Posted by SLS on October 4, 2015, at 21:16:43
In reply to Re: Shooters and Psychiatry, posted by hello321 on October 4, 2015, at 17:09:49
>
> > > Interestingly, the rate has been going down steadily since the
> >
> > After reviewing the chart further, I don't understand how anyone would try to use it to make an argument that increased antidepressant use is associated with higher rates of violent crimes.
> >
> > 1. Within a few years of the release of Prozac, violent crimes have gone down steadily.
> >
> > 2. The media attention paid to Prozac and depression beginning in 1988 produced a large increase in antidepressant prescriptions. I believe it is at least 400%.
> >
> > http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/astounding-increase-in-antidepressant-use-by-americans-201110203624
> >
> > Wouldn't one expect an increase in the rate of violent crimes by 400% if antidepressants were responsible for producing them? Instead, there is a significant reduction. How can this be?
> >
> > The statistic I haven't seen yet is the proportion of people that take antidepressants who go on to commit suicide or violent crimes. If you line up 100 people who take antidepressants, how many of them will suffer negative behavioral reactions? What if it is only 3*? The media attention paid to those 3 will be greatly exaggerated and make antidepressants seem like prolific killers. Perhaps negative reactions can be screened for more closely by doctors early in treatment. Weekly or biweekly evaluations might be indicated.
> >
> > * I have no idea what this number really is. Maybe someone can produce this statistic.
> >
> > More interesting statistics:
> >
> > http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db76.htm
> >
> >
> > - Scott
> I didn't post those numbers to prove any point. I just posted them for us to look.
>
> But the rate of violent crimes continued to increase even after Prozac quickly became a blockbuster soon after it was released.Prozac was released in December of 1988. However, it didn't become a blockbuster until the media made it into one. It didn't make the cover of Newsweek magazine until March 26, 1990. I don't think it reasonable that Prozac should increase prescription numbers by 400% in the two years following the magazine article. Violent crimes began to fall beginning in 1993 according the chart you posted. Maybe Prozac reduced violent crime. Fewer depressed and anxious people = reduced violent crime? It would make a wonderful explanation for what we see in the statistics you cited. But, then again, maybe not.
So now you have me confused. I forgot exactly what we were talking about.
- ScottSome see things as they are and ask why.
I dream of things that never were and ask why not.- George Bernard Shaw
poster:SLS
thread:1083163
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20150929/msgs/1083211.html