Rising teen suicides may be linked to lower antidepressant use

When the FDA decided to put a "black box" warning on antidepressants in 2004, it hoped to save teens from what seemed to be an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior. With the warning in place, prescriptions for antidepressants became less common among teens. Unfortunately, however, the drop in antidepressant use may have led to a slingshot effect leading to worse consequences. Last fall, the CDC said that the suicide rate for 10 to 24-year-olds actually rose 8 percent from 2003 to 2004, after a drop of more than 28 percent from 1990 to 2003. Researchers weren't sure, at first, whether the rise was an anomaly, but now they doubt it--and many think that the drop in antidepressant use among this group could be a contributing factor. Article

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