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Why Give Kids Antidepressants That Can Cause Them to Kill Themselves?

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A study involving nearly 5,500 adults and children has added to the evidence that common antidepressants increase suicide risk for children and adolescents.

The study found that children aged 6 to 18 who were treated with antidepressants were 1.5 times more likely to attempt suicide, and 15 times more likely to die of the attempt, than children who were diagnosed with depression but did not receive drug treatment.

Adults who used the drugs did not show a similar trend, and the risk appeared to be linked to certain types of antidepressants and not others. Effexor (Venlafaxine), a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), was associated with 2.3 times the risk of suicide attempts.

Tricyclic antidepressants and the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) Zoloft were also significantly linked with suicide attempts.

Children and adolescents who used antidepressants were at the highest risk for suicide in the period immediately after a hospitalization, and especially if they were just beginning to use antidepressants for the first time.

Two years ago, the FDA directed manufacturers of SSRI antidepressants, which include Celexa, Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft, to put a special "black box" warning on the drugs' label alerting health care providers of the suicide risk.

 

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

The recent story I ran about pushing antidepressants on kids in state foster care systems feels all the more tragic and pointless to me, based on new research that found these toxic drugs seriously elevate a child's risk of committing suicide.

Interestingly, the study didn't pinpoint selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) as generally being the problem, except for Zoloft. But the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) Effexor raised the risk more than anything else.

There is no doubt that depression, or more accurately, un-repaired emotional short-circuiting, can absolutely devastate your health. In my estimation depression can cause far more profound, negative health consequences than all the poor food choices, lack of exercise, toxins and poisons we expose ourselves to.

Most people with depression have never even been formally diagnosed. If you feel sad or "blue" you can review the depression diagnosis guidelines for specifc criteria that will help you know if you truly are depressed.

The drug companies would have you believe that the solution to depression is to pop one or more pills daily for many months for the rest of your life to restore your "chemical imbalance."

But the fact is, you don't need to take a dangerous drug. There are safe, natural methods you can use instead.

Optimizing your diet is an important step in treating depression, and one of the most important tools will be to make sure you are getting enough omega-3 fats. I have had large numbers of patients spontaneously take themselves off their antidepressants once they started taking omega-3s. I recommend a high-quality krill oil as your best choice.

Also, it is known that exercise, insulin and sugar are strongly related to depression, and appropriate cardiovascular exercise is one of the most effective ways to normalize insulin resistance.

Interestingly, when the federal government recently came up with the first new dietary guidelines in 25 years, they supported the exercise recommendations I have been recommending for some time now.

However, you can have no problems with insulin resistance, follow a perfect diet and an ideal exercise program, and still struggle with serious depression. That is where effective energy psychology tools like the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) can intervene to help resolve depression. EFT is based on the same energy meridians used in traditional acupuncture to treat physical and emotional ailments for more than 5,000 years, but without the invasiveness of needles.

Because depression is such a serious challenge I would not advise using self treatment for it, but rather only as a supplement to a trained EFT practitioner. Here is a list of EFT Practitioner Referrals from the United States and the world.


* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked. The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

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