ANTIDEPRESSANTS: 42% of suicides in One Indiana County Were on Antidepressants

NOTE FROM Ann Blake-Tracy (www.drugawareness.org):
Note the title of this article and how they are blaming increased
suicide with the economy. The economy does increase suicide in several ways but
the two most common denominators in the economy doing this is that these drugs
are more often prescribed due to depression being more common with a poor
economy and people already on antidepressants not being able to keep up their
insurance so that they can afford the drugs thus forcing people into abrupt
withdrawal. The FDA has already warned that abrupt withdrawal from an
antidepressant can produce suicide, hostility or psychosis.
How, how, how can there be such a high rate of suicide
associated with the use of antidepressants and the article STILL complain that
people have a stigma about “getting help” which in their terms means getting
drugged with an antidepressant?! Oh yes, and we are suppose to believe that
counseling is supposed to help that be less fatal.
These drugs have been shown over and over again to increase
the rate of suicide. But as Hitler said, if you tell a lie often enough people
will believe it. Drug companies have that practice perfected. They will tell you
that black is white and day is night all day long.
Although the report shows a high rate of suicide (42%)
associated with antidepressant use, what is NOT addressed is how many had
recently been taking antidepressants and were in withdrawal which can cause
additional suicidal risks.
___________________________________
Second paragraph from the end reads:  “Of the 17
deaths in the first half of 2009, seven people were taking antidepressant
medication
, but only one was seeing a counselor. Chappell and Groves
said studies show doing both works best.”

SSRI Stories note:  So

forty-two percent of the people who committed suicide were taking
an antidepressant.  This is an exceedingly high
number.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/sep/07/economy-related-suicides-up/

Economy-related suicides up

Groves: Overall numbers consistent with 2008

  • By Gavin
    Lesnick

  • Posted September 7, 2009 at 11:40 p.m. , updated September 8, 2009 at 9:35
    a.m.
Source: Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office

EVANSVILLE ­
Vanderburgh County had the same number of suicides through the first half of

this year as it did in the first six months of 2008, though officials say there
has been a marked increase in self-inflicted deaths tied to the faltering
economy.

Of the 17 suicides reported through June 30, six of them
occurred after the person lost his job.

That compares with only one

job-related suicide in the first half of 2008.

Coroner Annie Groves
called it a big concern, especially given the recent news that Whirlpool will
shut down next year, taking 1,100 jobs with it. “When you lose your job, you
lose your home, you lose hope,” Groves said. “That worries me with this
economy.”

The coroner’s office recently released data on suicides in
advance of Suicide Awareness and Prevention Week, which continues through
Saturday in Evansville. It ends with the LifeSavers Walk, an annual event that
raises awareness and funds for addressing the suicide problem. Registration
starts at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Evansville State Hospital, 3400 Lincoln
Ave.

Local efforts toward combating suicides grew in 2007, when
Vanderburgh County ended the year with a record 40 self-inflicted deaths.

The numbers went down slightly in 2008, when 38 were reported by year’s
end, and are on pace this year to finish down again.

In addition to the
increase in job-related suicides, Groves said there also has been a steady
increase in self-inflicted deaths by people ages 20 to 39. There were 11 such
deaths in the first six months of the year compared with just five during that
span last year, 14 in all of 2008 and 16 in all of 2007.

“That’s an area
I’m very concerned about,” Groves said. “… It used to be 50 to 59 was our
higher ones.”

The 17 deaths recorded through the end of June include only
confirmed suicides.

Groves said there likely are six more suicides among
14 cases officially ruled accidental overdoses, but that a lack of hard evidence
prevents her from ruling those deaths intentional.

But on another front,
the numbers could be construed as artificially high: The 17 self-inflicted
deaths include seven people who committed a suicidal act in another county but
died here after being airlifted to an Evansville hospital.

In any event,
Groves said seeing the numbers come down from the record-setting 2007 figures is
a good sign.

She credits the dip with multiple prevention efforts: the
walk, frequent classes that teach the signs and symptoms of suicide and
brochures and billboards that increase awareness.

“We’re so busy focusing

on how many we’ve lost, we sometimes forget to focus on how many we’ve saved,”
Groves said.

Janie Chappell, chairwoman of the Southwestern Indiana
Suicide Prevention Coalition, said awareness efforts increasingly will focus on
encouraging people suffering from depression to seek medication and
counseling.

Of the 17 deaths in the first half of 2009, seven people were

taking antidepressant medication, but only one was seeing a counselor. Chappell
and Groves said studies show doing both works best.

“But there’s still so
much stigma surrounding mental health, people are reluctant to get help,”
Chappell said.

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