So many people are ingesting antidepressant medications these
days. But if you have a child or teenager currently taking an
antidepressant medication, read further. There is a potential danger that you
should especially be made aware of. A recent increase in suicides amongst
children and teenagers on antidepressant medications has sparked major
concern, so much concern in fact that the FDA (Food and Drug
Administration) has become involved. Brace yourself as we explore the scary
connection between voluntary fatality and antidepressant medications.
Antidepressants to be Wary of
To alleviate any confusion and to be more definitive with the
antidepressants to which I am referring, the following is a list inclusive of
this warning:
Anafranil (clomipramine HCl)
Aventyl (nortriptyline HCl)
Celexa (citalopram HBr)
Cymbalta (duloxetine HCI)
Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl)
Desyrel (trazodone HCl)
Effexor (venlafaxine HCl)
Elavil (amitriptyline HCl)
Lexapro (escitalopram oxalate)
Limbitrol (chlordiazepoxide/amitriptyline)
Ludiomil (Maprotiline HCl)
Luvox (fluvoxamine maleate)
Marplan (isocarboxazid)
Nardil (phenelzine sulfate)
Norpramin (desipramine HCl)
Pamelor (nortriptyline HCl)
Parnate (tranylcypromine sulfate)
Paxil (paroxetine HCl)
Pexeva (paroxetine mesylate)
Prozac (fluoxetine HCl)
Remeron (mirtazapine)
Sarafem (fluoxetine HCl)
Serzone (nefazodone HCl)
Sinequan (doxepin HCl)
Surmontil (trimipramine)
Symbyax (olanzapine/fluoxetine)
Tofranil (imipramine HCl)
Tofranil-PM (impiramine pamoate)
Triavil (Perphenaine/Amitriptyline)
Vivactil (protriptyline HCl)
Wellbutrin (bupropion HCl)
Zyban (bupropion HCl)
Among the antidepressants, only Prozac is approved for use in treating
MDD (major depressive disorder) in pediatric patients. Prozac, Zoloft,
Luvox, and Anafranil are approved for OCD (obsessive compulsive
disorder) in pediatric patients. None of the drugs is approved for other
psychiatric indications in children.
Clinical Trials and their Alarming Results
The risk of suicidality (suicidal thoughts and behavior) for these
drugs was identified in a combined analysis of short-term (up to 4 months)
placebo-controlled trials of nine antidepressant drugs-including the
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and others-in children
and adolescents with MDD, OCD, or other psychiatric disorders.
A cumulative total of 24 trials involving over 4400 patients were
included in the analysis, which depicted a higher risk of suicidality during
the first few months of treatment in those receiving antidepressants.
The average risk of such events on drug was four percent, double the
placebo risk of two percent. Though suicidality was present, no actual
suicides occurred during these trials.