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green for victory

(591 posts)
21. Quick! Tell the National Institutes of Health! NIH.GOV
Tue Dec 18, 2012, 04:30 PM
Dec 2012
NIH.GOV: Antidepressants and Violence-Problems at the Interface of Medicine & Law
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1564177/

Both clinical trial and pharmacovigilance data point to possible links between these drugs and violent behaviours. The legal cases outlined returned a variety of verdicts that may in part have stemmed from different judicial processes. Many jurisdictions appear not to have considered the possibility that a prescription drug may induce violence.

..In these trials, hostile events are found to excess in both adults and children on paroxetine compared with placebo, and are found across indications, and both on therapy and during withdrawal. The rates were highest in children with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), where the odds ratio of a hostile event was 17 times greater (95% confidence interval

Emotional blunting

Another mechanism that may contribute to hostile events is treatment-induced emotional blunting. Several reports published since 1990 have linked SSRI intake with the production of emotional blunting, detachment, or an amotivational syndrome, described in one report as the equivalent to a

“chemical lobotomy”



. It is quite common in clinical practice to find people who say they simply are not bothered any more. Things that would previously have worried them no longer do so...


Mania and psychosis

Another mechanism that may link SSRIs to violence are the manic or psychotic states reported to be induced by drug treatment. These drug-induced states often resolve once the medication is removed. However, the full dimensions of treatment-induced psychotic or manic reactions have yet to be mapped; some may continue for a long period after treatment has stopped . It has recently been estimated that these drug-induced manic or psychotic states may account for up to eight percent of admissions to psychiatric facilities .

...The development of a psychotic episode or of command hallucinations has traditionally been linked to both violence and suicide. The labels for most SSRIs now concede a causal relationship to psychosis and to hallucinations...(more)

Conclusion

The new issues highlighted by these cases need urgent examination jointly by jurists and psychiatrists in all countries where antidepressants are widely used. The problem is international, and it would make sense to organise an international effort now.

Annex: The Illustrative Medico-Legal Cases

Case 1

DS was a 60-year-old man with a history of five prior anxiety/depressive episodes. These did not involve suicidality, aggressive behaviour, or other serious disturbance. All prior episodes had resolved within several weeks...

...In 1998, a new family doctor, unaware of this adverse reaction to fluoxetine, prescribed paroxetine 20 mg to DS, for what was diagnosed as an anxiety disorder. Two days later having had, it is believed, two doses of medication, DS using a gun put three bullets each through the heads of his wife, his daughter who was visiting, and his nine-month-old granddaughter before killing himself.

Case 3

DH was a 74-year-old man from New South Wales with a history of mixed anxiety/depressive episodes, many of which resolved without drug treatment. He had no history of violence or suicidality, and had remained gainfully employed throughout...

That night, apparently feeling worse after a first dose of sertraline, DH took four more doses of sertraline. The next morning, after his wife got up he met her in the kitchen and strangled her...(more)

(More cases detailed at link)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1564177/

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022008133#post6

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Failure to heed the Governments warnings could lead to more deaths.
Yes, thank you! GreenPartyVoter Dec 2012 #1
The only reason that anyone would take a drug known to hedgehog Dec 2012 #3
I know this only too well. *sigh* GreenPartyVoter Dec 2012 #6
Not a good comparison. Sorry, fail. Th1onein Dec 2012 #2
Suicide rates among children and adolescents went up when SSRI usage dropped : hedgehog Dec 2012 #4
FACT: You are more likely to commit suicide if you are taking an SSRI for depression. Th1onein Dec 2012 #8
I think it depends on the point at which one starts taking them. . . . BigDemVoter Dec 2012 #10
That's for children under the age of 18 n/t ceile Dec 2012 #12
keep reading on your link: hedgehog Dec 2012 #14
"Suicidal thoughts" cthulu2016 Dec 2012 #22
DU rec...nt SidDithers Dec 2012 #5
They work very well as a placebo and they make the drug companies lots of money FarCenter Dec 2012 #7
Most people who are on anti-depressants go through several different hedgehog Dec 2012 #11
Going through several until one works is also consistent with ineffectiveness FarCenter Dec 2012 #16
There've been a bunch of books published on this subject by scientists octoberlib Dec 2012 #23
Nice find! Where's the WooWoo train? green for victory Dec 2012 #17
I agree Liberalynn Dec 2012 #9
Me, too. nt LisaLynne Dec 2012 #13
Fucking idiots always have to climb on their high horse about something... Comrade_McKenzie Dec 2012 #15
does that include the researchers doing the studies that show the drugs are not effective in HiPointDem Dec 2012 #18
Quick! Tell the National Institutes of Health! NIH.GOV green for victory Dec 2012 #21
If this in connection with CT dipsydoodle Dec 2012 #19
Agreed. ellisonz Dec 2012 #20
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