anti depressant overdose?

Question

will taking an overdose of anti-depressant medication kill?

(i'm writing a story and this is a plot line)

Answer 1

Yes - but it is a little difficult mainly because most people who take overdoses, particularly overdoses of anti-depressants are found by passers by or people who care about them and therefore they are brought to hospital and treated.

Generally such overdoses do not kill - but sometimes they are successful (even despite medical efforts). Particularly if the patient is discovered late and has taken lots.

There are many other suicide techniques which are of higher lethality than anti-depressant medication.

Answer 2

It's very unlikely an overdose of an SSRI will result in death. This is why they've become popular. They're no more effective than the older tricyclic antidepressants, and the older drugs even can be tailored so the side effects are more useful to the individual patient. The old drugs are therefore in some ways superior, but the overdoses are deathly and difficult to treat, so the SSRI's have become the standard precisely because of safety.

Answer 3

Yes it will. BUT, you need to take a lot (of say Zoloft) but there is a significant risk of throwing them up. Maybe take an antinausea drug to avoid this? Somehow I think that may not work.

Plus you need to take a lot - especially if the person has taken them before. If so, a packet may not be enough.

Plus, it would be a nasty way to go. Doctors who euthanase people tend to use insulin - so I have heard.