Why Do We Keep Building Monsters?

This week brought another tragic violent suicidal outburst by a mentally ill teen. But far from being just another odd, sensless and tragic event, this shooting may add another data point to a trend many have been warning about for years. It is a trend that is comprised of several seemingly random shootings by teens, including (but not limited to) the following:

Columbine High School Shooting

Bishop Neumann High School shooting

Granite Hills High School shooting

Red Lake Shootings High School shootings

Thurston High School Shootings

The connection? All of the shooters were on SSRI anti-depressants. It’s possible the shooters in other mass shootings were also on anti-depressants but in many of these cases, the medical records of the shooters have been sealed.

At first, this connection might seem coincidental. Until you consider that in In 2000, the FDA issued a “black box” warning on SSRI anti-depressants. The warning states that ANTI-DEPRESSANTS INCREASE THE RISK OF SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS! Yes, you read that right. In at least (24) different short term studies, children and adolescents who were given SSRIs for depression, OCD, or other ‘psychiatric disorders” had an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

And today, in an oddly coincidental story, the FDA warned that Paxil (another SSRI) ...may raise the risk of suicidal behavior in young adults.”

It is estimated that 20-30 million prescriptions are written each year for SSRIs in the United States alone. Keep in mind, a study in the International Journal Neuropsychopharmacology [September 2002;5(3):193-7] showed that placebos, i.e. “sugar pills” were slightly MORE EFFECTIVE in treating depression than SSRIs! This study reviewed 53 clinical trials comprised of 10,030 patients, so the results should cause one to question how much these drugs help.

We are quite literally gambling with the long term mental health of children and adolescents when we put them on psychotropic drugs. Don’t be fooled. The medical community barely understands the effects of SSRIs much less the long term consequences of modifying essential brain chemistry.