Link between rising use of antidepressants and youth suicide

Posted on Jun 9 2020 by Cathy Parker

Black and white image of a young woman, eyes closed — Study finds link between rising use of antidepressants and youth suicide

New research from the �Ӱ�ֱ�� of Adelaide and Curtin �Ӱ�ֱ�� and has shown rates of antidepressant use and suicide by young �Ӱ�ֱ��ns have risen sharply since 2009, raising concerns about the safety of current treatment practices, and the veracity of advice from �Ӱ�ֱ��n suicide prevention experts.

Published in , the research examined �Ӱ�ֱ��n antidepressant prescribing and suicide rates since controversial warnings by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in 2004 and 2007, that the use of antidepressants by people under 25 years of age with depression was associated with approximately double the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours.

The FDA’s advice was based on evidence from multiple trials comparing antidepressants with placebo pills.

Lead author Dr Martin Whitely, Research Fellow at the John Curtin Institute of Public Policy at Curtin �Ӱ�ֱ��, said there was a substantial decrease in the number of �Ӱ�ֱ��ns dispensed antidepressants following the initial warning, and suicide rates were volatile, with a weak but inconsistent downwards trend.

“However, since 2009, both antidepressant prescribing and suicide rates have risen sharply, with the number of suicides by �Ӱ�ֱ��ns aged 0 to 24 rising from 279 in 2009 to 458 in 2018,” Dr Whitely said.

“From 2008-09 to 2017-18, the proportion of �Ӱ�ֱ��ns aged 0 to 27 using antidepressants grew from about 2.9% to 4.8%.”

“Antidepressants are not approved for the treatment of depression in people under 18 and it is particularly concerning that so many �Ӱ�ֱ��n children have been prescribed them.”Professor Jon Jureidini, Child and adolescent psychiatrist, The �Ӱ�ֱ�� of Adelaide

Co-author Dr Melissa Raven, a psychiatric epidemiologist at the �Ӱ�ֱ�� of Adelaide, said there had been a per-capita increase of 49% in suicide rates and an estimated 66% increase in antidepressant dispensing rates among young �Ӱ�ֱ��ns in a decade.

“There is also evidence of a substantial increase in rates of self-harm by young �Ӱ�ֱ��ns, with prescription antidepressants among the drugs most commonly used in self-poisoning,” Dr Raven said.

Child and adolescent psychiatrist and co-author, Professor Jon Jureidini, also from the �Ӱ�ֱ�� of Adelaide, said influential �Ӱ�ֱ��n mental health organisations and psychiatric thought leaders had contested the FDA warnings.

“They argued that, on balance, antidepressants reduce the risk of youth suicide and it appears many �Ӱ�ֱ��n doctors, including GPs, have followed their lead and discounted the FDA warnings,” Professor Jureidini said.

“�Ӱ�ֱ��n Government figures indicate 101,174 children (under 18) and 328,879 young adults (aged 18 to 27) were dispensed an antidepressant in 2017/18.

“Antidepressants are not approved for the treatment of depression in people under 18 and it is particularly concerning that so many �Ӱ�ֱ��n children have been prescribed them.”

Professor Jureidini added the research provided clear evidence that more young �Ӱ�ֱ��ns were taking antidepressants, and more young �Ӱ�ֱ��ns were killing themselves and self-harming, often by intentionally overdosing on the very substances intended to help them.

Dr Whitely said “We need to ask whether, despite their good intentions, �Ӱ�ֱ��’s leading suicide prevention organisations and experts have got it wrong and whether we should continue to follow their advice.”

The paper, titled ‘Antidepressant prescribing and suicide/self-harm in young �Ӱ�ֱ��ns: Regulatory warnings, contradictory advice, and long-term trends’ is available online .

Tagged in research, antidepressants, suicide, youth suicide, prescriptions, medicine