Tragically, not all suicides of this nature were prevented.
Fortunately, there are, however, some usually conspicuous warning signs that can
be observed to aid in preventing any future unnecessary deaths if the
child's primary caregivers closely observe the child's behavior on a
daily basis.
1. Clinical Worsening
2. Agitation
3. Irritability
4. Suicidality
5. Unusual Changes in Behavior (especially during the initial course of
the treatment)
It is also recommended that prescriptions for antidepressants be
written for the smallest quantity of tablets consistent with good patient
management, in order to reduce the risk of overdose.
It seems like an oxymoron to me that something that is supposed to
treat depression may actually be amplifying and worsening it to the degree
of someone wanting to create his own demise.
While there is no denying
that many people truly do have a genuine need for such medications, it
has become commonplace to freely hand out pills in our society.
You complain of being unhappy, well here, we have a pill to fix that problem.
I viewed a commercial some time ago for an antidepressant that stated
one indication of being depressed is feeling sad for two or more weeks.
Any traumatic event in life could inflict two weeks (or more) of
sadness; someone could have underwent a divorce or lost a loved one or just
discovered that they have a terminal illness.
But please do not misunderstand, I am not condemning the usage of these medicines; I am only saying to be careful. The bottom line is to be wary and attentive of how your children are responding to the medication, especially during the first few months of taking it to prevent any potential tragedy. You just might save your child's life.