“Antidepressants: What are the Dangers ?”
Antidepressant drugs are more popular than ever. One in 20 Americans over 12 years age struggles with depression and 11% of the U.S. population over the age of 12 are on antidepressant medication. The FDA issued a rather extraordinary “Public Health Advisory” that cautioned citizens about the risks associated with the whole new generation of antidepressants including Prozac and its knock offs, Zoloft, Paxil, Luvox, Celexa, and Lexapro, as well as Wellbutrin, Effexor, Serzone, and Remeron. The FDA warning followed a public hearing where dozens of family members and victims testified about suicide and violence committed by individuals taking these medications. While stopping short of concluding that the antidepressants definitely cause suicide, the FDA warned that such drugs might do so in a small percentage of children and adults. In the debate over drug-induced suicide, little attention has been given to the FDA’s additional warning that certain behaviors are “known to be associated with these drugs,” including “anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, insomnia, irritability, hostility, impulsivity, akathisia (severe restlessness), hypomania, and mania.”
