Eli5: Why do so many antidepressants have sucidal thoughts as a possible side effect?
In: Other
When a drug goes through trials, people are asked to report potential side effects. If a specific side effect is reported, it must be listed as a side effect of the drug. They do not try to prove that the drug is solely responsible for the effect as that would be essentially impossible.
Now consider who uses anti-depressants. These are people who are likely at a higher risk of suicidal thoughts in general. Therefore it’s almost expected that they would have reported that side effect.
What is important to look at is the likelihood and severity of the potential side effects. This information is readily available online. Death is a common side effect of almost every drug, but often it’s very unlikely.
Anti-depressants are also NOT a one size fits all drug. They mess with your brain chemistry and sometimes the switches they are flipping just aren’t the right ones. They are also often misused as people will often stop taking them as they feel better thinking themselves cured. They are incredibly useful when used correctly and when a good mix is found. But sometimes it takes some trial and error.
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