STORY AT-A-GLANCE

Oxford University researchers analyzed results of 34 clinical trials that involved more than 5,000 children with depression (aged from 9 to 18 years).1 The children took 1 of 14 antidepressants for an average period of eight weeks.

The majority of them (13) did not work to relieve the symptoms of depression, and the one that did — fluoxetine (Prozac) — has previously been linked to severe homicidal akathisia.

And for the record, previous research has found the benefit of antidepressants including Prozac "may be minimal or nonexistent, on average, in patients with mild or moderate symptoms."2

Akathisia is a condition of motor restlessness, marked byanxiety, agitation, jitteriness (or the sensation of "jumping out of one's skin") and the inability to sit quietly or sleep.

The akathisia issue first came into public view shortly after Prozac entered the marketplace in the mid-1980s, when reports of murder and suicide among patients taking Prozac were publicized by the media.

Since then, there have been thousands of reports of violent behavior by individuals taking antidepressant drugs.

In addition, the featured study found the antidepressant venlafaxine (brand name Effexor) increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts in the youth compared to placebo and five other antidepressants. The researchers concluded:3

In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Jon Jureidini, an Australian child psychiatrist at the University of Adelaide in South Australia, noted that the study has "disturbing implications for clinical practice."4

Such medications should be prescribed only "if the discounted benefit outweighs the boosted harm," he stated, continuing, "For antidepressants in adolescents, this equation will rarely favor prescribing; in younger children, almost never."5

Antidepressants' link to suicidal tendencies is not new. In 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a black-box warning on antidepressants indicating they were associated with an increased risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in young people.

In 2007, the FDA directed manufacturers to update the warning to include 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).6

Research published in Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine even revealed that a genetic mutation in the CYP450 gene family may cause a metabolic disturbance resulting in uncontrollable violent impulses and behaviors, including suicide, in some individuals taking these drugs.7

For about two years following the FDA's initial 2004 warning, substantial reductions in antidepressant use were observed among youth, but it was unknown whether those reductions had continued.

Unfortunately, research published in European Neuropsychopharmacology showed that not only did antidepressant use continue after the FDA warnings, but it also markedly increased.8

The study revealed significant increases in antidepressant prescriptions to youth in five Western countries included in the study. In Denmark, for instance, there was a 60 percent increase in youth antidepressant prescriptions from 2005 to 2012.

The rate increased 54 percent in the U.K., 49 percent in Germany, 26 percent in the U.S. and 17 percent in the Netherlands during the same period.9

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) clinical guidelines state antidepressants should not be offered as a first-line treatment for symptoms of mild depression in children.

And even when they're prescribed for more serious cases, it's supposed to be along with psychological therapy. Unfortunately, this doesn't appear to be what's happening in clinical practice.

In the video above, people across the globe shared their stories about how benzodiazepine drugs, taken as prescribed, led to serious side effects and harm.

If you're wondering about people's experiences with antidepressants, at SSRIStories.org you can browse through a collection of more than 6,000 stories in which prescription drugs, primarily SSRIs, were potentially linked to serious side effects including violent behavior.

Categories include murder-suicide, postpartum reactions, road rage, school and other mass shootings, workplace violence and more, echoing the reasons why use of such drugs must not be taken lightly.

If your child is struggling emotionally or mentally, it can be difficult to determine whether it is due to a true illness, environmental factors or a combination. Even diagnosis by psychiatrists is far from an exact science.

Behavioral problems in children (and also many mental challenges in adults) — including what might appear to be serious mental disorders — are frequently related to improper diet, emotional upset and exposure to toxins.

If possible, these underlying issues should be resolved before resorting to suppressing symptoms with potentially dangerous medications. Remember, research suggests drugs such as antidepressants do little, if anything, to help and may increase your child's risk of suicide.

Further, psychotropic agents can influence a child's brain development, and chronic drug exposure during sensitive periods can produce alterations to a child's nervous system that have unpredictable and potentially harmful effects.

What happens to children when they are medicated at a very young age during key formative years? Do they grow up never knowing who they really are? What passions might they have developed were it not for the drug's influence? These are questions that remain unanswered.

If you or your child are experiencing severe depression or anxiety please seek help from a professional. For milder cases, and in addition to professional treatment for severe cases, the place to start is to return balance — to your body and your life. If you're currently taking antidepressants or anxiety medications and wish to stop, you should wean off them gradually under the care of a knowledgeable health care provider.

Abrupt withdrawal from these drugs can lead to severe psychiatric or physical problems. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain, by applying lifestyle modifications before trying medication, especially in children with mild symptoms. You may be surprised by how much such changes lessen symptoms naturally.

Exercise

In addition to the creation of new neurons, including those that release the calming neurotransmitter GABA, exercise boosts levels of potent brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, which may help buffer some of the effects of stress.

Many avid exercisers also feel a sense of euphoria after a workout, sometimes known as the "runner's high." It can be quite addictive, in a good way, once you experience just how good it feels to get your heart rate up and your body moving.

The Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)

EFT can be very effective by helping you to actually reprogram your body's reactions to the unavoidable stressors of everyday life. This includes both real and imagined stressors, which can be significant

sources of anxiety.

EFT is particularly powerful for treating stress and anxiety because it specifically targets your amygdala and hippocampus, which are the parts of your brain that help you decide whether or not something is a threat.12 EFT has also been shown to lower cortisol levels, which are elevated when you're stressed or anxious.13

In the following video, EFT therapist Julie Schiffman discusses EFT for depression relief. Please keep in mind that while anyone can learn to do EFT at home, self-treatment for serious issues like persistent anxiety or depression is dangerous and NOT recommended, and you should consult with an EFT professional to get the relief you need.

Your diet should include a high-quality source of animal-based omega-3 fats like krill oil. The omega-3 fats EPA and DHA play an important role in your emotional well-being, and research has shown a dramatic 20 percent reduction in anxiety among med students taking omega-3s.16

Dr. Andrew L. Stoll, a psychiatrist and director of the Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory at Harvard University, was one of the early leaders in compiling the evidence supporting the use of animal based omega-3 fats for the treatment of depression. He wrote an excellent book that details his experience in this area called "The Omega-3 Connection."

Sources and References

The Lancet June 7, 2016

The Lancet June 8, 2016

Science Alert July 7, 2016