult your doctor.
Besides that just take it easy, busy yourself with things that make you happy things you enjoy doing.
Remember: YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Answer 9

I'm so sorry that you're feeling this way. You need to tell your parents and the doctor who's prescribing these meds needs to know about this right away. Sometimes anti-depressants can trigger thoughts of suicide in people and sometimes they just lose their effectiveness over time and the meds need to be changed. You may also need to be talking this out with a therapist as to why you are feeling this way.

But please DON'T delay...let someone know right now. If you can't talk to your parents about it then go to a trusted teacher or school counselor.

Answer 10

If your thoughts of actually hurting your self are arising more on a daily basis I think you need to seek help. Speak to your parents and your health care provider. I know it is tough having to face the people you think are forcing these pills upon you but they really only want what is best for you. Thoughts of suicide are experienced by tons of people its just when we start to take action that we really need to worry. Don't be afraid to seek help for your problems. Keep yourself busy, find a hobby and stick to it, get out and exercise in some way it helps boost your spirits. Confide in a friend, family member, or someone you really trust, they will be understanding.

Answer 11

You need to tell your parents about your thoughts right away. Have them call your doctor to see if he can give you something else. Dont do anything stupid in the meantime, which I dont think that you really want to. Try to think of good things when you feel this way. Get back on q&a and talk to someone. Just dont listen to the dummys on here. Go tell your mom about this right now.!! P.S. You wont end up in a mental institution because of depression. Your just thinking of horrible things right now. I am a mom, and I would want to know what was going on, and I wouldnt send them away. Please go talk to them.