A Leading Expert in Suicide Prevention warns against SSRIs for children

[Guest guest]

These drugs are pure mind poison. They cause mental illness. F.

 

 

SSRI-Research@

Sat, 30 Oct 2004 15:34:24 -0400

Subject:[sSRI-Research] SSRIs: A Leading Expert in Suicide Prevention

warns against SSRIs for children

 

 

The last paragraph states: " " In addition, we have discovered that

these drugs need much more care than what we supposed before because

clearly there is an activation syndrome in the first two or three

weeks of the treatment and there are also dangers, particularly in

terms of violent behaviour, aggression and suicidality, which are

(linked) with sudden interruption or irregular consumption of those

drugs, " Prof De Leo said.

 

 

http://seven.com.au/news/nationalnews/131666

 

 

SSRIs not a cure-all for kids: professor

30/10/04

By Krystyna Pollard

 

 

A leading expert in suicide prevention has warned a popular new drug

may not be effective for depressed children and could instead increase

violence and aggressive behaviour.

 

 

Speaking at the 11th Annual Suicide Prevention Australia National

Conference in Sydney, director of the Australian Institute for Suicide

Research and Prevention Professor Diego De Leo warned SSRIs may not be

a cure-all for depressed kids.

 

SSRIs, or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, are the new popular

group of drugs which present fewer side-effects than previous

Tricyclic drugs.

 

Prof De Leo said prescriptions for the drugs were on the rise across

the board, with some given to children presenting signs of suicidality

as young as 10 or 11 years old.

 

The drugs had the specific indication for Obsessive Compulsive

Disorder (OCD), he said.

 

" The problem with SSRIs and children is that we have very limited

evidence that these drugs really may counteract effectively depression

in this age group, " he told AAP after his speech to the conference.

 

" Prescribing these drugs to children hasn't provided evidence for

improvement in depression, and has provided evidence that cannot be

neglected today on possible suicidality, increasing aggression and

violent behaviour.

 

" I believe that the prescription of this medication in this age group

must be proceeded only with extreme care and only when a monitoring of

the case is really provided. "

 

His warning comes only days after NSW deputy state coroner Dorelle

Pinch said the acne treatment Roaccutane, and the anti-depressant

Zoloft, may have aggravated 15-year-old Vivian Crane's depression,

which caused her to commit suicide.

 

She was found dead by her mother in their Gordon home in Sydney's

north on June 8, 2000.

 

Ms Pinch told the court Zoloft had never been indicated for children

or adolescents, and Roaccutane had documented adverse side effects

including depression.

 

Prof De Leo said SSRIs also had to be prescribed with caution to

under-18s.

 

" My message with regard to this point is that the use of these drugs

is not a panacea, so we are not going to resolve a lot as we hope, " he

said.

 

Sudden interruption to the drug program in the early weeks may also

present problems, he said.

 

" In addition, we have discovered that these drugs need much more care

than what we supposed before because clearly there is an activation

syndrome in the first two or three weeks of the treatment and there

are also dangers, particularly in terms of violent behaviour,

aggression and suicidality, which are (linked) with sudden

interruption or irregular consumption of those drugs, " Prof De Leo said.

 

2004 AAP

g