Rise in Antidepressant Prescriptions Followed by Increase in Extreme Violence
Many of the mass shootings in the United States (US) over the last few decades – including the Columbine School shooting, Virginia Tech massacre, and the Colorado movie theater shooting – were carried out by individuals known to be taking psychotropic prescription drugs. This, of course leads to the questions, what role do these pharmaceuticals play in the rise of mass shootings?
Is there a link between psychotropics, particularly antidepressants, and shocking acts of public violence?
Over the last 25 years, the market for psychotropic drugs has exploded, especially in the category of antidepressants. In the US between the years 1989 and 1992, the number of prescriptions for antidepressants increased from 2.5 million to 33.2 million. That’s an increase of 1328%. As of mid 2014, over 41 million people in the US are taking antidepressants, including the common brands Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Luvox, Wellbutrin, and others.
Mass shootings in the US have also increased significantly, especially since the year 2000. From December 2000 to 2013, 1,043 people in the US were wounded or killed by “active shooters” attempting to kill people “in a confined and populated area” (excluding domestic violence and gang shootings). The FBI reports that between 2007 and 2013, on average there were 16.4 such shootings per year.
Is the correlation merely coincidental?
Research continues to examine a possible link between antidepressants and violence. One study analyzed data collected by the US FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System, and it found that 1 out of 250 people taking Paxil or Prozac were involved in a violent episode, as illustrated in the supporting infographic below. Considering the number of anti-depressant prescriptions written each year, this would translate to over 150,000 drug-induced violent incidents.
A TIME Magazine article, “Top Ten Drugs Linked to Violence,” references a study that identified which drugs are most commonly linked to violence, once again based on the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System. Five of the top ten drugs linked to violent acts were antidepressants.
Regulatory agencies have confirmed that antidepressants can have dangerous side-effects. The Citizens Commission on Human Rights, a non-profit mental health watchdog, compiled a list of warnings issued by regulatory drug agencies around the globe regarding antidepressant drugs. The warnings linked to violence include:
37 warnings on antidepressants causing suicide/risk/attempts
10 warnings on antidepressants causing hostility/violence/aggression
8 warnings on antidepressants causing self-harm
5 warnings on antidepressants causing mania or psychosis
4 warnings on antidepressants causing hallucinations or delusional thinking
1 warning on antidepressants causing homicidal ideation
read on: http://www.activistpost.com/2015/09/rise-in-antidepressant-prescriptions-followed-by-increase-in-extreme-violence.html
Love Always
mudra
Many of the mass shootings in the United States (US) over the last few decades – including the Columbine School shooting, Virginia Tech massacre, and the Colorado movie theater shooting – were carried out by individuals known to be taking psychotropic prescription drugs. This, of course leads to the questions, what role do these pharmaceuticals play in the rise of mass shootings?
Is there a link between psychotropics, particularly antidepressants, and shocking acts of public violence?
Over the last 25 years, the market for psychotropic drugs has exploded, especially in the category of antidepressants. In the US between the years 1989 and 1992, the number of prescriptions for antidepressants increased from 2.5 million to 33.2 million. That’s an increase of 1328%. As of mid 2014, over 41 million people in the US are taking antidepressants, including the common brands Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Luvox, Wellbutrin, and others.
Mass shootings in the US have also increased significantly, especially since the year 2000. From December 2000 to 2013, 1,043 people in the US were wounded or killed by “active shooters” attempting to kill people “in a confined and populated area” (excluding domestic violence and gang shootings). The FBI reports that between 2007 and 2013, on average there were 16.4 such shootings per year.
Is the correlation merely coincidental?
Research continues to examine a possible link between antidepressants and violence. One study analyzed data collected by the US FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System, and it found that 1 out of 250 people taking Paxil or Prozac were involved in a violent episode, as illustrated in the supporting infographic below. Considering the number of anti-depressant prescriptions written each year, this would translate to over 150,000 drug-induced violent incidents.
A TIME Magazine article, “Top Ten Drugs Linked to Violence,” references a study that identified which drugs are most commonly linked to violence, once again based on the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System. Five of the top ten drugs linked to violent acts were antidepressants.
Regulatory agencies have confirmed that antidepressants can have dangerous side-effects. The Citizens Commission on Human Rights, a non-profit mental health watchdog, compiled a list of warnings issued by regulatory drug agencies around the globe regarding antidepressant drugs. The warnings linked to violence include:
37 warnings on antidepressants causing suicide/risk/attempts
10 warnings on antidepressants causing hostility/violence/aggression
8 warnings on antidepressants causing self-harm
5 warnings on antidepressants causing mania or psychosis
4 warnings on antidepressants causing hallucinations or delusional thinking
1 warning on antidepressants causing homicidal ideation
read on: http://www.activistpost.com/2015/09/rise-in-antidepressant-prescriptions-followed-by-increase-in-extreme-violence.html
Love Always
mudra
