Antidepressant prescribing and suicide
There is a debate in the medical literature about the effect of antidepressants on suicide. It is beginning to show that there is no effect, and possibly and increased risk, of suicide with antidepressant use. Now, I’m not a counselor (and I would refer someone out if I thought it was necessary), but this would sure put a damper on my idea of having ANY patient put on antidepressants. I really do think that, in the psychiatric arena, we have thoroughly botched up the handling of patients with mental disorders. There is never any evaluation of whether or not there is a causative physiological imbalance (underactive hypothyroid, B12 deficiency for depression, heavy metal toxicity, imbalanced antioxidant status for schizophrenia….by the way, if anyone would like to argue that last point…I’d love to send you a ton of medical literature to back it up….) and even less of an attempt to correct the problem w/o drugs (exercise, therapy, fish oils…).
bmj.com Ankarberg 327 (7409): 288-c