Posted by Cam W. on August 9, 2000, at 7:10:06
In reply to Re: Celexa, posted by Mauree on August 8, 2000, at 23:43:16
Mauree - I look at the antidepressant/suicide issue this way. People who are depressed and have suicidal tendencies usually have not motivation to act upon their suicidal impulses. As the depression begins to resolve with the use of an antidepressant (especially SSRIs, it seems), the depressed person begins to get more energy and drive before the depression truly abates. The combination of still being depressed and having more energy in people with suicidal thoughts, can lead to those people acting on those thoughts.
When assessing a person for antidepressant use, a doctor should take that person's risk of suicide into consideration (not easy in most cases) and follow that person more closely.
I think that SSRIs have a greater propensity to be involved in suicides is because they don't cause the sedation at therapeutic doses that the older tricyclic antidepressants did. Also, SSRIs tend to return energy to a person before complete resolution of the depressive symptoms.
So, to say that the Celexa "caused" the suicide attempt is a bit misleading, when put into context. Your sister may have these suicidal thoughts with any antidepressant they put her on (any antidepressant that works, that is). She should have therapy to deal with why she is having these suicidal thoughts instead of stopping an antidepressant that is working for her.
Hope this helps - Cam.
poster:Cam W.
thread:1899
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000729/msgs/42412.html