Could Antidepressants Explain the Virginia Tech Massacre?

re: Could Antidepressants Explain the Virginia Tech Massacre?

Mrs PEM — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 05:57:30 GMT

The moment I heard the news on TV about the Virginia Tech massacre, I said, "he's got to be on some sort of antidepressant". Every massacre that I've heard about has slowly revealed that the kid or young adult was on antidepressants. Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? News reporters state that, "he was depressed and took antidepressants and his symptoms improved for awhile but 'out of the blue' he killed people". Yes, the person may have been depressed and possibly for a long time. But if you review the case you'd find that they never "acted out" a psychosis until AFTER they took the anti-psychotic or anti-depressant drug. Antidepressants are like a time-bomb waiting to go off. It could be a month, it could be a year. Every "shooter case" is the same, and I've been following them since Reagan was shot in Wash. DC. The psychiatrists (like modern day drug pushers with anti depressants) have few other tricks up their sleeves then to offer pharmaceuticals, yearly adding many new psychosis' to their bible, the DSM. The drug companies, pumping out new antidepressants and antipsychotics monthly, are lovin' it. That's why they make $billions, even more money than oil companies. Who pays the price? The consumer. Who gets blamed, the consumer - us, not the chemical concoction that threw the patient over the edge.

re: Could Antidepressants Explain the Virginia Tech Massacre?

Organic/Kosher — Sat, 19 May 2007 21:14:57 GMT

Quote:
Harris and Klebold – 1999 – SSRIs

Harris was on SSRI's, according to toxicology reports but not Klebold, he was not on ANY medications. So if SSRI's were to blame.....why did Klebold do it?

re: Could Antidepressants Explain the Virginia Tech Massacre?

ne_plus_ultra_1 — Sat, 19 May 2007 06:17:51 GMT

Dr. Mercola, you are completely right on with this one.

Psychiatric medications are not the way to go.

re: Could Antidepressants Explain the Virginia Tech Massacre?

t121 — Mon, 07 May 2007 13:27:07 GMT

Really interesting article.
This post was 3 days before the post on youtube looking at the two events (Killing and antidepressants). The comments have been balanced as there are a range of causes for mass murders. Though the increasing link with these antidepressants is quite compelling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTr4QcIsJ5c

re: Could Antidepressants Explain the Virginia Tech Massacre?

Blashy — Wed, 02 May 2007 13:10:09 GMT

Lets stop jumping the "gun" here. This man had mental problems BEFORE being medicated, so he was given drugs after seeing someone.

Saying they are the cause is ludicrous. I am no fan of how the western medical system functions, they should start with overall health and work from there but they go the pill popping route.

Still, in the 50s, 60s, 70s and so on AND throughout history (5000 years ago) you had people who did exactly what he did and worse.

Has anyone thought that maybe he was not medicated properly? If that as the case than his medication would have no effect on making him better. Also it is obvious he did not get the proper "person to person" care and was pretty much left to his own devices.

Drugs should never be the solution, but sometimes they can help get you out of a big whole and from there you should work with someone (psychologist, etc...) and be aware of your overall health and if you are getting the proper nutrients and THAT is where our medical system fails, it will keep you on what drug after another.

So yes our system is severly flawed, but just because he was on antidepressents does not equate the cause for his actions.

The anti video game industry said it was games, it was discovered he virtually never played any games. Then it was the violence on TV lobby, oops he watched wrestling and that was about it, no guns in wrestling, violence yes, but no killing or guns and did not watch much of anything else.

These people are sick BEFORE being on drugs, saying it was the drugs that caused them to go overboard is total unscientific speculation. There is the other side of the coing, maybe the drugs were not doing ANYTHING and so their situation just continued to degrade.

These drugs are flawed and NOT the final solution, but I have seen their benefits firsthand on 4 people... myself included. But the goal should always to get off them.

re: Could Antidepressants Explain the Virginia Tech Massacre?

Gisborne NZ — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 20:13:17 GMT

When I think about the role of antidepresants in these tragedies, many pertinent, to me, facts come to mind. I do not beleive the drug alters the basic mind to which it is applied. It fiddles with the chemistry, yes. I am no stranger to depression, yet I will forever refuse to take these drugs. Depression, as I see it, can be characterised as the sheer terror generated by one's perceptions of his\her life at that time. This has an extraordinarily debilitating effect. What I postulate is that the drugs serve to remove this debilitation - as alcohol removes inhibition. Without this curbing influence, the psychopath is set free. We are looking at symptoms and bypassing the cause. Find the psychopath before you give him the drug.

re: Could Antidepressants Explain the Virginia Tech Massacre?

KAC — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 20:11:02 GMT

My last post says

Help for Depression with Pharmaceutical Drugs

but it should say

Help for Depression without Pharmaceutical Drugs.

re: Could Antidepressants Explain the Virginia Tech Massacre?

Amanda Rose — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:42:25 GMT

Every generation born in this country is more likely to suffer from depression than their parents. They are likely to suffer for a greater percentage of their lives.

Depression and mental illness in general are complicated with many factors affecting their severity, but there is clear evidence in the medical literature that depression can at least be alleviated with nutritional therapy. In my case, it was my primary therapy and after targeted nutritional work and an overall diet makeover, I feel better than ever.

Two tidbits:

Researchers have found that the cerebral spinal fluid of suicide victims have low levels of magnesium. Clinicians find that most of their depressed patients are low in magnesium.
Polish researchers have administered shock therapy to rodents and found that it increases their brain zinc levels. Low zinc is associated with depression as well.

My grandmother actually had shock therapy and displayed signs of low zinc (as well as some other depression-fighting nutrients). The shock therapy helped in the short-term but the depression never went away. She developed other related diseases.

As part of my own recovery, I’ve identified seven depression-fighting nutrients/fats that have the strongest basis in the medical literature. From those seven I’ve created a food index of depression buster foods.

With better eating, we would have fewer of these discussions. Far fewer people would feel the need to seek antidepressants (from doctors who are not aware of alternatives for them). Incidents like this would be rare or non-existent.

re: re: Could Antidepressants Explain the Virginia Tech Massacre?

Russ Bianchi — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:24:01 GMT

How about holding pharmaceutical executives (as well a approval regulators) personally criminally liable for accessory to murder, for FRAUD, which pierces corporate shield?

re: Could Antidepressants Explain the Virginia Tech Massacre?

LM36 — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:16:48 GMT

If the possible side effect of some antidepressants could cause a person to become a psychopathic mass-murderer then those drugs should be banned! Once again, how many people have to die before action is taken? Hopefully this incident will result in a positive change within the realm of treating depression. Pssst! FDA this would be a good time take some action.

This should also serve as a reminder that people have feelings and should not be shunned or dismissed because they are a "loner". In fact, those are the individuals who need someone to just be their friend instead of dealt a harmful drug. The scary thought is that there are many more individuals who are just like this S. Korean boy, ignored by society and most likely treated with an antidepressant. We will soon learn the truth, in the meantime, pray for the families who are forever changed by what unfolded at Virginia Tech yesterday.

re: Could Antidepressants Explain the Virginia Tech Massacre?

Cheryl Rounds — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 16:56:34 GMT

When I was growing up in the 60's there were a lot of street drugs like LSD that were often involved in horrific incidents. Today we have massacres occurring and usually the people involved are on legal psyciatric drugs. However, unlike the 60's when we blamed the drugs, we today blame the unfortunate souls who have been persuaded by their medical doctors that they needed psychotropic drugs. And while these poor souls have their lives ruined - the pharmaceutical companies continue to rake in billions. For an excellent video on this situation go to http://www.thelastoutpost.com/site/1516/default.aspx

re: Could Antidepressants Explain the Virginia Tech Massacre?

Josh Rubin — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 15:44:05 GMT

According to Dr. Larson in Depression free naturally, 1 out of 5 Americans is depressed and 1 out of 7 of those commit suicide of some sort. I feel that most Americans are depressed because of what they are putting into their bodies, as well as the programming that they have been exposed to through the media, religion, family and society.

Research by Fisher and Greenberg in the 90's found that the people they studied on SSRI's only had a 25% recovery rate. As well after that they did 16 studies on the more recent SSRI's and found that 62% showed not difference between the ones on it and the ones on a placebo.

At his center, he has shown through research and studies that people leaving after using AA therapy, nutrition and lifestyle coaching, had a 95% recovery rate with no relapse!