Happy to finally see this happen. For so long I have heard very influential people complain about the "lack of evidence" surrounding SSRIs and suicidality. They point out that users of anti-depressants are more likely to be suicidal ANYWAY, and that accounts for the greater number of individuals experiencing suicidal "gestures" and ideation. They need to look at the TYPE of suicidal gestures one sees on SSRIs: severe, violent, extreme behavior turned against oneself.

Not to mention the fact that SSRIs are now approved to treat everything from irritable bowel syndrome to insomnia to social anxiety to bad PMS to separation anxiety in dogs- and one sees the same adverse reactions, bizarre behavior and suicidality in those populations. I have never heard of someone killing themselves because of PMS. Homocide perhaps, but not suicide.

Once again, I am glad the FDA has made the right decision. Too bad it is too late for so many. Too bad I never knew.

With the extension of age to 24 and applying the warning to all antidepressants, plus so much more exposure in the media, how much less likely will someone get proper treatment over liability concerns on the part of the physician?

If this meant more people are referred to qualified psychiatrists rather than being treated by their GP then fine.

But we all know the accessibility of psychiatrists to the general population.

It's legal concerns overriding proper treatment of people with mental illness. That's all.

Spot on, Lilly. And you're right too Philip, it's pretty preposterous not to extend this warning to all ages. The so-called protective effect in the elderly is based on flawed data. Who ever heard of a side effect in any other drug that's age related? It's stupid.

I'd like to know why they didn't test more extensively before giving these meds to people. When my shrink started me out on antidepressants 15 years ago, I started with Zoloft, then Paxil, then Wellbutrin, then back to Zoloft. I was moody, foggy, and befuddled, and STILL miserable. All gave me side-effects. (The sexual side-effects were really irritating, or was I irritated because they made me grumpy, too? :p) Zoloft made me suicidal, especially when I had had enough and went cold turkey. I figured I was moody before, I'd just be moody again. Boy, that was a rough month.

A few years later, a doctor was shocked to find out I went cold turkey. Seemed HE knew about Zoloft's side-effects even if the public didn't. He told me that 5% of the population that stops taking Zoloft becomes suicidal. Sheesh. It would have been nice to know that before I even started taking them.

I'm better off now using mind over mood to conquer my Depression.

Great blog. Thanks.

Douglas Cootey
The Splintered Mind