FDA suicide warning on antidepressants may have opposite effect on kids

THE F-D-A HAS LONG WARNED ANTIDEPRESSANTS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS AMONG THE YOUTH.

TO RAISE AWARENESS – “BLACK BOX” WARNINGS HAVE BEEN PUT ON THESE MEDICATIONS SINCE 2005.

THEY’RE BASICALLY WARNING LABELS IN BOLD BLACK BORDER ON THE MEDICATION OR IN THE INFO PAMPHLET OF A MEDICATION HIGHLIGHTING THE RISKS.

HOWEVER, NEW RESEARCH FROM THE HARVARD PILGRIM HEALTH CARE INSTITUTE HAS FOUND THESE WARNING MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT FOR PEDIATRIC HEALTH CARE AND SUICIDALITY.

THE REVIEW FOUND A LINK BETWEEN BLACK BOX WARNINGS AND DECREASED MENTAL HEALTH CARE… AND INCREASES IN PSYCHOTROPIC DRUG OVERDOSES AND SUICIDE DEATHS.

PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS AFFECT HOW THE BRAIN FUNCTIONS AND CAUSE CHANGES IN MOOD, AWARENESS, THOUGHTS, FEELINGS OR BEHAVIOR.

THE STUDY FOUND EVEN AFTER PUTTING BLACK BOX WARNINGS IN PLACE…

DOCTORS ONLY MONITORED ABOUT 5 PERCENT OF PEDIATRIC PATIENTS AS THE F-D-A HAD RECOMMENDED… WHICH IS ABOUT THE SAME RATE IT WAS *BEFORE* THE LABELS WERE ADDED.

INSTEAD – RESEARCHERS SAY THE WARNINGS SEEMED TO MAKE DOCTORS THINK AGAIN BEFORE EVEN PRESCRIBING ANTIDEPRESSANTS TO KIDS AND TEENS… WITH UP TO 50 PERCENT DECLINES IN USE *AFTER* THEY WERE IMPLEMENTED.

AND – THEY SAY THE SAME CHANGES COULD BE SEEN AMONG YOUNG ADULTS 18 TO 24 YEARS OLD.

THE STUDY’S AUTHORS SAY BASED ON THEIR FINDINGS – THEY RECOMMEND INSTEAD OF PROMINENT BLACK BOX WARNINGS… THE F-D-A INCORPORATE THE CONCERNS INTO THE REGULAR WARNINGS LIST – OR EVEN GET RID OF THEM ALTOGETHER.

DEPRESSION IS A LEADING CAUSE OF SUICIDE IN THE U-S – AND SUICIDE IS THE SECOND-LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG 10- TO 14-YEAR-OLDS… AND THE THIRD-LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG 15- TO 24-YEAR-OLDS, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH.

AND WHILE RESEARCHERS SAY THEY’VE RECOGNIZED THE LINK BETWEEN BLACK BOX WARNINGS AND YOUTH SUICIDE RATES… THAT DOES **NOT** MEAN NECESSARILY THE WARNINGS ARE WHAT CAUSED THE CHANGE.

REMEMBER – HELP *IS* AVAILABLE FOR THOSE STRUGGLING WITH THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE OR SELF HARM.

YOU CAN CALL OR TEXT THE NATIONAL SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE AT 9-8-8 FOR FREE, CONFIDENTIAL SUPPORT – ANY DAY, ANY TIME.