There's been much talk lately as to whether or not there is evidence that SSRi's can actually cause a patient to take their own life. For me, at least, the answer to the question is a no-brainer.
RxISK now has a searchable database where one can research just how many suicides are associated with prescription medication. The information was gathered from the FDA.
Citalopram [Cipramil, Celexa]
1,161 completed suicides.
447 suicide attempts
423 suicidal ideation [thoughts about suicide]
Escitalopram [Lexapro, Cipralex]
841 completed suicides.
472 suicide attempts
623 suicidal ideation
Fluoxetine [Prozac]
919 completed suicides.
457 suicide attempts
540 suicidal ideation
Paroxetine [Paxil, Seroxat, Aropax]
2,273 completed suicides.
1,886 suicide attempts
3,643 suicidal ideation
Sertraline [Zoloft, Lustral]
776 completed suicides.
585 suicide attempts
816 suicidal ideation
Venlafaxine [Effexor] *SNRi
1,117 completed suicides.
797 suicide attempts
1,233 suicidal ideation
The field of psychiatry and medicine regulators, including the FDA, will tell you that the benefits of taking SSRi-type medication outweighs the risks, some psychiatrists actually still deny there are suicidal risks associated with antidepressants. The 'risks' aren't just suicide, suicidal thoughts or attempts. There's a whole host of risks...but they all are apparently outweighed by the benefits.
What exactly are the benefits and how can anything that carries a risk of death be deemed 'beneficial'?
The above figures are just those that have been reported, many go unreported because loved ones left behind don't make the connection partly because the key opinion leaders in the field of psychiatry claim there is no link to antidepressant use and suicide.
Key opinion leaders are just that. They lead the field with their opinions and many doctor's look to their published papers as a useful resource tool before prescribing these drugs.
Reading the statistics above one would feel that it's hard evidence and that it should serve as a stark warning to prescribers. One would think...
RxISK can be found HERE
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