Landmark Study Shows Antidepressants No More Effective than Placebo, Some Cause Suicide

Full title:
Landmark Study Shows Antidepressants No More Effective than Placebo, Some Cause Suicide

From: Natural Blaze

June 10, 2016
By Claire Bernish
.
www.naturalblaze.com...
.
.

Antidepressants commonly prescribed for children and adolescents are no more effective than a placebo for treating major depression — and in some cases, can be downright harmful, according to a landmark new study.
.
Published in the Lancet, the research denotes the “first comprehensive comparison of commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs so far.” Medical researchers analyzed 34 pharmaceutical trials involving 5,260 participants ranging in average age from 9 to 18 years.
.
. . .
.
Diagnosed major depressive disorder affects a statistically striking number of young people — 3 percent of children between 6 and 12 years of age and 6 percent of teens between 13 and 18 years old. Accuracy of diagnostic methods or possible over-diagnosis were not covered by this study.
.
. . .
.

.
This is an extremely serious issue and problem.
.
Another massive study of other studies concluded that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (may now called something else when used with depression--need to look that up. Did briefly--see Wiki article below.) COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY IS

--THE MOST EFFECTIVE
--THE LONGEST LASTING--A LIFETIME
--THE LEAST NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS--NONE
--THE CHEAPEST--over time

TREATMENT POSSIBLE FOR DEPRESSION FOR THE AVERAGE AND EVEN SEVERELY AFFECTED PERSON.

The main problem with it is that it usually takes a skilled therapist AND HARD WORK on the client's part. Rewiring the brain is not for lazy wimps.

Nevertheless, it is the TREATMENT OF CHOICE FOR THAT PROBLEM. CONCLUSIVELY.

Sigh.

Here's a tolerable Wiki article about it:

en.wikipedia.org...

Hope they are not prescribing 'Adderall'. It's purely amphetamine, and will drive people as insane as 'meth' does.
Adderall

It would seem to be more effective than a placebo at inducing suicides.
I can think of one case of a person I knew going on the Zoloft.
I don't think I've ever been so close to punching a woman. She seemed to lose all ability to give a rat's ass about anything.

People have depressive disorders that can be lethal. Dismissing pharmacotherapy is not helpful, Bo.

For as long as I remember there has been a black box warning on the use of anti-depressants with teenagers. They are far more prone to suicide in the first few weeks of treatment.

I think a major problem is overuse due to the pathologization of normal human emotions which are subsequently treated and medicated.

People have forgotten or dont know the power of the right words and time has to heal. Yes sometimes we need drugs, but drugs alone are not the answer. People want everything NOW so the docs give them the pill, also pills make money, talking heals but costs money.

originally posted by: WAstateMosin
Hope they are not prescribing 'Adderall'. It's purely amphetamine, and will drive people as insane as 'meth' does.

Adderall

THANKS for a worthy warning.

Though all such are pretty bad for most to all humans to bother with, at all.

a reply to: skunkape23

A common phenomenon.

And, it appears to be the case that going on or off the meds or a significant change in the meds yields the most hazardous period re suicide potential etc. I wouldn't allow a loved one of mine to be alone for several days to a week or 3 during such a period.

But then, I would raise a fuss if they were going on such meds to begin with.

originally posted by: ladyinwaiting
People have depressive disorders that can be lethal. Dismissing pharmacotherapy is not helpful, Bo.

I understand the lethality of depression.

I really have NOT been a brain-dead psychologist for 35+ years. I'm keenly acquainted with depression from a list of perspectives.

Nevertheless, the research is clear. Abundantly clear.

The meds ARE a problem--a devastating problem in and of themselves. Most to all the famous mass shooters WERE ON THE MEDS for depression!

The meds are AT BEST an extremely mixed bag with AT LEAST AS MUCH POTENTIAL FOR CAUSING suicide as preventing it.

There are some natural supplements that can be helpful. But the most important thing is to walk the person through a successful, well designed COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY program until their brains are successfully rewired. Literally.

I don't see any other truly viable option (though in many cases, demonic deliverance can also be helpful to essential).

Otherwise, the circus that the meds create and the dances around that become maddening for all concerned and do NOT protect remotely reliably from suicide--and IN FACT contribute wholesale toward an INCREASED likelihood of suicide attempts and successes. That's just a fact.

It may be an uncomfortable fact. It may be an inconvenient fact but it is still a fact.

It may be that someone would be wisely left on a med WHILE they undergo COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY. However, in my experience, the meds retard, hinder, SLOW the progress, rather than help it.

originally posted by: Morrad
For as long as I remember there has been a black box warning on the use of anti-depressants with teenagers. They are far more prone to suicide in the first few weeks of treatment.

I think a major problem is overuse due to the pathologization of normal human emotions which are subsequently treated and medicated.

Agreed.

But folks NEED TRAINED to handle normal emotions successfully and overcomingly--not just told to "buck up" etc. etc. etc.

"Parents" (currently defined as sperm and egg donors) tend to be creating more depressives and their problems than teaching kids how to handle life overcomingly.

originally posted by: imod02
People have forgotten or dont know the power of the right words and time has to heal. Yes sometimes we need drugs, but drugs alone are not the answer. People want everything NOW so the docs give them the pill, also pills make money, talking heals but costs money.

INDEED.

And folks have to be taught how to communicate AND HOW TO LISTEN.

. . . how to listen with HEART . . . a heart of authentic caring.

Alas, so many are rife with RAD, they have too little to extend to one another being empty, destitute, raw, mangled, etc. inside themselves.

Have you ever read what it says on anti depressants? It warns you you will have suicidal tenancies for the first 2 weeks (rather ironic) and will turn your sex drive to mute, further instigating the desire to commit suicide. That is not news and no "comprehensive" study is needed to read the back of a bottle.

It's a quick solution...that's all. Doesn't deal with the problem, just the symptoms like most drugs.

I am a strong believer in placebo but when it comes to proper depression stating things like placebos are more effective is dangerous and irresponsible. Might work for "victim complex depression" but not manic.

a reply to: GemmyMcGemJew

It SOUNDS LIKE

you don't believe the research!

It sounds like you think that the research findings are just irrational lying blather.

The research is solid research.

It is simply a FACT that

placebo is AT LEAST AS GOOD at preventing depression as the depression meds.

Please DEAL WITH THE FACTS instead of blather illogical nonsense.

AT LEAST with a placebo, there's NO significant increase in suicidal probabilities.

Sigh.

This is not that difficult to understand, folks.

The drugs are bad news. The data is in.

The rational, reliable interpretations of the data, the conclusions are reasonable and solid.

Take heed.

Make wise decisions accordingly.

Sigh.

a reply to: GemmyMcGemJew

Not work for manic depression?

Show me the stats. Show me the research.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy works for manic depression, too.

It MAY be a bit more tricky to successfully implement with some manic depressives but it still works.

Manic depression can be readily construed as being stuck on a mental loop that intensifies every go-around in the mental loop.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy trains one to slice the loop--end the loop. Get on a constructive loop.

It IS doable.

a reply to: GemmyMcGemJew

Did you read all the research article?

It's very solid research.

Sorry OP, but this is dangerous propaganda.

The study does not actually say Antidepressants don't work. Please stop claiming it does. Anti depressants save lives.


If you read the report you'll find what it actually says is that many types of commonly prescribed anti-depressants given to children with Major Depressive Disorder may not be effective, apart from Fluoxetine. And that greater monitoring should be done of those patients.

So there are three important points here.

1) They are talking about children.

2) They are talking about patients with the rarer diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder, so a smaller subset of children being treated with depression.

3) They are talking about the problem of heightened suicidal feelings on strong dose anti-depressants, apart from Fluoexetine which works fine.


The problem that seems to be getting highlighted here is the interaction between developing young brain chemistries and very high doses of some strong anti-depressants.

a reply to: Painterz

I don't recall saying that none of them work at all.

The study notes that the ones mentioned do not work BETTER THAN A PLACEBO.

And, I've noted that COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY has been shown to be far MORE effective without the negative side-effects etc. etc. etc.

Sigh.

So from your article -
- 5,260 participants in the study, hardly a 'landmark' study
- Only the use of Effexor had shown an increase in suicidal thoughts, nor does it go into the specifics of the individuals.

I should highlight that 3.9% of Americans (reportedly) have suicidal thoughts every year regardless of medication. Which means, should one user of Effexor, or Prozac, or Citalopram to name a few have a suicidal thought or commit suicide a statement immediately has to be included on the health warnings for said medication highlighting "may induce suicidal thoughts" or something similar, simply because they were on the medication at the time.

Anti-depressants do work for a high percentage of people who need them. The problem you will find is 'over-prescribing' where an inadequate assessment of the individual has concluded that a prescription is the most effective treatment.

So let's say that somebody who doesn't need them, obtains a prescription, maybe participates in this study, maybe the suicidal thoughts continue, maybe they jump off a bridge, maybe they simply complain of headaches and nausea, you begin the study with a bias towards anti-depressants being no more effective than a placebo.

a reply to: BO XIAN

I don't recall saying that none of them work at all.

Perhaps not, but you're not selling them to me.

Some examples:
"all such are pretty bad for most to all humans to bother with, at all."
"I would raise a fuss if they were going on such meds to begin with."
"The meds ARE a problem--a devastating problem in and of themselves."

And so on. You also advocate "demonic deliverance".
I don't think this is quite the best form for someone purporting to be a psychologist; psychologists, in my experience, aren't completely down on drugs at all.

As for the study...one study does not a summer make.

The sample was made up entirely of under-19s with major depression. So, while the conclusions may (or may not) be valid for that particular demographic, nothing is claimed for other age categories with this or other forms of depression.

Antidepressants work by increasing the levels of certain neurotransmitters known to play a part in mood regulation. The science behind it is pretty solid, so I would be surprised if they weren't effective in treating depression, or even if they were not more effective than placebo.

In my work, I have witnessed many people get better again on ADs; a wide variety of people across the age spectrum, a wide variety of ADs. I have had minor depression twice in my life and was successfully treated with ADs each time (different ADs).

But if you aren't depressed to begin with, an AD wont help you.

You wouldn't expect it to, I suppose.

a reply to: BO XIAN

Wait, how can anti-depressants be no more effective than a placebo, yet cause suicide?

I haven't read the study yet, and haven't the time right now, but do you not realise how contradictory that sounds?