This whole debate that's going on here,or at least it appears to be one, brings back something I heard from my former psychologist and then one of the professor's made the same statement which goes on to say, "who knows if these people that were taking the med(s) or not would have gone on to suicide?
There's been cases where a person doesn't even appear depressed, and then to many people's surprise, they are in shock when they learned that person offed themselves, and what's to say for the fact they weren't on meds, is it possible they needed to be on meds and/or in therapy but never were of either one?
Was it really the med(s) or the depths of their depression?
Maybe their dosages weren't proper for them?
How much were they really complying with treatment?
The questions/statements they raised made a lot of sense.
People should read the Medication monologs(sp?) or safety data sheets first and talk any concerns over with their docs and even the pharmacists.
Almost every med,not just the SSRI's, have risks, even OTC meds, doesn't mean everyone is affected in the same way, but the manufactureres have to list every side effect(s) I think it's up to the patient besides or even more so,than only the prescribing physcian to take some sort of responsiblity, ask questions when in doubt, and/or even weigh the benefits vs side effects.
I'm not pertaining to serious side effects, mostly I'm referring to minor and temporary ones.
Again, I think there is a lot of sense to what I heard about a depressed person, rather on meds or not, always can be at risk of becoming suicidal, who really knows for sure.
Not to be cynical but the families of those that killed themselves may find it easier to blame a med and bring lawsuits to gain cash settlements when it may have not or wasn't the meds in the first place, instead the person was not getting the proper treatment or wasn't following through with treatment.
Or the family and/or the deceased had been in denial the person had a mental illness, so many can't deal with that, they fear the stigmas,etc. so sweeping it under the rug satisfies them more. Ah,who knows for sure.
I was taking Accutane when it first was released, like a million other people, I didn't suicide, and either did others, but yet people asscociated a few teenage suicides to Accutane, I believe it was of their own doing, their disorders and/or the adolescent thing of raging hormones.
This is my own personal take on this subject, I do not wish to debate anything I said here, just wanted to share what I had brought to my attention by those in the mental health field, oh, and I forgot to include my former pdoc and my present one.
Take care,
DE