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Antidepressants Linked With Shootings & Acts of Violence

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Back in March I wrote article entitled, “Is Depression A Chemical Imbalance?” I heard a little scattered applause and got some hate mail because of it. In the article I make it clear that there is no proven biological marker for “emotional disorders.” That is, there’s no known chemical balance for mental and emotional health, which makes it impossible to name and claim a chemical imbalance. When patients are prescribed the common antidepressants called SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), their serotonin levels increase, which may help to increase feelings of pleasure and bring some relief akin to taking a painkiller for an injured knee.  But neither depression nor any mood disorder can be called a serotonin deficiency; therefore, having more of it doesn’t cure anyone. Study after study found happy, healthy people with all kinds of serotonin levels, comparatively high and low.

So why, we wonder, do we still consider serotonin increase a cure for depression?

If the term SSRI doesn’t ring a bell, perhaps the brand names will: Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, Remeron and Anafranil. And that’s why. Brands. Capital. Profit.

But the plot thickens. Not only are these drugs ultimately ineffective in healing a person’s emotional wounding, fears, worries or confusion, but evidence is mounting that they may also have serious, no major, no deadly “side” effects.

Anti-Depressants and…Murder?

Could it be that the increase of pleasurable feelings caused by serotonin can still be mixed with depressive or other dangerous thoughts? Having pleasurable feelings is probably good when you’re helping grandma cross the street or after acing an exam. That would be normal and healthy. But the chemical alone can’t affect long-held beliefs, ideas, machinations, or life-long fantasies. What if the happy neurotransmitter is reinforcing enjoyment of the wrong mentality?

Whatever your theory, the facts are scary. Antidepressants that mess with serotonin levels (both SSRIs and SNRIs) are now actually associated with severe acts of violence, so much so that some are loosely calling extreme violence a “side” effect, or more politely, “adverse drug events” caused by anti-depressants.

Check out SSRIstories.com and you’ll find over 4500 news media stories reporting acts of violence done by people using these prescription drugs since 2004. Click on “School Shootings/Incidents” and you’ll find 66 reports of school violence with 60 of them shootings, all of them linked to a particular prescription anti-depressant. (hopefully you reach that page before it’s taken down). The number at least doubles for murder-suicides, and the list goes horrifically onward.

FDA Approved Drugs Officially Linked to Violence

A research report released by PLoS Medicine in 2010 was entitled, “Prescription Drugs Associated with Reports of Violence Towards Others.” Out of over 1500 cases of prescription drug-related violence, researchers found that “antidepressants with serotonergic effects [SSRIs & SNRIs] were the most strongly and consistently implicated drugs.” Also included in the group of risky prescriptions were 3 ADHD drugs, 6 sedative/hypnotics and 1 to help kick the smoking habit (varenicline).

In the wake of recent shootings people have talked a lot about gun control. It may be that we need to take an equal or even greater stand in dealing with the dangers of these drugs, and the companies who create them.

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Sources:

SSRIstories.com

Thomas J. Moore, Joseph Glenmullen, Curt D. Furberg  “Prescription Drugs Associated with Reports of Violence Towards Others.” (2010) PLoS ONE 5(12): e15337. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0015337 http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0015337

Article: 60 School Shootings Linked To Psychiatric Drugs Over Past 20 Years. January 2, 2013 http://beforeitsnews.com/health/2013/01/60-school-shootings-in-20-years-of-4800-violent-incidents-all-linked-to-psychiatric-drugs-2464466.html

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Esse Johnson

Esse Johnson

Esse is a Certified Essential Oil Coach, health journalist, published author and ghostwriter, world traveler, blogger, professional speaker, educator, and ranter. While the website is under construction, click here to get in touch with Esse directly and join her exclusive online group page. Please email her at esse@111HeavenScent.com
Esse Johnson

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Comments

  1. Carie Moreau says

    I suppose if you’ve never experienced an overwhelming internal push of wanting to die and not having any idea why…then you cannot understand. When medication (as a tool not a cure) works; it makes that internal message quiet down or silence…and can preserve life. So, I think that if there is no proof serotonin impacts this success or failure, the studies are not being done properly or perhaps there is a biased against medication as a whole. To me, the problem is viewing medication as a fix all cure as opposed to a support mechanism.

    • esse says

      Hi Carie, thanks for your reply. In fact I, personally, have. I suffered with depression for most of my life. None of my articles contest that SSRI’s “help” or claim that studies disprove that they have helped. Many people report feeling better while taking them.

      I would agree with your last sentence. The SSRI is not a cure. I would expand by saying it’s not a cure but a pain reliever and, because of that, we don’t want to stop there. We have to keep looking for the individual’s unique root cause(s) and UProot it/them.

        • Jennifer Williams-Graham says

          The fact that when you stop taking them the symptoms return and quite often symptoms return before you stop taking is why they are not a cure, but they are also not the cause of people’s homicidal idealations.
          Violant people are often medicated and it isn’t a cure all. It may not work any better than placebo and if it does it may only get a person 33% of the way, that’s if it’s the correct med and the correct dosage. Therapy, exercise, healthy, eating, meditation, and skills management are also important.

  2. Carie Moreau says

    I suppose if you’ve never experienced an overwhelming internal push of wanting to die and not having any idea why…then you cannot understand. When medication (as a tool not a cure) works; it makes that internal message quiet down or silence…and can preserve life. So, I think that if there is no proof serotonin impacts this success or failure, the studies are not being done properly or perhaps there is a biased against medication as a whole. To me, the problem is viewing medication as a fix all cure as opposed to a support mechanism.

    • esse says

      Hi Carie, thanks for your reply. In fact I, personally, have. I suffered with depression for most of my life. None of my articles contest that SSRI’s “help” or claim that studies disprove that they have helped. Many people report feeling better while taking them.

      I would agree with your last sentence. The SSRI is not a cure. I would expand by saying it’s not a cure but a pain reliever and, because of that, we don’t want to stop there. We have to keep looking for the individual’s unique root cause(s) and UProot it/them.

        • Jennifer Williams-Graham says

          The fact that when you stop taking them the symptoms return and quite often symptoms return before you stop taking is why they are not a cure, but they are also not the cause of people’s homicidal idealations.
          Violant people are often medicated and it isn’t a cure all. It may not work any better than placebo and if it does it may only get a person 33% of the way, that’s if it’s the correct med and the correct dosage. Therapy, exercise, healthy, eating, meditation, and skills management are also important.

  3. Carie Moreau says

    I suppose if you’ve never experienced an overwhelming internal push of wanting to die and not having any idea why…then you cannot understand. When medication (as a tool not a cure) works; it makes that internal message quiet down or silence…and can preserve life. So, I think that if there is no proof serotonin impacts this success or failure, the studies are not being done properly or perhaps there is a biased against medication as a whole. To me, the problem is viewing medication as a fix all cure as opposed to a support mechanism.

    • esse says

      Hi Carie, thanks for your reply. In fact I, personally, have. I suffered with depression for most of my life. None of my articles contest that SSRI’s “help” or claim that studies disprove that they have helped. Many people report feeling better while taking them.

      I would agree with your last sentence. The SSRI is not a cure. I would expand by saying it’s not a cure but a pain reliever and, because of that, we don’t want to stop there. We have to keep looking for the individual’s unique root cause(s) and UProot it/them.

        • Jennifer Williams-Graham says

          The fact that when you stop taking them the symptoms return and quite often symptoms return before you stop taking is why they are not a cure, but they are also not the cause of people’s homicidal idealations.
          Violant people are often medicated and it isn’t a cure all. It may not work any better than placebo and if it does it may only get a person 33% of the way, that’s if it’s the correct med and the correct dosage. Therapy, exercise, healthy, eating, meditation, and skills management are also important.

  14. Kelly Peck McClain says

    Hi Esse, this is a very touchy subject so I applaud you for taking a chance to discuss it. As you know I started antidepressants 16 years ago for post partum depression. This led to sleep issues and the onset of anxiety. The damage done to the brain is difficult to reverse making it hard to ever get off the medications adding to the lie that the person is damaged on top of all of that add defeat and years of stuff to deal with all at once…BAM! I’m not a fan…but I know there are desperate times it may be a short term life saving solution. I vote against them…

  15. Kelly Peck McClain says

    Hi Esse, this is a very touchy subject so I applaud you for taking a chance to discuss it. As you know I started antidepressants 16 years ago for post partum depression. This led to sleep issues and the onset of anxiety. The damage done to the brain is difficult to reverse making it hard to ever get off the medications adding to the lie that the person is damaged on top of all of that add defeat and years of stuff to deal with all at once…BAM! I’m not a fan…but I know there are desperate times it may be a short term life saving solution. I vote against them…

  16. Kelly Peck McClain says

    Hi Esse, this is a very touchy subject so I applaud you for taking a chance to discuss it. As you know I started antidepressants 16 years ago for post partum depression. This led to sleep issues and the onset of anxiety. The damage done to the brain is difficult to reverse making it hard to ever get off the medications adding to the lie that the person is damaged on top of all of that add defeat and years of stuff to deal with all at once…BAM! I’m not a fan…but I know there are desperate times it may be a short term life saving solution. I vote against them…

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