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BERNADKA DUBICKA, SARAH HADLEY, and CHRISTOPHER ROBERTS
Suicidal behaviour in youths with depression treated with new-generation antidepressants: Meta-analysis
The British Journal of Psychiatry 2006; 189: 393-398 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]
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[Read eLetter] Antidepressants and suicide
sreedharan amarjothi nagendran   (6 December 2006)

Antidepressants and suicide 6 December 2006
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sreedharan amarjothi nagendran,
staff grade psychiatrist

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Re: Antidepressants and suicide

itssridhar{at}hotmail.com sreedharan amarjothi nagendran

Depression is a common and disabling condition, so the safety of drugs used in its management is Crucial.

Prescribing of antidepressants has increased greatly in England and elsewhere in recent years. This increase has coincided with a fall in rates of suicide, leading some researchers to suggest a causal association. Meanwhile, others are concerned that antidepressants may precipitate suicidal behaviour.Self-poisoning accounts for around a quarter of suicides in England, 20% of these deaths are antidepressant overdoses.

Any antidepressant induced suicides may be offset by the beneficial effects of antidepressants on depression and Long-term suicide risk associated with untreated Depression. The low toxicity of SSRIs in overdose will have prevented some suicides. The balance of risks and benefits may vary depending on an individual’s underlying Suicide risk. For patients with conditions that have a high risk of suicide, such as severe depression, the Risk-benefit balance may be more favourable than for Patients with conditions such as anxiety and mild Depression, in which suicide is rare.