Anxiety and Antidepressant Medications: Linked to Higher Incidence of Suicide

In our opinion, anti-anxiety/anti-depressant medications are grossly over prescribed (these type of medications are the 5th and 6th highest selling medications in the world, and tranquilizers are the number one selling medication in the USA). While these type of medications do have a place in the treatment of SOME anxiety conditions, they should NOT be considered as a cure.

As well, current research has shown that these types of medications provide very little benefit (less than 25 percent of those who take these types of medications actually experience a benefit). It's also our experience that these types of medications often complicate anxiety and recovery.

To frequently these medications are prescribed as the first and ONLY form of anxiety treatment, without the individual being told the short and long-term ramifications of medication therapy. While some medications can provide temporary symptom relief for some people, unless the underlying reasons for anxiety are addressed anxiety as a condition generally remains, which can cause a high incidence of prolonged medication use and future disorder episodes.

To attain lasting normal and medication-free health, our experience has shown that anxiety disorder sufferers must understand anxiety AND address the underlying reasons associated with their anxiety. Understanding anxiety and addressing the underlying factors associated with anxiety are important keys to anxiety disorder resolution.

This can be accomplished with the help of good self-help information, anxiety therapy, and on-going support during recovery.

Before you consider medication therapy, or if you are already on medication:

• Fully investigate the medication(s) you are taking and be fully aware of the implications of its short and long-term use.

• Seek good self-help materials (the member's area of our website contains a wealth of good self-help information).

• Seek the help of an experienced anxiety therapist (preferably from someone who has experienced anxiety first-hand) if you aren't making progress or feel you are stuck in your progress back to normal and lasting health.

• Continue to look for the help you require until you have fully recovered. Many settle for partial recovery when full recovery is achievable.

With the right information and help you can return

I (Jim Folk) was on long term medication, too, so I know the challenges medication can cause. This recent newspaper article from the Calgary Herald illustrates one more concern about medication therapy:

Antidepressants tied to suicide attempts
Calgary Herald - February 18, 2005

Antidepressant drugs taken by hundreds of thousands of Canadians double people's risk of attempting suicide, even if they weren't depressed to start with, says a Canadian study in one of the world's top medical journals.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, combines the results of 702 separate smaller studies involving more than 87,000 patients who took a class of antidepressants that includes Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa and  Luvox.

The Ottawa scientists who wrote it say much of the evidence has been available for up to 10 years, but scattered across hundreds of smaller studies.

"The effect is real. For 10 years there was a signal,” said study member Dr. Paul Hebert. Hebert said the risk is not very high for one person, but since antidepressants are prescribed by the millions, it becomes a bigger problem on a public health level.

He noted some suicide attempts would be expected in depressed patients, but the rate increases following treatment with antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI).

There were also suicidal effects in patients who took the drugs for dozens of other conditions, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, sexual dysfunction, premenstrual syndrome and anxiety.

"We're seeing it (attempted suicide) in some diseases where suicide would not be expected, such as panic disorders," Hebert said. "It's occurring across the board in non-depressed individuals."

In 2003, Canadian doctors wrote 15.6 million prescriptions for these antidepressants – nearly double the total from five years earlier.

Today, Dean Fergusson's team at the Ottawa Health Research Institute and University of Ottawa publishes findings that still leave unanswered questions about SSRI drugs.

In particular, the SSRI drugs double the rate of attempted suicides compared with patients who took a placebo, or dummy pill, as well as those in other forms of treatment, such as psychotherapy or St. John's Wort. But they did not appear to increase the actual number of suicide deaths.

Fergusson, an epidemiologist, said this may be due to the overall low number of suicides; most suicide attempts are not successful.

(Printed with permission from Calgary Herald Group, Canwest Interactive Inc.)

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