Antidepressants: more likely to consider suicide or more likely to do it?

Question

I, as an adult who suffers from depression, think they need to make the distinction -- especially with teenagers. It's an important distinction for parents and doctors to make. Chances are, if you are depressed, suicide has at least crossed your mind and maybe you've spent enough time to fit the phrase "considered it". I think antidepressants probably make teens who are already thinking about it more likely to act upon this because they start feeling a little more energetic and ready to "do something" about their problems. Remember -- they are already depressed. They don't know the full range of options, so suicide is more likely.

Agree or disagree?

Deborah

I do agree about them being over-prescribed and not monitored. What blows my mind is blaming the drug and not the disease which is backwards -- it's necessarily not the drug, it's the way it is being handled. It's like someone having a heart attack and claiming the medicines caused him/ her to have chest pain. Every time I hear this stuff on the news, my thought is "duh, the person was depressed. . . ."

Answer 1

Both.

Here's the main problem I have with antidepressants; Every Joe Smo doctor thinks he/she has the right to prescribe this stuff no matter what his/her specialty is. Then there is no follow up. All antidepressants don't work well for all people. If that said person is having the side effect of suicidal thoughts, by the next time the doctor would see the patient it would be too late.

I think that people who are depressed should have their disease followed by a specialist, ie psychiatrist. I wouldn't trust my Orthopedist to treat my diabetes, so why would someone with a brain condition trust just any old doctor?

EDIT:
Deborah you are so right about your additional comment. How often do you hear about all the people the same drug has benefited?

Answer 2

I disagree in part. It depends on the anti-depressant that's been prescribed and also the age of the patient. It's been stated over and over again that not enough research has been done into proper dosages for younger patients and that doctors who do prescribe them to kids are essentially experimenting because they haven't got a clue how much they should have...there's just no precedent for it.

Many doctors casually write prescriptions for anti depressants when they're really not needed. The kids are often just going through growing pains, but this society is so gung-ho on being able to take a pill and "make it go away" that no one is thinking about that.

In some cases though, you get to feeling so good and more "normal" once on the anti depressants that you feel you don't have to take them anymore, stop taking them, and then hit rock bottom. The depression comes back after the meds are no longer being taken and suicide is more likely then.

This happens quite a lot with adults who are clinically depressed and go off their meds.

As an example, a friend of mine was clinically depressed for years, but complained the drugs he'd been prescribed, in addition to lifting the depression, also made him feel kind of floaty and separated to some degree from the real world.

One day I heard on the news that he'd killed himself and I immediately knew he'd gone off his meds even though they had not reported that. I later found out that that was exactly what happened.

Answer 3

The problem with antidepressants for those depressed is that when you first start taking them you realize just how depressed you have been and now you have the energy to do something destructive. People, especially teenagers, should be watched carefully during the early course of antidepressants.

Answer 4

Those drugs are just legalized crack. if those drugs actually worked then companies would not sell them because that would bring an end to the demand for such drugs. Doctors are just as wrong as those companies because they are giving the drugs to us. i think you should leave those things alone. you should spend time with someone you love everyday and begin to lead a healthier life without drugs. suicide would be the last thing on your mind if you removed all negative influences from around you. life is too short to be contemplating on harming yourself. If that does not help, think of your loved ones who would have to deal with you killing yourself. find someone who appreciates you for you.

Answer 5

I agree. I've heard many stories on TV about children/teen suicides and the person was on antidepressants which they later discovered may have contributed to the suicide. Sad sad thing.

Answer 6

i am very depressive..i try not take any pildor..i prefer try trip to every places possibles