Young adults face an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior when they first begin taking antidepressants and should be warned about the
danger, federal health officials said Wednesday.
The Food and Drug Administration asked makers of the drugs to expand its warning labels to include adults age 18-24. The labels already include
similar warnings for children and adolescents.
Eli Lilly and Co., the maker of Prozac, Zoloft manufacturer Pfizer Inc. and other pharmaceutical companies said they would comply with the FDA's
request.
Source
I may not be a youth, but I have personal experience of what these people go through.
Most people that suffer from bi-polar disorders only show up at the doctors office when they are suffering from the depressive side of a cycle. It's
when they're at their lowest point that they go to their physician, possibly from a family member being concerned, or some aberrant behavior being
noticed by a friend.
Most of the time they spend 15 min. with a general practitioner, and then get passed off to a psychiatrist in a few weeks, if they're lucky. The
doctor tends to prescribe an SSRI or something in the "pam" family, and then they wait for additional help.
If they do get to see a shrink, it's an hour at most.
They walk away with a prescription for an antidepressant and an appointment to come back in 2 - 3 weeks.
This is when they're most at risk to commit suicide........
After spending a little time exposing the feelings that are causing the depression they walk away with a bottle of pills, and a "see me in a couple
weeks".
At their most vulnerable time, and when families think everything is being taken care of by the doctor, they kill themselves. And then the families
are surprised when they find the person dead in the weeks following the start of a new medication.
I'll be honest, I'm on new medications right now.
They change the way your mind works, and you go through periods of elation and depression that can cycle within a few hours. It's like being
extremely happy one minute, and then you crash into a dark hole with no escape, and the smallest thing can destroy your world.
I don't want anyone to think I'm running for the exit, but I think it's an important point to note. People that are depressed need a bit more
support than a doctors visit and a bottle of pills to get them through a tough time.
All antidepressants must carry a "black box" warning, the government's strongest safety alert, linking the drugs to increased suicidal thoughts
and behavior among children and teens taking them, the Food and Drug Administration said Friday.
Because the warnings are primarily seen by doctors, the agency also is creating an information guide for patients to advise them of the risk.
www.cbsnews.com...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today proposed that makers of all antidepressant medications update the existing black box warning on
their products' labeling to include warnings about increased risks of suicidal thinking and behavior, known as suicidality, in young adults ages 18
to 24 during initial treatment (generally the first one to two months).
www.fda.gov...
From personal experience, this is a very important issue.
EDIT: bbcode
[edit on 3/5/2007 by anxietydisorder]