Are you aware that young adults who take antidepressants are 50% more likely to be convicted of an assault, arson, robbery, or any other social vices in comparison with comparable young adults who do not take antidepressants? The next question is a need to know if this difference in outcome is due to the drug they took, or it is due to the underlying health condition.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, young adults between the ages of 15 and 24 were most susceptible to these social vices. This implies that there is a connection between the use of antidepressants and violence in this age group. It is worthy of note that drug companies, pharmacists, physicians, and other health professionals don’t emphasize to patients that antidepressants may lead to violence. Though the reasons for such actions is understandable from the standpoint of emotional healing, violence, and gun-shooting in school systems all around the United States seem to be on the increase. This viewpoint of this research is in line with over 20,000 case reports on a possible link between antidepressants and violence.

A LOGICAL SOLUTION TO THIS CHALLENGE

      It is worthy of note that everyone, including identical twins, responds to drugs differently. This individuality is because everyone has a unique genetic composition that influences how we metabolize drugs. Though there are algorithms that predict the likelihood that a rightfully diagnosed patient will benefit from the use of antidepressants, there are a few random factors that can make the model unreliable. That is why the Food and Drug Administration encourage physicians to request a pharmacogenetics test report before certain antidepressants are prescribed. This patient-centered approach will guide the physician in selecting the drug that is most suited for the patient. If you need more information or want to know how we can help you, click here.

REFERENCES

Commissioner, O. of the. (2019). Biomarkers at FDA. FDA. http://www.fda.gov/science-research/about-science-research-fda/biomarkers-fda

Hemminki, E., Merikukka, M., Gissler, M., Wahlbeck, K., Savolainen, J., Ristikari, T., & Aaltonen, M. (2017). Antidepressant use and violent crimes among young people: A longitudinal examination of the Finnish 1987 birth cohort. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 71(1), 12–18. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2016-207265

Products—Data Briefs—Number 283—August 2017. (2019, June 6). https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db283.htm