What the FDA Says About Antidepressants

When the age of synthetic drugs took off, so began the money-making enterprise for the pharmaceutical companies as well as the medical profession. I'm not knocking all synthetic drugs as I use Tylenol on occasion, but have some of us gotten obsessed with taking some form of drug for everything that ails us?

My friend Susan (not her real name) suffers from major clinical depression. She has for many years now. She received treatment on several occasions all of which some form of antidepressant was prescribed. Susan can not tolerate these pills. She had been on several until finally her doctor referred her to a psychiatrist who, the doctor thought, might be able to help in the quest to find medication that would relieve Susan's symptoms without the side effects. She became very ill either with the onset of taking these medications to the point of not being able to function due to extreme nausea and illness or ill as far into treatment as two years of taking the antidepressant and suddenly having intolerable side effects.

The FDA has for several years been warning the users of antidepressant drugs of the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children and adolescents. They went as far as requiring manufacturers of all antidepressants to add a black box warning, the most serious warning placed on the labeling of a prescription medication.

As recently as December 2006, the FDA has expanded the warning of suicidal thoughts for young adults up to age 24. Mental health experts are worried that this expanded age group warning will curtail their use and ultimately do more harm than good. Yes, it may harm their pay checks if fewer people visit their office to get prescriptions.

I think in our society we tend to over-medicate our children. We over-medicate ourselves. Instead of homeopathic options we choose to pop pills instead. We want a quick fix. Overall use of antidepressants continues to grow. First developed in the early 1950's, antidepressants have grown into a widely prescribed drug. It's interesting to me that the age gap has been expanded to age 24. In the coming years will we hear that these drugs increase manic behavior and suicide in middle aged people as well?

The elderly, peaking in their 80's, are already more likely to commit suicide based on their age alone. There was a study done linking suicide risk in the elderly when prescribed antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft. In fact, they are almost five times more likely to commit suicide during the first month on these drugs than those given other classes of medications to treat their depression.

The FDA has warned of the risks to children and adolescents as well as young adults up to the age of 24. Studies have shown that there are the same risks to the elderly. Presently it seems that the only age group that is safe from the warnings about antidepressants are the middle aged. And this is only if they are taken properly, which is not always the case.

My friend Susan is 35. She will not take antidepressants again. They've done her more harm than good time and time again. They've made her physically sick, made her head feel like it weighed 200 pounds, caused major sleep disturbances, and made her sexuality non-existent. These are only a few of the problems she's had while on antidepressants. Susan now sticks with herbal teas, positive thinking, talk therapy, and getting exercise and sunlight. She allows herself her bad days and basks in the good ones.

If you suffer from clinical depression make sure you do your homework on what the doctor wants to prescribe. Find out all you can about continued FDA updates on these drugs. Explore your other options before opting to take antidepressants.